Good Gilbert

Good Gilbert is a breezy neighbourhood bar sitting opposite the Capri Theatre on the corner of Goodwood Road and Gilbert Street (hence the name). The place is bright, open and welcoming with bi-fold doors letting in plenty of light and wide-open windows that double as a spot to perch. It’s the kind of place you could just about spend all day in.

The smart interior features banquettes and stools, as well as fresh tiling and polished concrete floors. The space is all timber and sage with soft tones and warm wood playing off against an industrial concrete floor and tile-clad bar with pressed-metal detailing. Overhead, a line-up of wine bottles skirts the room.

After starting out with a simple, snacky bar menu courtesy of owner Wilson Shawyer (and before the addition of a dining room in 2022), the food levelled up with the appointments of chef Jack Tonkin (now at Brae) and, later, Justin Healy (Dunfor Noodle Bar). These days chef Savannah Sexton (previously at Brisbane’s Alba Bar & Deli) fronts the open kitchen, turning out a menu of fun, nostalgic menu with a focus on ethical and sustainable produce.

The thoughtfully chosen wine list (which hovers around 140 wines) is roughly 70 per cent Australian and 30 per cent European. For the beer drinkers, there’s a core range of lagers, pales, sours, ciders from local breweries such as Little Bang and neighbouring Suburban Brew.