NOW EXPERIENCING:Olivine
Drinks Directory|Top notch wine list|Date night|Melbourne – North

Olivine

Tuesday: 5:00 – 10:00 PM
1 Pentridge Boulevard, Coburg, VIC, 3058
Phone
(03) 9100 9116
Website
olivinewinebar.com.au
Instagram
@olivine_wine_bar

Read time 3 Mins

Posted 17 Jun 2024

By
Michael Harden

Bar at Olivine, Melbourne

The unlikely setting of a former Pentridge Prison cell block is now a surprisingly lovely wine bar, complete with lavish fit-out, hefty wine list and snacks the polar opposite of prison food.

Inside an old jail cell at the lavishly refurbished Olivine in Melbourne
Why you goTransforming an historic building into a swish eating and drinking venue is hardly a new concept. But when the historic building was once a notorious prison, things get a little more complicated. Do you lean into or ignore history? Olivine, a wine bar occupying what used to be Pentridge Prison’s B Division (once home to the likes of Squizzy Taylor and Chopper Read), has chosen to take the middle ground. With the prison’s bluestone-walled cells and overhead metal walkways intact, there’s no mistaking the brutal former life of the space, but a beautiful fit-out softens it with velvet banquettes, sculptural light fittings, plush warm-toned armchairs, patterned rugs and modern art, making a pretty successful argument for rehabilitation. Add an impressive, expertly assembled drinks list, clever bar snacks, first-rate service from enthusiastic young staff and a genuinely unique, creatively remodelled setting, and Olivine can never be accused of offering a humdrum experience. It’s up to you to decide whether or not drinking and snacking in a jailhouse rocks.
Why you staySome people might visit Olivine to get a look at what’s been done to the old prison without hanging around any longer than they have to. But settle into one of the comfortable, deep-orange armchairs in the main space, or a luxe green-velvet lounge in a private room, and begin reading the wine list (designed and annotated by sommelier and wine writer Liinaa Berry), and you may find yourself inventing excuses to stay longer. Liinaa’s list, called the Book of Wine, is a hefty number, weighing in at 50-plus pages, and can initially (and understandably) seem daunting. It’s actually pretty logical and user-friendly, with excellent illustrations courtesy of Pentridge’s resident artist Elizabeth Nicholls, a “synopsis” of 220 wines at the beginning based on wine styles (“bright”, “fresh”, “complex”), followed by a deeper dive that’s all about grape varieties. The list is accompanied by well-versed wine service, so if you need a guide to navigate the thicket of wines from all over the planet, there’s one available to you. Order snacks, settle back and embrace the fact you’re sentencing yourself to a longer term in Olivine than planned.
At the bar at Melbourne's Olivine
The wine selection is a highlight at Olivine in Melbourne
What drink to orderOlivine is a wine bar with a wide-ranging list that runs to hundreds of labels and a generous by-the-glass offer that might include funky chenin blanc from Western Australia, elegant Rhône Valley roussanne, Tasmanian pinot noir and Spanish bobal. So, it’s a no-brainer to give serious consideration to such a comprehensive and exciting cellar. If you’re after something a little darker and more fortifying, flip to the impressive spirits list at the back of the book and pay particular attention to the whisky section. Almost two pages are dedicated to Scotch, Irish, French, Australian and Japanese numbers, all well-priced and pulled together by someone who knows a thing or two about a dram, be that blended or single malt.
What to pair it withHaving a fully equipped restaurant as a sibling and neighbour – the lovely North & Common, with chef Abhi Dey running the show at both venues – can do wonders for a bar’s snack game. The plates at Olivine don’t try to get ahead of themselves, keeping it simple and classic with the likes of oysters with a watermelon mignonette dressing, cured meats, terrine and a Mediterranean chicken liver pate. For those after something a little heftier, there’s also fried chicken and a Scotch fillet with horseradish and mustard jus.
Oysters are served with a watermelon mignonette dressing at Olivine, Melbourne
Olivine is in an old Pentridge Prison block in Melbourne
Don’t leave withoutAt least stick your head into one of the refurbished cells. With their plush rugs, jewel-coloured couches and armchairs, and lovely original artworks hanging on the bluestone walls, they demonstrate the power of a good designer to transform places with even the darkest of histories to something more hopeful.
Make it fancyOne of the great things about Olivine’s Book of Wine is that it caters to all tastes and most budgets. There are plenty of opportunities to drink well for under $100 a bottle, but if you’ve arrived ready to splurge, you’re covered there, too, perhaps with a bottle of 2014 Louis Roederer Cristal Brut for $785 or a magnum of Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Pucelles, one of the great chardonnay experiences, for a mere $1985.
Who to takeGiven Olivine’s location, take people who aren’t averse to sharing a space with the ghosts of prisoners past. A conversation beforehand is a wise idea, particularly if you’re in first-date territory, just to make sure your potential new squeeze will think your choice of venue more edgy than creepy.
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In partnership with Melbourne Food & Wine Festival
image credits: Steve Woodburn; Parker Blain
Authour image
Michael HardenAfter 25 years writing about wine and food, Michael Harden is getting the hang of it.
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Drinks DirectoryWheelchair accessibleTop notch wine listDate nightNon-alc OptionsBarA+ spirits listMelbourneAfter work drinksGood for groupsCasual catch-upMelbourne – NorthFancy occasion
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