Bridge Road bounces back with new restaurant and rooftop bar (plus two new inner east wine bars to try)

Pet Shop Boys will tell you to “go west”, but in the other direction, you’ll find a new boutique hotel in Richmond boasting a restaurant led by a former Auterra chef, a new and highly boutique wine bar in Armadale’s well-known Kings Arcade, and, soon, a wine bar in Canterbury, a rare breed in the formerly dry suburb.

The 80-room Motley Hotel has done well to snag former Auterra chef Steve Harry, who’s pushing lobby dining into fun territory. Harry is responsible for restaurant Ms Parker, including its breakfast menu, and rooftop bar Threads (205 Bridge Road, Richmond, themotleyhotel.com.au).

Ms Parker’s evening menu includes an ’nduja sausage with Davidson plum sauce that’s inspired by a dagwood dog, kangaroo tartare on a Vegemite cracker, and pavlova with soured apricots and coconut sorbet.

But Harry offers more than Aussie nostalgia. His upbringing in Sudan and Egypt, coupled with Lebanese heritage and time spent in Thai and Japanese restaurants, are on show across the menu.

Grilled prawns are tossed with tamarind butter and curry leaves while bone marrow, a staple dish of his childhood, features a brulee-style topping of black miso and sugar, served with sourdough and fermented daikon.

Harry also brings an impressive CV: Gerard’s Bistro and Honto in Brisbane, on top of two years at Auterra as head chef.

The 80-seat Bridge Road restaurant is seating a half-and-half mix of guests and Melburnians, Harry says. Meanwhile, rooftop bar Threads, which opened mid-March, is a sunny-day destination for snacks such as pickled seafood, and cocktails that use seasonal ingredients.

Breakfast is available at Ms Parker daily, with dishes such as wild mushrooms, greens and comte custard and granola with coconut yoghurt available.

Armadale favourite Bouzy has dropped its French accents and become an ultra bespoke wine bar, By The Glass (976 High Street, Armadale), where – you guessed it – any wine can be enjoyed by the glass, whether it’s grower champagne or Victorian prosecco.

New owners Ron Dhalil, Gareth Yan and Myles Davis-Schiele (who juggles venue manager and head chef responsibilities) bought the business at the end of 2021 but changed the name and mantra to By The Glass early this year.

Change might be the only constant at the 68-seater, which will rotate through wine lists and menus every four to six weeks to keep things seasonal and interesting for both staff and regulars. A list scattered with boutique producers, kosher wines, sulphite-free bottles and classic winemaking will guarantee that.

“We want people to walk in and see a wine list and know two wines on it out of maybe 120,” says Davis-Schiele.

Lamb carpaccio, mushroom or duck pâté, deep-fried sweetbreads, steak or dill-roasted cabbage are available a la carte, plus three- and four-course chef’s menus can be enjoyed with wine pairings, which will also change regularly.

The venue within Kings Arcade has darkened its colour scheme but Bouzy regulars will recognise the circular stone-topped bar and geometric floor tiles.

Canterbury’s picturesque Maling Road shopping strip is about to get some action after dark when Lennox Wine (114 Maling Road, Canterbury, lennoxwine.com.au) opens in April. The wine bar will also trade as a bottle shop, so its tightly focused line-up of local producers can be enjoyed at home.

But those sticking around can snack on jaffles, as well as the usual wine-friendly suspects like charcuterie or cheese. A petite cocktail list will supplement the wine.

A tiled heritage facade, double windows and a recessed entryway greet guests, with the venue licensed for 32 people.