EAT > Bellota, South Melbourne (18/20)

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When people say to me where is your favourite restaurant, I struggle to name one. So many places bring something special to the dining experience. But when I get asked where is your favourite place to eat, I always say Bellota. Why? The food (which is always delicious), the incredible wine list (best in the country and one of the best in the world IMHO), the charming casual bistro feel, the warmth and familiarity of the staff. It all adds up to being my happy place. This is not the first ALMANAK review of Bellota, rather it is the third, but it is testament to the enduring quality that it remains at the top of the scoreboard year after year.

As is so often the case I go to Bellota for lunch on something of a whim, unplanned but not unexpected. The Prince Wine Store next door does regular wine tastings on a Saturday and I am often there. This week a Mount Etna tasting provided the perfect excuse for lunch at the bar and a few glasses of something special.

AMBIANCE >

Bellota is the kind of wine bar that always feels like it’s been there—a neighbourhood anchor of European hospitality, tucked beside the iconic Prince Wine Store on Bank Street. Step through the crimson door and it’s straight into a cosseting cocoon of bentwood chairs, arched mirrors, soft lamp light and the low hum of regulars confidently murmuring over glass and plate. The room’s intimacy is a balm for South Melbourne’s busyness—never stuffy, always inviting, with a staff who are as keen on guiding you to a bottle as they are on sharing the provenance of a perfectly ripened cheese.

EAT >

Head Chef Nicky Riemer has forged a menu that celebrates Victorian produce with European heart: think risotto speckled with rabbit and radicchio, blue swimmer crab spaghettini, duck leg confit, and daily specials that respect seasonality above all. The salumi board is a staple—matched with charred bread and pickled accompaniments—and oysters, always shucked to order, set the tone for meals that marry simplicity with generous, layered flavour. The food is robust but nimble: poached quince and goat curd one visit, chargrilled beef with Bordelaise sauce or pillowy baked eggplant the next. Even sides are memorable, with crisp potatoes and farm leaves underpinned by a serious house vinaigrette.

Before arriving at Bellota, Nicky Riemer forged an acclaimed career in some of Melbourne’s most notable kitchens, establishing herself among the city’s leading culinary talents. Her journey began under the mentorship of Stephanie Alexander at Stephanie’s in Hawthorn, before taking on the head chef role at Richmond Hill Café and Larder with Alexander. She later led the kitchens at iconic venues like the Melbourne Wine Room, opened Mecca Bah with Cath Claringbold, and co-founded Union Dining in Richmond—a venue that quickly earned praise for its provincial European approach and welcoming warmth. Riemer’s reputation for honest, seasonal cooking saw her nominated for Chef of the Year by The Age Good Food Guide.

DRINK >

Wine is the headline act, with the full arsenal of the Prince Wine Store’s shelves (3500+ bottles) available for in-house drinking at an enviable corkage deal, while the by-the-glass list is as curated as any Euro-centric wine destination in the city. Service is knowledgeable without pretension, and guests are encouraged to design the meal to match their bottle, not the other way round.

CONCLUSION >

Bellota feels like a haven for wine lovers and comfort seekers—a place to lose an afternoon, savour a late supper, or just taste the city at its grown-up, generous best. Every time I return it just reminds me how very good it is.

Prince Wine Store began life as a pioneering wine merchant beneath the Prince of Wales hotel in St Kilda, transforming the way Melburnians shopped for wine by curating a portfolio of exceptional producers from France, Italy, New Zealand and California. Founded by Michael McNamara and Alex Wilcox, its ambitious approach quickly outgrew the historic hotel cellarage, leading to a landmark relocation to South Melbourne—where its towering shelves and in-house wine bar Bellota now anchor Victoria’s vibrant wine community. Not content to stay local, Prince Wine Store has since expanded to Sydney’s Zetland with a second flagship, mirroring the Melbourne mothership for its remarkable depth and expertise in fine wine, regular masterclasses and a reputation for connecting passionate drinkers with both old world classics and contemporary Australian talent.

Melbourne is a city that just gets out there and a venue like the Builders brings together a melting pot of clientele, it does get loud, but its good natured, the food is yummy, meals and drinks are reasonable so it wont break the bank. A great place to catch up with mates, what is not too love ?

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