marion

brilliant winebarwith a refined design, extensive wine list and intriguing and delicious menu. between two we shared the veal tartare, the mussels, the persimmon and prosciutto, the haloumi and the chicken livers. everything was exceptional however the mussels and the haloumi were major standouts. we also shared a lovely bottle of south african chenin blanc.

you know you can 100% trust a place when it’s andrew mcconnell, the guy is a star. marion is a superb little winebarwhich does incredible food and the service you get is an absolute stand out, very efficient and friendly too. highlights were pretty much everything... the bread at the start was unbelievable as was the ricotta agnolotti. roast chicken was flavoursome and juicy... excellent selections of wines and beers, definitely a place to visit.

a chic, small, yet vibrant modern restaurant located in the heart of fitzroy! once again, we brought our team member to dine here with us as a thank you gesture, and we were honestly proud of our choice.

the food is undeniably good and their service is top notch! the friendly staff have impressive skills with carrying the dishes.

we ordered quite a lot of food and they did not disappoint!

marion is a great littlebarto visit during the day that you can nibble through as you enjoy your wine sipping session. their wine collection is absolutely crazy - come visit and find out yourself!

we caught up with friends at marions after work one evening and had some really interesting wine by the glass on the outside tables along with an aperol spritz or two and some snacking items off thebarsnack menu (5-7pm). really recommend the beignets from this menu. there were spare tables inside by just after 7 and the sky looked dark and mysterious so moved in for more substantial eats. we left the wine ordering to our friend who is an expert in all things european so enjoyed his decisions while we shared a range of mains in a busy venue full of other people’s conversations. favourites amount the mains would have to be the half roast chicken (for its size ... i was starving by the time it arrived), confit duck and salad, and the ricotta agnolotti. my least favourite dish was zucchini which was actually quite bland despite peppercorns and mint.

service outside was exceptional but they struggled a little when we moved inside and i was getting hangry starving by the time the last and most substantial dish arrived. that said i did come down from my grumpy place and overall really enjoyed tonight’s dining experience.

already buzzing by the time we arrived, this winebarlured us in with its construct of modern australian dishes to share and of course, wine. our waitress for the night helped settle us in and gave us some good recommendations on food.

we start off with their complimentary flat bread, lightly pan-fried and gave off some garlic bread vibes. the texture was wonderfully chewy, almost like a springy donut. this was served with some creme fraiche, not sure if it needed it as it was good on its own. we also enjoyed some finely sliced jamon serrano, salty with some deep flavours.

our first small dish consisted of buffalo mozzarella, radicchio and blood orange. the mozzarella was nice and milky, the radicchio was lightly bitter and provided some crunchy textures whereas the blood orange gave the dish some sweetness.

we ordered one of their special items of the night, their fish wing topped with miso and then cooked over fire. navigating the through bones was easy and had a wonderful umami and charred flavour to it. some lime on the side because sour and fish are best buddies.

next we got a duo of vegetable dishes to share, one being baby globe artichokes with sorrel and horseradish. you can taste each of the layers and the nuttiness of the artichoke, this was an okay dish. i did enjoy the asparagus with pistachio and brown butter, again nice charredness and enjoyed the creaminess of the sauce.

the mussels were unexpectedly a cold dish and was mixed with nduja, fried bread, lovage and aioli. there's the spicy element from the nduja and you get the cooling effect from the cucumbers. i wouldn't be surprised if the mussels were canned but sometimes, good things come in cans.

if the table next to us hadn't gotten the rump steak i doubt i would have ordered it as i've hadn't had much luck with that cut but it looked and smelt absolutely irresistible. my senses did not betray me that day, perfectly cooked with a rich wine merchant sauce and peppercorns. the steak coming from the rump was firm but very tasty and the cime di rapa really soaked up that sauce, delicious.

the dessert list looked rather simple, upon recommendation we got their strawberries and cream. i'd say it was an upgraded version with sticks of meringue and a strawberry sorbet. as the waitress put it, the meringue reminds her of fads, she's not wrong there. unfortunately i had to share this, i could polish off 2 plates of this!

another solid melbourne winebarand we were lucky to snag a small table with a last minute booking. it was busy all night and people were waiting at thebarfor seats. service was spot on and the food flow was well paced.

a beautiful winebarin busy fitzroy, marion is all class. on a recent date night, we popped in after dinner to have some wine and dessert here. the perfect spot for an intimate date night, but also fun enough for groups, marion caters to everyone.

with a gorgeous ambience, and an elegant decor; it's difficult not to be impressed by all the beautiful bottles of wine on display. service is sophisticated but still warm and lovely, and staff are more than happy to recommend a tipple or two.

our desserts were absolutely delicious. quality, french style food with a simple presentation and divine taste; taking advantage of seasonal produce and delivering beautiful dishes. all in all, we were very impressed with our visit to marion and definitely intend to return again for a dinner date.

i took my partner here for a night out. we couldn’t get a booking but we were assured that we could do a walk in and when we did we were shown some stools and a nice ppl watching seating area.

the service was excellent, really professional and friendly. as this was a winebarwe ordered a delicious bottle of exceptional local wine, as i like to support local growers. we had a red wine that was superb, just perfect with our chefs recommendation for dinner.

this consisted of a range of small entrees, a main meal and dessert. perfect as we had a ravishing appetite hahaha ... we were so hungry we could have eaten the napkins!

we started w an oyster and some bbq chestnuts, both of which were delicious, followed by home made bread and creme fresh! yes yes yes lol

then some kingfish that was so thin it just fell apart! wow!! just beautiful.

the next dish of hot peppers was soooo hot, phew hahaha i had one ... then i managed 2 more but i was perspiring so much that i almost created a puddle. my partner soldiered on and reluctantly finished the plate, when others around us failed! mmnn the delights of spice hahahaha

the main course was free range chicken, french crispy fries and a radicchio salad. and this was the perfect combination for me, the chook was fed a heavenly diet, the chips crispy, and light, and the salad lacked too much bitterness, instead it was well balanced and it all worked so effortlessly together. sublime really.

oh and the wine... hahaha that was so good, a speciality vineyard with minimal human intervention makes the most incredible depth of complex flavours not generally tasted in your average bottle. just incredible, i felt swept away! lol

the tiramisu dessert was good, very good but this was my least favourite dish of the night, maybe because i’m not a huge fan of cream.

but overall this was a very special night at a great italian restaurant in a very accessible location in gertrude street, fitzroy.

a must try... enough said! enjoy :)

marion is a beautiful food and winebarright next door from cutler & co (and brought to you by the same people). there are seats outside which means you can enjoy a beautiful glass of wine in the sun, or take a seat inside and admire the modern minimalist décor. the wine list and cocktail list are to die for and the waiters will provide knowledgeable assistance about what you should drink. the food is exceptional, the real standouts for us were the prawn roll (small, but oh so tasty), the onion tart and the roast chicken. but really everything we had was delicious, there is such quality in the ingredients and the way it is cooked and presented. i think everyone would leave happy.

great, extensive wine list. coffee and other hot drinks are pretty average but we can forgive them that because it's a wine bar. flat bread is delightful- chewy, toasted with a garlicky-salty flavour. tartare is also delicious when on the menu. and generally the staff are lovely-barshort-haired blonde chic who fails at making you feel welcome or comfortable. nothing on the menu is overwhelmingly amazing but it's a pretty solid choice if you're looking for a casual catch up with decent food. i love the unpretentiousness of this place.

it's a modern winebarwith comfortable seating and nice ambiance for easy conversation. seats by the window perfect for people watching. the wait staff were helpful and organised appropriate upsizing of certain entrees to ensure everyone in our group of 6 got a bite. their homemade bread was delicious and everything that followed was equally impressive. 5 entrees 3 mains 2 sides and a bottle of red came to $50 pp. very satisfied!

we finally made it back to marion for a meal. previously when we last stopped by for a drink we tried the prawn horseradish rolls which left me hungry to return - i am a total sucker for a crispy/creamy combination and this dish nails it, so we of course had some more. this is a must have dish when dining at marion.

it’s perhaps a little unsophisticated of me to say the fried bread with fromage blanc was another highlight for me. the rump was cooked perfectly (fantastic with the curry sauce) and the roast chicken was also on point.

the only dish i wasn’t so keen on was the zucchini on a crispy, pastry base, but this dish is no longer on the menu in any case.

wine tip would be the quealy secco splendido ancestrale which was a delicious, crisp, dry sparkling.

the service was fantastic, as was the ambiance. if you are going as a couple i would try to get a seat on the longbarlooking out to the laneway, which i would say is the best spot during daylight hours.

andrew mcconnell is taking over fitzroy – well, at least that’s how it feels. marion is his newest venture on gertrude street, and the fourth in melbourne’s hip, inner city suburb. this new winebaris the talk of the town; even though it only opened late october, marion is already bustling with locals (and others) who are eager to check out the newest jewel in mcconnell’s crown. located right next door to the renowned and more up-market cutler & co, marion is an ideal spot to enjoy a pre or post dinner drink – or if you’re after a more casual meal, then settle in for the night.

named after the laneway behind the bar, the feel is casual, clean and modern: white washed walls; a feature wine display (floor to ceiling, with metal shelving); copper finishes; and an open kitchen, backwashed with white tiles.

as you’d expect from a wine bar, the wine list is impressive; and as it shares the cellar with cutler & co, you’ll find some rare and special selections. so, if wine is your thing, but you could happily skip the fine dining experience, then you’ll be in heaven at marion.

even though it’s primarily a winebarwith a simple menu, the food is by no means neglected. marion offers seasonal tasting plates, with a focus on great quality produce – and you’ll be pleased to know that mcconnell’s signature tangy, zesty flavours are alive and well at marion. we loved the natural oysters with vinegar mignonette; asparagus and comte cheese; cured pork neck shavings with apple and mustard; calamari; and a whole flounder.

put simply, marion is a really chilled out place, without compromising on quality. as well as dinner, they’re also open for weekend breakfast, with options such as mortadella sandwich with gentleman’s relish; omelette with asparagus, tarragon and pecorino; or for something more indulgent, ricotta doughnuts with chocolate sauce. one thing is for sure: you’d be pretty happy to have this as your new local.

what will andrew mcconnell do next?

amazing wine list and delightfulbarfood. from the minute we walked in we felt like we were somewhere special, a cut above the rest. the service was impeccable, the recommendations for wine took us to places we would never normally venture, and the food was simply spectacular. well done marion, clever you.

great wine, nice nuts, good range of bottled beer.

this has moved from winebarwith food, to be a small scale restaurant. we had no food, but wine list is extensive. we had an excellent italian chardonnay.

marion is an informal winebarthat’s proven to be another andrew mcconnell winner. the if architecture designed space features white bricks, copper accents and wood make for a sophisticated, industrial space with that fitzroy vibe (the space used to be a metal plating factory).