Wine bar and providore Grape & Grazing is delivering the finer things to New Farm
A mother-and-son duo has just opened a brand-new wine bar and providore in the leafy heart of New Farm. During the day, Grape & Grazing is dispensing coffee, sandwiches, sweets and a range of domestic and imported provisions – everything you need to make a dream picnic hamper. At night, guests can saunter in for gourmet cheese boards, a small menu of Euro-inspired eats and fine wine from some of the country’s most prestigious producers.
There’s something happening over in New Farm. The inner-north pocket has been a hotbed of activity this year, with a number of new openings (including The Junk Bar, Officers Mess, Kevin and A la Bonne Franquette) bolstering the suburb’s reputation as a hospitality haven.
Oliver Summons believes there’s plenty of room for more, which is why he has partnered with his mother Rowena Wilkinson to add a spark to New Farm’s after-dark offering with Grape & Grazing – a brand-new venue on Moray Street that’s set to cause a stir amongst thirsty locals.
Inspired by Melbourne’s stacked suburban wine bar scene, Oliver and Rowena have converted the old Vine Restaurant space into a concept that’s part European-style eatery and wine bar, and part gourmet providore. Doubling as a handy resource for high-end pantry fillers and an evening haunt serving top-shelf wines, the Grape & Grazing team is looking to give the suburb – often overshadowed by the pull of James Street and Howard Smith Wharves – its own gem of a meeting point.
“New Farm is such a unique suburb,” says Oliver. “I live two streets away and there’s nothing that’s a step up, where there’s great music, great wine and great food that’s just cool and honest.”
Lowry Group has spearheaded Grape & Grazing’s build, helping realise Rowena’s designs for a classic European-leaning aesthetic. The space has seating for approximately 50 guests across leather banquettes inside and umbrella-shaded tables outside
The remainder of the interior space is given over to product shelving filled with an assortment of thoughtfully curated goods – from artisanal chocolates to gourmet snacks – while a central nexus houses Grape & Grazing’s coffee machine (which is dispensing brews using beans from The Little Marionette), a sandwich, salad and sweets cabinet, and a cheeseboard bar.
During the day, Grape & Grazing is looking to be a go-to pit stop for picnickers, with pre-made hampers (boasting basket, rug, nibbles and wine) for solo snackers, couples and groups available alongside make-your-own cheese boards piled high with an assortment of nibbles, both imported and domestic.
“We have six cheeses, which will probably move to eight in due time,” explains Oliver. “Depending on your box size, you can pick six, three, four, five – however many. Those cheeses will be constantly rotating in that fridge based on supply – the calibre of cheeses that we like aren’t available all year round.”
Subscribe for updates
At night, Grape & Grazing adopts its wine bar persona. Alongside the cheese boards, a roster of resident chefs will be taking over the venue’s kitchen, putting together a short menu of cooked fare. While every chef will stick to a broadly European-inspired offering, expect different culinary interpretations week to week.
“They’re coming in and they’re owning that kitchen,” says Oliver. “This weekend we’ve got an Italian chef coming up from the Gold Coast and he’s doing three things, like a beautiful ragu and a prawn pasta – just beautiful food. We’ll keep it changing and keep it super fresh. It allows us to do really interesting perspectives and takes on that kind of food.”
While Rowena looks after Grape & Grazing’s retail offering and catering arm, Oliver is overseeing the day-to-night operations and the wine selection. The entrepreneurial oenophile, fresh from a stint working at The Calile Hotel, is anchoring Grape & Grazing’s wine list with a selection of premium drops from his own collection. We’re not just talking top-end gear, but some rare stuff, too.
“All of the high-end stuff – anything over $200 a bottle – is from my personal cellar,” says Oliver. “I’ve got 21 years of Rockford Basket Press, we’ve got the best Henschke Hill of Grace wines, all the key vintages of Comte de Champagne, all the Dom 08s, three-litre Cristals and Krug Blanc de Noir.
“I was like, ‘You know what, this is great, but this does all need to be drunk.’”
The greater offering encompasses older styles with new notes, with a by-the-glass list encompassing approximately 26 wines from Australian and international producers. Oliver is also pouring an additional 22 varieties of Rockford wines by the glass – including the whole Rifle Range, 11 Basket Presses and sparkling black shiraz. This sturdy selection of sips is bolstered by a clutch of local beers and a tight, six-strong cocktail list that hews close to the classics.
At the core of Grape & Grazing’s operations is an ethos couched in service. While Oliver and Rowena believe that New Farm has needed a venue like this for a while, the duo aren’t taking their position for granted. If anything, the tandem is looking to go above and beyond to ensure Grape & Grazing becomes the kind of institution that they think the suburb deserves.
“It’s about experience – we don’t need to run a thousand tables, let’s just bring back the hospitality in hospitality,” says Oliver. “I’m not kicking anyone out. I’d much rather have somebody have an amazing experience and come back every second weekend. I want our staff to know the name of their dog and remember their coffee order and their favourite wines.”
In the future, expect the team to host long-table events and conversation dinners with winemakers, chefs and producers in attendance.
Grape & Grazing is now open to the public. Operating hours and other important details can be found in The Directory.