Embla

They call Embla a wine bar, but it is so much more. Yes, this loud and dark Melbourne favorite has a buzzing bar and great (mostly natural, but not too extreme) wines. However, it also offers ambitious dishes, many of them cooked in an impressive wood-fired oven. I tried crispy chicken skin with whipped anchovies, wood-roasted scallops, snapper carpaccio, spatchcock poussin with lemon and capers, and Barley koji crème caramel – all of which were great and they also offer plenty of interesting plant-based options. The atmosphere is upbeat and inspiring with informal but professional service, good playlist as a nice bonus. No wonder it was also the choice of The Obamas.