When will our hospitality heroes get a reprieve? First the pandemic, then a crippling staff drought and now the Prime Minister has said our inner-city wine bars will have no part in the fight for climate change.
Which is a shame. Because Melbourne's wine bars are not really bars at all; more restaurant-bar hybrids that champion concepts of sustainability, low waste and small-scale food and wine production.
Look at Embla, Old Palm Liquor and Marion. Their support of regional businesses is pretty important, but more to the point, it's often what makes them so delicious.
Smoked barramundi rillettes.
Photo: Joe Armao