Artisan. Meat. Balls.

Have you ever read those three words together before? Really?

Rapidly make an excursion to this new wine bar for meatballs. Not just any – we’re talking Artisan meatballs. Hand-crafted temptations of beef, chicken, pork vegetable or fish – lovingly mixed and hand-rolled and served with sauces to bring out the best in these meatbally morsels.

Imagine each ingredient selected for maximum flavour. Rare-breed Kurobuta pork from the hinterlands of Byron Bay. Pasture-fed Black Angus beef from the Gippsland lushness. Chicken that is truly free-range. Australian fish.

The delight is in the details. It’s to be expected when you have an owner such as Matteo Bruno. He’s a television & film producer, so high production values rule. He’s signed on some of Australia’s top chefs to share their recipes – the stars of the venue.

Forget stainless steel foreboding. This is as welcoming as can be thanks to an interior by Eades & Bergman – all exposed brickwork, the warmth of a copper bar and communal seating to turn fellow diners into instant friends. Think New York butcher shop with a prime cut of Melbourne style. Less sawdust on the floor.

Small goods are presented like jewels in a display case and the supporting cast are the drinks offerings – delicately delicious cocktails that whet your appetite for a long, sweet summer ahead and enough robust whiskeys and bourbons to warm the cool nights until.

The Meatball & Wine Bar
135 Flinders Lane Melbourne 3000
T: 03 9654 7545