When al fresco means drinking on the median strip

Around the Bars is the weekly newsletter from Cara Devine, unpacking what’s happening in the best Melbourne bars (and what you can learn from them), sent every week to your inbox. Sign up here.

It was one of the first perfect days of summer in Melbourne – not too hot, not too muggy, sunny with a light breeze. The group chat pinged: “Hark, the siren song of the median calleth.” Yes, my fiancé is a nerd, but I bet group chats all around the neighbourhood were echoing a similar sentiment (perhaps with not quite so much baroque flair). 

Median wasn’t a term I’d heard outside of maths class until I moved to Melbourne, but in the inner north it's a way of life. For the uninitiated, it refers to the grassy strips that run down the middle of the quiet streets here, dotted with trees for the perfect dappled shade. They function as the community’s living room in summer – I’ve literally seen people drag their couches out to lounge on, and a full dining table set up. My in-laws often bring their pet bird out with them, and spend an afternoon into evening playing cribbage. 

And of course, all of these people tend to get thirsty. Luckily, we have plenty of independent locals whose mission is to make sure we have delicious things to drink while sprawled on our picnic blankets eating cheese.

I asked Steve Mifsud-Ellul, owner of The Wine Corner (an aptly named bottle shop and wine bar on the corner of Princes Street and Canning Street and my own go-to) why he thinks it’s such a part of the culture here. “Well, the state’s liquor laws allow it, first of all,” he says (and this is important – check your local ordinances, kids).

“And it’s just the sense of community. The Canning Street median strip is wide, it's basically a park that runs down the middle of the road from the city all the way to Brunswick, so people love it. They grab a few takeaways and find an empty patch of grass to just sit, and because the road isn’t a through road there aren’t a lot of cars, there’s cyclists cruising past, it's all very relaxing and a tranquil environment for a lazy afternoon. When the sun comes out and it’s not too hot, why wouldn’t you want to sit out with the birds chirping.”

You can sit in at the Wine Corner, and they have tables outside so you can be median-adjacent while enjoying their full offering, but Steve does see trade change in the summer months. “When it's winter and cold, it’s more dine and drink in or people are getting a bottle of red and going to a friend’s place or heading home to cook and be in the toasty warm,” he says. “But when it’s lovely outside it switches to a six pack of beer and pet nat in the park vibes, and we do a lot more retail, probably closer to 50:50 with on-premise.”

Of course I’m not claiming this is a Melbourne specific phenomenon, but I do think that our particularly miserable winters make the heady early days of summer feel even more magical – we’ve survived! Joey Elder, owner of Samuel Pepys Wine Shop & Bar in Northcote, agrees.

“I think because Melbourne’s winter is so long and cold, once the warmer weather arrives, everyone feels more festive, happy, and thirsty,” he says. “I’m definitely noticing a difference in trade now that the weather is warmer. I remember back in October, when the weather finally started to warm up, people seemed happier and were spending more. Now, they’re buying more fun bubbles, orange and white wines, as well as beers.” 

For venues with a takeaway licence, this summer spike is a much needed revenue boost after a particularly gruelling winter, and when you go to an independently owned bottle shop you can see the passion in their recommendations.

Joey’s park picks are a salty white wine (anything from Catalunya, Sicily, or even the Limestone Coast in South Australia) or a Yuzushu Spritz (he recommends a Japanese Yuzushu from Heiwa Shuzo or a local one from Reed & Co in Bright – they also have an RTD called Yuzu Chu-Hai which uses Shochu, perfect for the esky). 

Steve sees the beer scene switch to lagers and mid strengths, “lower in alcohol, refreshing beers that you can have multiple of without getting really inebriated,” – because longevity is the key to al fresco drinking; we don’t want our privileges taken away because we can’t have nice things.

So, if anyone needs me for the next few months, I’ll be on the median strip.

Around the Bars

• Samuel Pepys are celebrating their first birthday on Sunday 15th December with a pop-up from Very Good Falafel, guest DJs and some special wines on pour. If you haven’t checked them out yet, go wish them a great birthday!
• I discovered Wonki at The Wine Corner Store and it’s my new favourite drink for summer. They use fruit that would otherwise go to waste, and turn it into easy drinking seltzer style beverages that are really fresh and clean, with heaps of flavour. Now the sun is out Steve almost can’t keep them in stock, so grab one if you see them there!
• My other favourite independent bottle-os are Sidekick (Near & Far Bar’s takeaway spot) on Brunswick Street for an amazing selection of craft beer, Mr West in Footscray for, well, everything, but their spirits selection is top notch, and Glou on Smith St for minimal intervention wine on tap that you can buy in 500ml, one litre or two litre reusable bottles to suit the size of your group (or thirst).