Time Out Melbourne never writes starred reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills for reviews so that readers can trust our critique.
How often is it in Melbourne that you walk into a bar on a Monday night and it’s almost completely full? No matter which ‘burb you happen to frequent, the answer is not very – as good an indication as any that Bar Bellamy is an exceptionally well-loved local. We’ve slipped in at around 7pm on the first day of the week, ready to immerse ourselves in the kind and charming spirit of this neighbourhood bar, which is named after an anglicised amalgamation of the French words ‘bel’ (beautiful) and ‘ami’ (friend).
Softly buzzing on leafy Rathdowne Street, Bar Bellamy immediately gets the ‘cool’ tick of approval; lighting is golden-warm and moody, the small space is cosy yet not at all squishy and tasteful custom artworks give the impression of a thoughtfully curated offering to come. The bar is run by married couple Danielle and Oska Whitehart, who together bring experience from a variety of popular Melbourne venues – Archie’s All Day, the Everleigh and Gimlet, to name just a few.
Martinis are known to be a specialty here, so we ask for one first off the bat.
We’re twiddling our thumbs for a little while but the wait is well worth it. The bang-on perfect Martini is far more interesting than your average stock standard, a creatively mixed blend of Never Never Triple Juniper gin (arguably one of the best right now), olive herb wine, manzanilla sherry and an ‘olive’ – we’ll try not to spoil the surprise, but let’s just say, preserved lemon butter and cacao blanc play supporting characters here. Fancy! It's my favourite Martini riff I'vre tried all year.
My Pisco Punch (Barsol pisco, amontillado, pomelo, pineapple, cinnamon myrtle) is ice-packed and refreshing, the pomelo’s tart note ringing out the loudest.
A freshly shucked oyster with Bellamy’s hot sauce, Worcestershire and lemon is a solid appetiser (I want to buy that hot sauce!), but it’s the duo of chicken liver parfait cannoli with pistachio that really lifts us out of our Monday mood. The silky, rich filling has been piped into technically perfect shells, leaving us eagerly anticipating the next round of dishes. Consider our appetites whetted.
A bowl of crispy, fried whitebait arrives, served with tajin and a tangy sauce gribiche. This is giving perfect beer snack, so we share a schooner of Philter Red Session ale to wash these salty, oily bites down.
A glass of Patrice Colin’s Les Perles pet nat is next on our table, an interesting drop of sparkling to pair with the duck garbure we’re about to devour next. This is a thick rustic French stew, emboldened by speck and served with black garlic toast for dipping. Piling tender morsels of smoke-kissed duck and velvety beans onto my toast, I make a mental note to try and recreate the recipe at home. It’s wonderful.
Spigarello is an Italian heirloom variety of broccoli, which we’ve opted for as a side and comes dressed with garlic and oloroso sherry vinegar. It takes a lot more than a très garlicky meal to stop my partner and I from feeling romantic, but with its soft lighting and easy-osey pacing, Bar Bellamy plays the perfect host for dates and intimate catch-ups.
Though we’re just as tempted by a white chocolate crème brûlée for dessert, it’s a final round of wines that sends us home: a Yarra Valley cabernet franc and a malbec from Domaine Cosset et Masionneuve. Ahhh, cushy endings – my favourite kind.
On another visit (a Saturday night), we delve deeper into the cocktail game. Though expertly curated classics are always available here, the rotating list of inventive signature drinks from the mind of Oska Whitehart beckons further exploration. This time, we sit out on the street and I try a Blue Heaven. No, it’s not a milkshake, but rather a fluffy slushie of Kuramoto ice, juiced up with marbled swirls of pink and blue (my inner little girl wants to paint my bedroom this colour). Marionette’s citrusy Blue Curacao and tart lemon temper the sweetness of the housemade raspberry and vanilla distillate, with Japanese soft drink Calpis rounding out the drink with creaminess. Mixed together, it’s childhood nostalgia in a glass.
In any case, I prefer a more grown-up-tasting drink and the Yellow King nails it – Estancia raicilla (a vibrant agave spirit) with mandarin, ginger wine, Strega and a crisp meringue garnish. The best cocktail of the night is the Just Right, which features raicilla again, this time blended with Dewars 12-year-old Scotch whisky, pasubio (wine-based amaro), blueberry and – wait for it: cereal milk!
Bar Bellamy is somewhat of a genre-defier, a Jack-of-all-trades that equally channels bistro, wine bar and cocktail bar vibes all at once. Come here at any time of the week and you’ll be satisfied with thoughtfully prepared European-leaning eats, A-grade cocktails and quality vino – and ultimately, a delightfully good time. Bar Bellamy, you’ve most certainly been our bel ami.