Good Gilbert

Good Gilbert is a 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. In other words, it’s the kind of place you could easily spend all day in.

The space is smart, featuring banquettes and stools to sit at for a round or two. Timber, sage and soft tones play off against a polished concrete floor and tile-clad bar with pressed-metal detailing. Overhead, a line-up of wine bottles skirts the room.

Speaking of wine, the thoughtfully chosen list (which hovers around 140 bottles) is mainly Australian, but with a good selection of European pours if that’s your preference. For beer drinkers, local breweries such as Little Bang and neighbouring Suburban Brew are in regular rotation.

Levelling up from the simple, snacky bar menu the venue first opened with, Good Gilbert added a fully fledged kitchen and dining room in 2022. Now late lunches and refined dinners are both possibilities – expect cuisine-crossing plates with shades of nostalgia throughout.