Albert’s

You can kick off your aperitivo hour any hour at Albert’s. The quaint Armadale wine bar has mastered the transition between quiet cafe by day, cosy wine bar by night. You’ll find it in an old Victorian-era building, tucked behind the heritage-listed Kings Arcade.

Everything about the old-timey Albert’s – from inspiration and namesake to the shopfront’s glossy green tiles – is a nod to the suburb’s heritage. The venue is named after painter Albert Tucker who left a mark, quite literally, on the nearby arcade.

The lasting impressions don’t end there. During the day, chef Ruby Haupt turns out standout handheld creations such as New York-style Reubens and smoked-salmon bagels with pickled-onion-and-herb schmear, plus rotating daily salads. And she does some in-house baking, which might result in sweets such as cherry-walnut cake, nutmeg custard tarts and brown-butter choc-chip cookies. They’re served alongside coffee from Braeside roaster God’s Honest Truth.

As the afternoon rolls on, the wine-bar side of things kick in. Your emerald-green-marble table might be topped with oysters with fennel-and-shallot mignonette; Cuca anchovies with salsa verde; buffalo mozzarella with eggplant caponata; and other fancy cheeses and charcuterie.

Pair your share plates with a drop from the tight but interesting wine list. Expect progressive, new-world drops and traditional favourites – mostly from Australia, France and Italy. While the team also shake up classic cocktails, including Margaritas and Martinis.

The trio behind Albert’s have brought significant local and international hospo knowledge to the neighbourhood spot: Toby Koffman, and siblings Doug Milledge and Alice Freer. Their combined experience quickly made this neighbourhood wine bar a local’s favourite.