Drinking Melbourne is the weekly newsletter from drinks writer Fred Siggins, unpacking what’s happening in Melbourne’s bars (and what you can learn from them), sent every Tuesday to your inbox. Get on the list here.
Fred is off this week; instead, we have Boothby’s first proper review of Melbourne restaurant and bar, Gimlet, written by Sam Bygrave. Let him know what you think (and where he should review next) at sam@boothby.com.au.
You can walk into a place like Gimlet just about anywhere, if the conditions are right: is it in a busy metropolis, with a high standard of living, and nearby businesses with expense accounts to drain? Gimlet, in the heart of Melbourne, ticks those boxes, one of a species of restaurants which exist to treat oneself.
They are perhaps a little Parisian bistro in ethos, a little New York in style; there is always something grand about these places, with bustling service, stiff drinks, and wine lists to get lost in. They can also result in a large bill at the end — that’s just the price you pay for this most delicious kind of wellness therapy.
And Gimlet is no stranger to good reviews. The CBD restaurant and bar opened in 2020, holds two hats in The Age Good Food Guide, and has even graced the long list of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. Step in for lunch or dinner on any given day of the week and you will find a busy brasserie.
The thing that distinguishes Gimlet from others of its kind is that the bar — situated on the back of the open kitchen, in the centre of a brassy room — is reason enough to visit.
Is there a house Martini better than the Cavendish Martini at Gimlet? Some may be equal to it, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find better. It is served bracingly cold from the freezer, employing a house blend of vermouths (as is the style of our times); it arrives with a trio of olives and a suggested order of enjoyment: a green Sicilian olive to begin with, followed by a ligero olive, then a large, meaty gordal; the idea being that as you sip your Martini and its flavour profile evolves as the drink warms up, the flavour of the olives will suit your drink. Whether they do or not is almost beside the point when you’ve been given something to do whilst sipping your Martini. (Huzzah for activities!) It’s made in a wetter style, with Tanqueray 10 gin as the base, and is as complete a drink you’ll find.
A great restaurant bar ought to have a great Martini. But at Gimlet, unlike many other restaurant bars, the interest in cocktails doesn’t end with the classics.
