Bahama Gold

We don’t say this often, but there’s nowhere in Melbourne like Bahama Gold, the tiny wine bar and shop attached to larger restaurant Old Palm Liquor.

The venue launched during one of Melbourne’s many Covid lockdowns as a canteen-style bottle shop, with a counter opening directly onto the street. That unusual feature has stuck around, and the party spills right outside. Punters sitting on the footpath tables never need to set foot in the building to get a drink.

Sitting inside is never a bad choice, though. While there’s no DJ, and Bahama Gold doesn’t bill itself as a listening bar, it has all the right ingredients: an impeccable record collection, a vintage Luxman amplifier and several high-end Klipsch speakers. This gear – $80,000 worth, all up – makes every visit a pleasure.

Or is it the absurdly good value house wines, which have been as low as $10 a glass? These same wines are also available to take home in refillable one-litre flagons (again, a total steal at $22), or delivered directly to your place within the hour via Bahama Gold’s extensive online bottle shop, alongside bottled cocktails, snacks and merch.

Behind the bar, Da Paolo is in permanent residence, cooking a variety of pizzas that can be complemented by snacks like fries and oysters from next door.