Melbourne Wine Room

The gold-rush-era George Hotel has been a hot destination since St Kilda was a far-flung holiday resort. The Melbourne Wine Room occupies its ground floor. Choose between the rowdy public bar and the quieter, posher dining room. In the bar, grand features such as a mosaic-tiled floor, colossal windows and high ceilings belie the relaxed atmosphere. Wines are, of course, the speciality and even within the by-the-glass list you can stage a comparative tasting of, say, rose from Provence and the Clare Valley. European beers also impress. If you're feeling decadent, shoot for a dozen oysters and a complex Deus Brut de Flanders ale.