NOW EXPERIENCING:Maggie’s Snacks and Liquor
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Maggie’s Snacks and Liquor

98 Lygon Street, Brunswick East, VIC, 3057
Phone
(03) 7003 4353
Website
maggiesbar.com.au
Instagram
@maggiessnacksandliquor

Read time 3 Mins

Posted 26 Apr 2024

By
Larissa Dubecki

Making a cocktail at Maggie's Snacks and Liquor, Melbourne

Maggie’s Snacks and Liquor does exactly what it says on the tin. What’s more, the snacks are excellent and the liquor, in the form of fun cocktails, is standout, making for heart-warming good times.

The courtyard at Maggie's Snacks and Liquor, Melbourne
Why you go

There’s not exactly a shortage of bars in Brunswick, but newcomer Maggie’s immediately earns attention thanks to co-owner Nathan Toleman, the name behind a greatest-hits of Melbourne venues including Hazel, Lilac Wine and Dessous. In short, the man knows how to create a fabulous drinking hole, and while Maggie’s (opened with a cabal of hospo mates) is less designer-y than his other projects, it slots so seamlesslyx into the local scene you’d think it had been slinging pét-nat sparkling and pilsner for years instead of months.

 

Why you stayMaggie’s Snacks and Liquor does exactly what it says on the tin, but beyond the snacks (excellent) and the liquor (ditto) there’s a low-fi warmth guaranteed to make you all fuzzy in the cockle region. Take the space: a stripped-back, unpretentious red-brick joint with a huge horseshoe bar and vintage liquor posters on the walls. There’s a generosity to the dimensions that means you won’t feel crammed-in like a battery hen, a common complaint about Brunswick bars. Bring a group of mates, spread out in one of the two rooms or head out back to where a dog-friendly, palm-planted courtyard is waiting to serve up some vitamin D with your Daiquiri.
What drink to orderEver wondered what Margot Robbie would taste like if she was a cocktail? According to Maggie’s, it’s a mix of Rhubi Mistelle apéritif, vodka, moscato grappa and house-made pistachio syrup with a citrus kick (you guessed right: it’s Barbie-core pink). The Vanilla Slice Milk Punch is Aussie bakery nostalgia reimagined for the over-18s, with Starward whisky, passionfruit and verjuice, while the Beeswax Martinez features Saison Fallen Quinces vermouth, pineapple sage-infused apera blend, Saint Felix Wild Forest gin and maraschino, aged in-house in bottles lined with locally made beeswax. Vino? The well-travelled list has a love for low-fi operations (of course – this is Brunswick after all), but if you’re after the classic pleasures of grand cru Champagne or a splash out-worthy chardonnay or Chablis you’re in good hands. The house beer is a crisp tap lager made with Brunswick’s own Co-Conspirators, meaning food miles are (almost) non-existent.
A cocktail served at Maggie’s Snacks and Liquor
One of the dishes at Maggie’s Snacks and Liquor in Melbourne
What to pair it withThe menu sings in the key of Kiwi thanks to chef Scott Blomfield, who grew up across the ditch. Snacks like chorizo-stuffed Māori fried bread topped with pickled mussels and fennel or a fried chicken-skin sandwiched around creamy parfait are a great option to keep the drinks list company (the salty crunch and squish of the latter is definitely worth the calories), but you can easily compose a full meal with the help of bigger dishes like the ika mata – Cook Islands-style citrus-cured barramundi served with a cassava cracker – or masterstock-braised lamb ribs with pickled daikon to counteract the fattiness. Lasagne toppers (think of the Italian classic, breaded and fried) pay homage to Blomfield’s mum (the Maggie’s version adds yuzu mayo and pickled mushroom), while her apple shortcake also makes an appearance in the company of kiwi fruit sorbet, L&P snow (yes, made from the actual soft drink), chantilly cream and compressed apple. Choice.
Regular’s tipBloody Mary lovers of the world take note: weekends only see the Maggie’s Mary take flight, and it’s well worth timing a visit to taste the alchemy of the house-fermented hot sauce, umami salt and pickled guindilla peppers, made with your choice of vodka, tequila, gin or (our choice) Pennyweight’s fino.
Don’t leave withoutAficionados of Melbourne bar culture should make sure they take a gander at the host station. A glass-topped vintage cabinet, it contains all sorts of drinking curios including a ’60s cocktail shaker and recipe book, a first edition of Swillhouse magazine and a shiny vintage can of Foster’s Lager that looks like it dates from the Paul Hogan shrimp-on-the-barbie era and is the pride and joy of Maggie’s co-owner Kaidee Grzankowski.
Authour image
Larissa DubeckiLarissa Dubecki has been a journalist for more than 20 years and specialises in reviewing restaurants and bars.
Tags
Drinks DirectoryFamily affairKiller cocktailsWheelchair accessibleBarMeal and a bevGood for groupsVego Food OptionsOutdoor areaRestaurantA+ spirits listTop notch wine listNon-alcoholicPet friendlyMelbourneAfter work drinksCasual catch-upMelbourne – North
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