West Footscray Wines was one of the first good wine shops on the Barkly Street strip. Run by Zac Potier (Seddon’s now-closed Tin Pan Alley, Collingwood’s Caz Reitop’s Dirty Secrets) since 2021, it’s become a special place for locals to try approachable wines alongside elegant bar snacks.

The space is humble and warm: a simple blackboard broadcasts the day’s wine specials, staggered box shelving showcases the 300-strong wine selection and a colourful, dog-friendly courtyard hides out the back for those who are sticking around.

Wines come from near and far – spanning juicy rosé from Gilgraves in Central Victoria to pinot blanc from Gustave Lorentz in France – with around 15 available by the glass at any time. There’s a tight list of cocktails, from the popular Negroni Sbagliato to the more adventurous Oyster Martini, along with non-alc drops from Non. The Australian beer selection features Footscray's own Hop Nation Brewing Co alongside Holgate Brewhouse and Shepparton Brewery.

As for food, it’s mostly smaller snacks to complement the wine. The freshly shucked oysters are a mainstay, while grilled Camembert with crusty baguette, crispy fried cauliflower, and shiitake mushroom pate are also possibilities. If you’re not sticking around, you can pick up some deli snacks to go, like salami, cheese or tinned anchovies. Potier might even suggest the right wines to pair them with.