Westwood Coffee and Wine

Westwood Coffee and Wine by owners Michael and Monica Underwood moved into a Victorian-era terrace house previously occupied by now-closed Clever Polly’s. The space feels lived in and welcoming.

The all-day spot is fitted out with pieces the couple, who also owns Fitzroy North wine bar Underwood, has collected over the years. Custom-made trestle tables are from Nook Vintage in Clifton Hill, and there are colourful modernist prints by Madrid-based illustrator Blanca Gómez.

To a soundtrack of jazz and soul, couples on bar stools by the front window graze on salumi, anchovies, olives and bread. In banquette seating near the back, small groups tuck into more substantial mains and order bottles of Spanish tempranillo.

Just by the open-plan kitchen, specials are listed on a reel of butcher’s paper. Maidenii unfiltered vermouth (straight up or over ice), Hurdle Creek botanical pastis with soda, sardines on toast with Bloody Mary sauce, and a grilled pork chop with charred radicchio.

The refined, European-inspired menu includes swordfish tartare with sliced kumquats, grilled cuttlefish and romesco, braised cabbage with celery cream, and sous-vide 72-hour beef short ribs.

For dessert there’s Mörk chocolate mousse with honeycomb and poached almonds, or a treacle pot de creme.

The wine list is European-leaning (sylvaner from Alsace, catarratto from Sicily) but includes a solid list of Australian drops too.

A general liquor licence means bottles are available to take home, too.