Amy McGouldrick and Marty Webster, St Kilda locals and owners of wine bar The Walrus, come from a wine background. But when they took over the adjacent space to The Walrus, they decided it needed to be a good old-fashioned pub. Because it’s what the area needed.

So, unlike The Walrus and its changing food line-up, The Carpenter’s Ruin has a menu you can set your watch to. There’s a Sunday roast. There’s a steak night. You better believe there’s a meat raffle. And a mean schnitty. Basically – it’s a small pub. But it has the same polish and enthusiasm for great service you’ll find next door.

The Walrus is in the former Little Wolf space, with The Carpenter’s Ruin taking over the adjoining site. It was formerly Mr Wolf, which was run by Karen Martini until 2021. The Walrus now takes full advantage of The Carpenter’s bigger and better-equipped kitchen.

But even though these two venues are as close as they’ve been since the Mr Wolf days, each has its own distinct character. The Walrus – with its ochre walls, emerald tiles and moody lighting – very much looks like a wine bar. The Carpenter’s Ruin feels like the opposite: it’s cool, bright and nautical.