Less is best these days and that’s exactly what you’ll get at Howard Stamp’s charming Footscray wine bar – without skimping on quality or detail.
A year after opening, the bar is entering a new phase – think less restaurant and more wine bar. The 60-seater’s simple fit-out hasn’t changed – green banquettes line one side of the room, tall bar stools the other, timber tables and black chairs in the middle.
Stamp let his passion for natural and minimal intervention wine inspire the drinks list. There’s no by-the-glass menu, instead a selection of the best cracked open throughout the day. It’s much like the food offering, which changes regularly depending on seasonality or what’s fresh from the market.
Begin with Bar Thyme’s signature spritz (sherry, thyme and lemon), a zippy Adelaide Hills chardonnay, or muscadet that pairs perfectly with oysters. Step back in time and order retro snack devilled eggs, blasting into this decade with lively curry powder, bright chives and shavings of salty bottarga.
Larger plates also impress – rainbow trout lolls in creamy gribiche sauce layered with the juices of mussels, sweet leek and a dribble of dill oil. Bar Thyme is evolving, and the “less is more” approach is working in its favour.

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