Byrdi Goes From Cocktails to Wine With New Concept Ephemera

Hot Listed Byrdi, ranked number 35 on the World’s 50 Best Bars list in 2024, has wiped everything off its Instagram account prior to May 30. And if the pop girlies have taught us anything, that can only mean one thing – a new era is here. Enter Ephemera, a temporary rebrand with a more relaxed service style, a bigger focus on wine, and a change in the bar’s cocktail offering.

While Byrdi’s lists were high concept, with a small number of drinks designed around themes as broad as “moment” and as specific as “the autumnal colours of Victoria” or “the unique ways that native flora has evolved to disperse its seeds across Australia”. Ephemera’s list follows a more classical cocktail bar structure. There’ll always be a Martini, for example, though what that Martini is will change constantly. Currently, it’s Onion & Strawberry, a spin on a Gibson that incorporates pickled onion weed, preserved strawberry, tomato umeboshi and cape gooseberries from Wandin Yallock Farms. “It gives our team the freedom to be highly responsive,” says Luke Whearty, who founded Byrdi with Aki Nishikura in 2022.

The wine list, formerly two whites, two reds and two sparkling options, has expanded to include twenty Australian wines, all available by the glass or bottle. And the food offering is now solely focused on snacks such as prawn toast with pepperberry mayo, and Shark Bay scallops with chicken fat and soy sauce.

Byrdi always had seasonality at its core, but true to its name, the offering at Ephemera will be even more fleeting. “We wanted to create something that felt alive and reflective of a particular moment in time,” Whearty says. “Nothing is intended to stay the same for long. Wines rotate, cocktails change weekly and the food offering evolves with what’s available.

“It’s also our response to the realities facing hospitality and guests right now. Cost-of-living pressures are real, and people are being more selective about where they spend their money. We wanted to create something that remains thoughtful and exciting, but feels approachable enough to become part of people’s regular lives, rather than an occasional treat.”

Cocktails, formerly $30 each, are now $26; snacks range from $10 to $20 and wines by the glass go for $17 to $24. “By focusing on great wine, snacks, simple pleasures and a constantly evolving drinks list, we’re able to offer a more accessible and affordable expression of Byrdi without compromising on quality or creativity,” he says.

He expects Ephemera, which is being pitched as a pop-up, to run until later in the year, while the team continues to work out what’s next for Byrdi.

Ephemera at Byrdi
211 La Trobe Street, Tenancy GD075, Melbourne
No phone

Hours:
Daily 5pm–midnight

byrdi.com.au
@byrdimelb