Review Embla - Melbourne

Came for a dinner with a friend from overseas few days ago .. He was so impressed :) Thanks for the wonderful hospitality Embla :) Always going to be one of my favourite in the city. Been here so many times. Last time I was craving steak and decided to stop over here for a quick dinner before the concert what can I say .. super tasty steak, mushrooms … Definitely need to order the steak if you are here to dine

Embla was a wine bar/restaurant offering a large range of wine and delectable meals. For lunch we ordered their quinoa & rosemary sourdough, Raw kingfish with heirloom cucumbers and yuzu, Celeriac hasselback with aged cheddar, and Black angus scotch fillet with tarragon & dried tomato. For dessert we had the ‘Figs figs figs’. All the dishes were very flavourful; the scotch fillet was tender & cooked to perfection, the Celeriac was nicely ‘crispy’ and my favourite was the kingfish - it was very fresh and the yuzu flavour really enhanced the dish. The dim lighting and wooden decor made the ambiance cosy. Service was friendly.

🍞 Quinoa and Rosemary Sourdough, Mustard Butter 🥒 Soured Cucumbers, Dill, Feta 🫑 Beef Carpaccio, Globe Artichoke, Fermented Peppers 🐙 Baby Octopus, Chickpeas 🥩 Dry Aged Black Angus Scotch Fillet, House Condiments Embla is a rustic, dimly lit, sophisticated wine bar in the middle of the CBD. Their wooden fit out gives moody, Western Saloon vibes. The menu consists of a variety of gourmet share plates and an extensive wine list. 🍷 We began with some warm, fresh Sourdough as well as a refreshing plate of Soured Cucumbers with Feta. The Beef Carpaccio was interestingly flavoured with fermented peppers, this was absolutely sensational. Don’t sleep on the Baby Octopus. I would say all of these dishes are worth ordering. The steak was nice however on this occasion just wasn’t seasoned enough. I enjoyed it with the condiments of XO, Fermented Chilli and Mustard but for $80 I expected to be blown away, at maybe $50 it would’ve been alright. Sadly the menu lacked any sides to pair with it (some potatoes wouldn’t go astray.) 🥩 Although slightly let down by main, we loved our entrees and would definitely return. It is a small venue so they are often fully in the evenings but they do keep a large part of the restaurant available for walk-ins.

Really enjoyed this beautiful venue. The staff, food, wine and ambiance were just perfect! Highly recommend the smoked duck liver toast!!

Always a great experience here - food and service is great. Great selection of starters and the fig dessert is a must!

Wow...atmosphere plus! Dark & seductive, fabulous aroma of fresh food cooking right in front of you. Great wine selection. Staff were full of enthusiasm for the menu & it really delivered! Small plates of deliciousness. We would certainly return here...highly recommended. I didn't take photo's suitable to post as there were too many people.

Such a wonderful place to go. Food and service always amazing. Each dish just gets better and better.

We had a birthday celebration dinner there and the vegan food was just divine. High quality food and the wine selection was delightful. Beautiful cozy place. One improvement, adding a vegan dessert to the menu. Apart from that just a amazing dining experience in the cbd. Photos don’t justify.

A seriously good wine bar in the heart of the city, Embla is one of those places that you can consider yourself lucky if you are able to snag a table on a weekend. With a lovely atmosphere, chic decor and fabulous wine list; Embla is perfect for an intimate date night. <br/><br/>We were fortunate enough to dine here on a busy Saturday night, and the place was busy and bustling. After a delicious glass of wine we enjoyed several tasting plates including a beautifully fresh tuna carpaccio, a divine mushroom and ricotta dish, and a more substantial herbed lamb backstrap with roasted cauliflower. All the dishes were presented well, and the taste was amazing. Some crunchy toast was perfect for eating with our yummy tapas style plates. I really enjoy this kind of relaxed dining, as it makes you focus more on your company and you can enjoy the environment more. <br/><br/>Staff were lovely and accommodating and great at recommending both wines and dishes to try, and this definitely contributed to a fabulous experience overall. It's easy to see why Embla has the fantastic reputation that it has, and I'm so glad that I got to try it for myself.

Visiting Melbourne means dining well. Though not strictly speaking a restaurant - its a wine bar - the food is restaurant standard. As with a number of establishments, bookings aren't possible at night so its pot luck. Fortunately we didn't have to wait long. The ambience is fabulous, the service was excellent. The food was always a surprise - do not miss the chickpea pancake. We also had pork jowl which was marvellous. The drink list is very eclectic. A great buzzy place - do go!

Came here on a Friday at 12:30am, the kitchen were already close but the waiter was so nice and still served up some amazing bread with cheese and jam on the side cause we were starving and we missed dinner. <br/>Excellent staff services, good reconnection for wine and amazing ambient

Went for a dinner without reservation and the staff was kind enough to accommodate us even during a busy night. Ambiance wise, the place is really good for a wine bar. Huge and very interesting selection of wine available. Dietary and food requirement are very well taken care of. Few loud neighbours but cannot complain because of a busy night. Also got to know<br/>about interesting weekend lunch menus. Over all experience was excellent. Cannot wait to visit again.<br/>#goodfoodgoodwine.

A great place to hang out in a hip kind of way. Yes it was a Friday night, but getting the sense we were on a time limit from our waitress was less satisfactory. We orded a full bottle (delicious tempranillo) and half a dozen dishes. The pour was large and constantly topped. Dishes were cleared an instant after emptying and the next appeared. In some quarters it might be seen as efficient but there was no relaxation. It was subtle pressure, but there. We did resist by not hurrying but there was little point staying when we'd eaten and drank enough. People were constantly being turned away It was okay, but I expected better. As for the dishes, they were creative and well presented.

We were so looking forward to trying Embla after a previous failed attempt, but it didn’t live up to the hype - unfortunately. The ambience is perhaps the best feature - the food is very average. We ordered the chickpea pancake, half roast chicken and a side. The pancake was nice, but chicken was undercooked! It was very chewy and clearly undone in some parts. Quite disappointing for the price tag! <br/><br/>I might return for drinks and the warm nice vibe which is quite pleasant in winter nights, but won’t eat there again.

We loved 😍<br/>The smoked duck liver parfait was delicious and the serving size was very generous. <br/>The pork belly is also a great choice. <br/><br/>We disliked 😖<br/>The chickpea pancake was a little bland

Finally we’ve made it to Embla and snagged a table, after several failed attempts we now have a lovely table and a menu ready to go!!. If the house baked seeded sourdough bread and white soy cream are this good imagine what the rest of the food is like! Heaven!. Pork rillettes aren’t the prettiest but they taste amazing with all levels of porky fabulousness going on!!

Great service and lovely food, I really enjoyed the raw kingfish and the wine was excellent. It is quite dark so the menu is hard to read and the specials are unintelligible!

Wowed by a place after a long time! Get there before 5.30pm on a week day to get a seat. Great collection on wines, relaxed atmosphere, amazing food menu to compliment wine. we had the cucumbers and blue eye to start followed by ravioli, raw beef and mushrooms. Coming back next week!

Had such a great time in this laid back wine bar. A friend and I went there for lunch and we chose a selection of dishes to share.<br/><br/>We started with a veal tartare which tasted amazing, then moved onto some earthy mushrooms 🍄 and half chicken. Everything is beautifully cooked. Would love to visit again but the prices are a bit prohibitive for a lunchtime treat. Approx $50 pp w one glass of wine

Embla is a great place for a date or to bring a friend for an intimate catch up.<br/><br/>It's nice and cosy inside - perfect for the winter months, and the wine selection is amazing. <br/><br/>Service is good and fast! <br/><br/>Food was amazing too. Smaller plates, nothing to substantial, but tasty! Pictured is my fave - the chickpea pancake!

Wow, amazing!!! So while I might have been a little drunk I tried my hardest to take some photos of the food but you can't hold that against me because I promise you that the food is much more about taste / flavour than presentation. You just have to come and taste the whole menu which is pretty much what we did and smashed three bottles of wine 😁😁😁 Great service with great food and great wine - what more could anyone ask for. PS. Please do yourself a favour and order the mushrooms 😉

Embla does not take reservations for dinner, so I came in, popped my name down and waited for a call. We did eventually loiter outside the restaurant, one of the staff was nice to give us regular updates on the availability and kept our expectations in check. Once we got in however it was totally vibing with dimly lit tables and an open kitchen.<br/><br/>Along with bottle of white, we start off with a few Sydney rock oysters. It was rich and creamy with a subtle mineral aftertaste. I would kill for more but at $5 a pop it can really bite into that final bill (I really need to find a place that does happy hour oysters).<br/><br/>Following the seafood theme we've laid out for ourselves we also get the blue eye which was mixed with green olive, finger lime and horseradish. You could taste all elements on the plate with the freshness of the fish and the occasional pop from the finger lime. I'd add some sort of cracker to act as a vehicle to scoop up the fish, as a standalone it looked a bit lonely. Appreciated it's simplicity however.<br/><br/>We also got their whipped cod roe with coriander and cumin. Firstly, the bread (Turkish?) accompanying the dish was pipping hot and firm. It was amazing. The cod roe had a smooth consistency and the coriander was not overpowering at all. <br/><br/>We also got their stracciatella, puntarelle, lemon and anchovy dish. This dish was much more toned down than the previous two and we could not taste any anchovy. This was accompanied with crispy thin bread. It was an okay dish, I enjoyed the creaminess and milkiness of the stracciatella.<br/><br/>For mains, we got their rainbow trout with romanesco, fioretta cauliflower and salted bergamot. I don't usually order fish at modern restaurants as I prefer fattier proteins. Since my friends wanted it (and we were going for a seafood theme) I was easy. To me fish is fish (wish we tried their pork hock), it had a nice char to the skin and I found the fioretta cauliflower quite interesting, floral and crisp.<br/><br/>To go with our mains we got their pine mushrooms with rosemary and buttermilk, meaty and quite heavy with the rosemary seasoning. Mixed reactions at the table. Their creamed corn, dried citrus, oregano and creme fraiche was an unexpected winner and resembled tasting similar to a mushy quiche (in the best way possible!)<br/><br/>For dessert we got their passionfruit posset, creamy, sweet and tart. What we found interesting was the next dessert where the first thing you taste was the mandarin ice cream, then the chocolate comes through and next a hint of liquorice. Surprisingly nice. On the blackboard were 3 cured meats (we didn't get any) and 3 cheeses, we chose their hard cow's milk cheese imported from Italy. It was quite crumbly and it was difficult to cut and put on the cracker. Despite this it was strong and pungent and paired well with the jam (fig?) provided.<br/><br/>Overall a great spot to relax with a glass of wine in hand, we did not at any point feel pressured to vacate our tables. We did not expect that most of their seafood (at the start) was going to be of a "spreadable" texture and would have enjoyed more variation. I'm sure if we had chosen some of their other dishes it would have made for a more grand experience. I'll be back!

Embla only allows reservations on Sundays for a set-menu lunch that is just a wonderful offering of fresh-made bread, uniquely spiced and flavoured dishes and fresh local ingredients. It's a relaxed, friendly place with a very good wine menu that features a wide variety of Australian wines. The host was very easy-going as he described the meal. Enjoy a couple of hours savouring the freshly made, delicious food on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Came here on Valentine’s Day and waited 30 mins for a table as they don’t take dinner reservations. All was worth it in the end. <br/><br/>We ordered <br/>- Raw Veal: This was so tasty<br/>- Octopus: The best octopus dish I’ve ever had in a restaurant. Amazing texture and flavour. A must order. <br/>- Rainbow Trout: Least favorite fish here. Was very average but not bad. <br/>- Half Roast Chicken: What they’re famous for. I’ve never had a juicer chicken in my life! The sauce was great. <br/>- Creamed corn on the side: Delicious!!! Went to well with our main. <br/>- Dessert was a fig creme caramel of some sort and it was AHMAZING. The fig just balanced out the caramel so well. <br/><br/>I enjoyed every single dish other than the rainbow trout. The service was fast and attentive. Great for a date night or catching up with friends.

Beautiful dark atmosphere. We ate at the bar and only had to wait 10 mins after walking in to this packed to the rafters (on a Wednesday night) eatery. The service was excellent and the food was so simply delicious. We had the chicken, pippies (standout) creamed corn and the pickles, as well as both the desserts. Will definitely come back.

Raw chicken? No thanks. Especially not for the price. Will not be returning in a hurry - unfortunate that my experience did not live up to the earlier reviews.

Difficult to fault this place. Exceptional wine list and attentive, knowledgeable service. Our waiter recognised our interest in drinking champagne and recommended some unique and delicious bottles. The food was also superb. To top it off, there is a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere.

I really had a great experience here! The food and service were outstanding. Everything was great. I discovered some great gin and cider on the menu with the help of informative staff it was so good to be here. I enjoyed all the food that I ordered. I highly recommend a visit to Embla for food, drinks or both. Find my new fav place!!!

Delicious Sunday lunch (13/01) consisting of country loaf, capocollo, straccitella, roast chicken with leek & broccoli and peach eton mess. Everything was great but favourites would be the capocollo and eton mess! Portions were quite generous too. Small seating capacity so I can see why the wait during normal dinner is long. Service was friendly and attentive. Looking forward to the next visit :)

I was here for a drink while waiting for my table at Sezar to be ready. I wish though that we had dinner here instead. Great vibe, fantastic wine list, knowledgeable bar staff and great food menu that I hope to come back and sample very soon!

In short, our dinner at Embla was outstanding. From the food to the ambience and service, everything was great. Even though neither of us are wine drinkers, we discovered some great gin and cider on the menu with the help of informative staff. We enjoyed all the food that we ordered but particular stand out dishes included the country loaf, veal tartare, chickpea pancake and octopus. Our only minor criticism is that the chicken dish was a little too salty. <br/><br/>We highly recommend a visit to Embla for food, drinks or both.

What a quintessential Melbourne bar! It's small, dark and intimate. Sit at the bar and be entertained as the bar staff make you a cocktail with surgical precision. We didn't eat but saw the cheese plate. It looked nice but nothing out of the ordinary. You really come here for the drinks, the warm and cozy environment and the excellent service. A great place for a quiet drink with friends.

We’ve walked pass this place so many times and each time my friends and I always says “we have to go there one night”. Well we finally did make a stop after dinner. We each had a glass of Rose. They have an extensive wine collection from all over the world. I’m myself not that familiar with wines outside AU but rest assured the waiters are very well conversed in wines of the world and are able to recommend a good drop for you. <br/>We also had a nibble of some sort of slow cooked pork terrine with crackers, it was ok.<br/>Must mention the romantic ambiance slightly on a dim side (hence the poor quality of my photos). But a great place to bring your date if you decided to go and grab a drink somewhere after dinner (assuming the date is going well, lol).

Great bar serving quality shared dishes. The chicken was amazing and so was the spinach that the waiter recommended to pair with it except the spinach was not on the menu and it cost $14.

4.6. Embla is sensational.<br/><br/>Twosheds and friends dined here for lunch on a Thursday. In the 1990s and early 2000s, this place was a pretty good Italian pizza restaurant which we used to frequent. The premises have now moved up a serious notch. This is the type of place you walk into and feel immediately at home - dark wood interior with a lovely bar at the front and perfect lighting - I could have sat there all afternoon. It appeared as though that was exactly what a lot of people were doing! The staff are friendly, but the service is not obtrusive at all - and it is extremely efficient. I'd label the Embla food as modern Australian, French, Italian fusion, in a really good way.<br/><br/>We decided on the banquet, which did not include dessert. Beautiful bread arrived to start with a smoky, creamy butter. The friendly waiter advised me that the butter is smoked over oak wood chips in their own kitchen. It was amazing. We then started with blue eye trevalla carpaccio, followed by pickled cucumber sitting on a bed of dill feta, veal tartare with parsley and fresh peas and a chickpea pancake with globe artichoke topped with flat leaf parsley and parmesan (which Twosheds suspected to be Reggiano, the best of Italian parmesans). While all these dishes were fantastic, my highlight out of this super set of dishes was the chickpea pancake - gooey in middle and crisp on outside. It was a textural triumph.<br/><br/>Our main courses consisted of swordfish served with leeks, and half roasted chicken with a beautiful gravy and, as a side, asparagus sitting on a goats cheese sauce. The highlight here was the half roasted chicken. It was roasted to perfection, with crispy, flavoursome skin, and moist on the inside - the gravy a perfect accompaniment. One criticism here - the goats cheese was excellent, but the quite pungent nature of this particular goats cheese overpowered the delicate nature of the asparagus. The asparagus was also a little woody at the thick end - would have been nicer trimmed to spear only. <br/><br/>For dessert, we finished with coffee, alongside a chocolate and olive oil millefeuille and panna cotta with blueberries - two desserts shared between four of us. Both desserts were stunning. The standout was the beautiful panna cotta. Our lovely waitress advised us that the berries had been poached in their own syrup. The berries used to create the syrup were also presented with the poached items - dehydrated and raisin-like. The panna cotta had a beautiful sour finish on the palate - potentially made with sour cream - which finished off an amazing dessert. To boot, there was also crystallised elderflower incorporated in the panna cotta topping.<br/><br/>The only other criticism is possibly the wine list. While there were some beautiful wines on the list - which we drank (including a lovely Yarra Valley pinot noir) - we thought that the wine list could be expanded a little.<br/><br/>On the whole though, what a fabulous experience. I recommend giving it a try.<br/><br/>4.6

Late night table for 4, shared a bottle of Little reddie Nebbiolo which paired well with the cheeses one was a subdued blue vein & the other a super creamy and orgasmic brie type cheese (sorry cheese is not my forte hence basic description), the cured saucisson  was rather bland, but this coming from someone who has sampled many fantastic homemade salami by a plethora of Nonna's, it didn't have me reaching out for more. Octopus was a tad chewy and legumes were well flavoured but a tad hard on the tooth. Rilettes were pleasant, Bread and butter was moreish, Asparagus was loved by all, Pancake was absolutely delicious I actually thought it would fare well in a Turkish breakfast environment with black olives, sucuk, eggs and cheese, the cucumbers...oh the cucumbers it was like a deconstructed tzatziki but 1000 better, I could have chugged a gallon of that. Desserts were Chocolate and olive oil mille feuille and a milk icecream with blood oranges and fennel fronds both done well, light in a sense, it cleansed the palate and did not leave you heavy or sickened. The highlight was the milk ice cream which actually paired well with mille feuille. Service was promt, friendly and knowledgeable. Special mention to the hooks for bags and jackets!

I came here around 5:45pm Friday afternoon. It’s crowded. The kingfish is bit too salty for me. But I think having it with beer will be better. The proportion of the dishes are small, but tasty.

Fantastic food and wine. Great place for an after work catch up, or a first date! It never disappoints. Will be back many times over as long as food is this awesome.

Wasnt sure if I was going to get a seat here on a Wednesday night without a reservation but we got lucky. There isnt a lot on the menu but that's not an issue because whatever they do have, I know they will do it perfectly. When each dish came out it was perfectly presented and tasted amazing. The service was great too and they helped us with our food dilemmas. I cant wait to come back to try some more. The only negative I have I'd the seating isnt too comfortable and it's a little cramped. During winter time, the first table near the door can feel the cold breeze so either drink more wine or wear a jacket. Would highly recommend otherwise.

One of the best places to unwind with glasses of wine and good food, in a casual setting. As it is walk-in only at night, be ready to queue as it gets really crowded with the post-work dining crowd. Stellar dishes include the bread (!), the veal tartare and the chicken that came with some sort of caramel butter sauce. Favourite dish of the night were the prawns though. Sensational stuff. Will definitely be back for more.

Returned here for the first time in a while and enjoyed it even more this time around. <br/>We were very impressed by the pine mushroom and octopus dishes - very tasty.

Good vibe and service. Great selection of wine Embla has some of the best wine I’ve tasted they are not found elsewhere!! Sourdough bread is amazing ! Rest of food is ok to get by. would highly recommend this place for drinks.

Nice cosy place for a quiet drink and share plates but overrated food was good without being memorable. Lacking a bit of flavour and seasonings really. The bread was awesome the cultured butter top drawer, the chicken moist but the sauce a let down, octopus was meh, beef cheek small and nothing to write home about. The carrot was really nice and did have a nice flavour. Won’t be rushing back

We (4ppl) had lunch on Friday at Embla. It was great! We booked the table beforehand. The maître-d put some plates together for us (sourdough bread & butter (amazing!!), the chickpea pancake, prawns, chicken & the cabbage dish). The wine list is extensive but the majority of bottles are not less than $100. The atmosphere is on point. The only let down was the slight noise of construction on the floor above (which, I assume, is temporary). Otherwise, a great place for lunch. We will probably be back!

Came here on Wednesday night after work. I got to Embla at 5.30pm and the whole place was fully packed. Only spot was at the very end on a long table. I took it anyways. As I was waiting for my friend to arrive I slowly absorbed the atmosphere. The Wine Bar has the atmosphere, the place is dimly lit but enough to feel comfortable.  <br/><br/>🔆LOCATION🔆<br/>Embla is comveniently located on Russell Street, between Bourke and Little Collins Street. A nice little establishment with simple frontage.<br/><br/>🔆SERVICE🔆<br/>On the Wednesday night there were 2 females and 1 male staff working on the floor. I could tell the woman in the white was the Manager and she was friendly and efficient. The woman in the black top with short brown wavy hair was rather impatient and not as friendly. At one point I tried to wave her to get her attention and she turned around rudely and said " Just wait! " I was a bit suprised. She could have given me 5 seconds of her time so I could ask a question, but she didnt.<br/><br/>🔆MENU🔆<br/>The food menu was simple but had enough variety to select from.<br/>My friend and I ordered to share:<br/><br/>Smoked duck liver parfait, stout, wattleseed, $15.00Octopus, borlotti beans, turnip, walnut, $24.00<br/>Yellow carrots, buttermilk, fennel, almond, $14.00<br/>Swordfish, creamed greens, peanut, $30.00<br/><br/>🔆PRICE🔆<br/>Between 2 people, the food works out to be about $40.00 ( exclude drinks). Which is not bad price.<br/>Each dish is priced reasonably.<br/><br/>🔆VERDICT🔆<br/>The duck liver parfait was very nice, however we expected to have some bread to be served with it, instead we got thin crips like bread crackers which just didnt seem to match.The octopus was cooked to perfection, the whole dish was delicious.<br/><br/>Carrots was also quite tasty and full of flavour.<br/><br/>The Swordfish was a disappointment.  It was very bland, no seasoning, it was half raw not sure if thats how it was meant to be cooked.  We ended up putting the duck liver parfait on the swordfish to eat to get some flavour to it. The creamed greens which turned out to be kale, was very tasty. <br/><br/>I noticed that most of the dishes we ordered had some form of nuts included.. hahah! Embla is a great little place to chill after work and enjoy some wine and food.  The service was so-so, and the food overall was pretty decent, except the swordfish.

Snuck in to this still heaving bar on a Friday night just before the kitchen closed. Ordered a variety of small plates starting with an amazing sourdough with an excellent silky cultured butter that tasted almost meaty in its savouriness. We also enjoyed a chickpea pancake, though not as crispy as the traditional ‘socca’. Less successful were the veal tartare, which lacked seasoning, and the octopus which would have benefitted from a less chewy protein and a longer cook with the accompanying borlottis.<br/><br/>But great atmosphere and the service was excellent. If you can manage to get a table, it’s a worthy stop at one of Melbourne’s must do bars.

The score of 4 is for the venue and the amazing chicken dish. The other dishes were nice enough with the better one being the beef cheek. I would come again for the chicken which was succulent dnd had the most delicious sauce. Good service too.

All time fave restaurant in Melbourne for date night. Consistently friendly and professional service, fantastic wine list and delicious menu that changes regularly. Try a bit of everything, and always save room for dessert!

Disappointingly one dimensional (I know that sounds wankerish, but hear me out).<br/><br/>As each dish came out we found ourselves desperately trying to find something that wowed us, but inevitably we just shrugged and said "It's ok, i guess?"<br/><br/>The duck parfait came first, and though it was smooth and creamy and relatively tasty in itself, it desperately needed some citrus and sweetness (probably an unfair comparison but i couldn't help thinking of heston's meat fruit). And why serve it with crackers? Why not some toasted bread?<br/><br/>Next sad dish was the ceviche, which, though we could tell the fish was fresh, needed something more to elevate it, there was no balance whatsoever and it looked like a white rice cracker on a white plate.<br/><br/>It was the same for our other dishes, I cant even rememeber them now, but the final disappointment was the pork, which took ages to come out, and had no pork flavor at all. How can a meat be both tender and chewy? We're thinking it was sous-vided, but badly?<br/><br/>We trekked out specifically because Embla has had so many rave reviews and for such a cool little bar, I thought the food would've been better.<br/>

Good new place. Nothing personally to rave about but it is a nice joint to keep in mind if you are in that part of the city. Interesting presentation of the wine list and staff tries to show knowledge. Food on par with what you would expect of any new restaurant these days.

Loved this place. Friendly staffs. Simple menu but excellent-foods. You can be seat in the open-kitchen side incase you’re keen on having interactive with the cookers. About the food. I’ll highly recommended the “Blue eye”. It’s just too fresh and bought my appetites up. You guys should try!!

Cozy little spot for some food and wine. The service is really good and the menu and wine list are sumptuous. Great place to spend the evening.

Great ambience inside. I love that its a little dim. The staff are very hospitable and know the menu quite precisely. Recommendations from staff of the food are always a necessity here!

Always amazing! Been here way too many times, great food, excellent service, all around a good time. Every Sunday, they do a set lunch for $50 and it’s very decent. If only I wasn’t working, I’d be there every Sunday.

Great little modern, atmospheric wine bar on Russell St - we’d walked past a few times and it always seems busy. We tried a number of the wines on the “by the glass” list - my favourites were the roussane and Grenache, though a few of the reds were a bit too organic tasting for my liking. Food was delicious, particularly the olive sourdough with creme fraiche, the zucchini and the pork loin.

Really nice late night wine bar, that would be the perfect date night spot with its mood lighting and darker tones. The wine list is extensive, but we decided to order by the glass which was a bit easier to choose from. The staff were very helpful in helping us choose a wine for our individual palettes. The food was also a wonderful surprise. The olive bread with creme fraiche was simply amazing! So simple but so so delicious. The other standouts for me were the baked garlic prawns, and the pork loin. Both cooked to perfection. If you like good food and good wine, this is a great place to check out if you’re in the area, just beware its a smaller place and can get busy!

Great place to catch up with friends. Good selection of wines. Make sure you try their olive sourdough and we had the straciatella beetroot as well! Service was ok. Took a little while to get served and we were sat in the back and every 15 min or so we could hear loud banging of something coming back from the kitchen. Nevertheless cool spot

Excellent food, great service, fantastic wine list, lovely space. Embla ticks all the boxes. We had the stracciatella with beets, soured cucumbers, heirloom tomato salad, prawns and the pork dish. Ended with the passionfruit posset, which was the perfect sweet finish. Standouts were the cucumbers, prawns and stracciatella. Very hard to fault. Will be back!

Great food, good service, nice cosy atmosphere and great for dates. Went on a really hot day, unfortunately the place wasn't cool enough. We ordered a couple of shared plates. Raw beef, zucchini, garlic prawns, snapper dish and lamb. All were delicious. Fresh good quality ingredients. Raw beef was my personal fav. There was nothing that I didn't like. Portions were small so 2 people can easily eat 4-5 dishes, we were quite hungry though. Highly recommended.

The Town Mouse is one of the restaurants in Carlton that stands out in my memory, so the news of a sister site opening in the CBD got me excited. It won Best New Restaurant and a hat in the Good Food Guide 2017 awards, so things were looking good, but as with many places, an exploratory visit kept slipping my mind. That is, until it was brought up as the potential location for a catch-up. I readily agreed.

Aaaaaaamazing - we came here for a drink and were seated in front of the kitchen and ended up ordering the prawns and muscles - wine list is great and the food soooo good - can’t wait to come back and try more.

Pretty hard to fault! Very friendly staff and some serious punch from the kitchen. Beautiful oysters that were sweet and plump, gorgeous starters lists that we picked through. Shared the lamb that was falling apart. Magnificent. Get there right now!!

Came here last year with my husband, and we had been looking forward to dinning in Embla for a long time, the expectation was high. We had ordered as much as we could, and every dish was beautiful!<br/>Our favorite dish was the pork belly, so crunchy and juicy. Service was really nice as well. We left with satisfaction.

Good,good food. Wine list was great. Discovered a Lovely Chardonnay from Gippsland, we tried a few dishes, most exceptional was the cabbage and corn. Will definitely be back.

I took my mother in law for Sunday lunch here, wow! How you can get so much flavour into every plate is beyond me. Star of the show was the bread, sensational, would love to be able to buy it! Followed closely by the creamed corn, I could not get enough, exquisite! I would highly recommend! At $50 for 3 courses for Sunday lunch, why wouldn't you?

Amazing. As always.<br/><br/>Eat 🙌<br/>Snapper carpaccio<br/>Buratta with lovage & onion<br/>Lamb breast, broccolini, anchovy <br/>Roasted cabbage, feta, capers <br/>Beautiful bread, cultured butter<br/>Prosciutto <br/><br/>I drank a white Burgandy followed by a chilled Greek red, both spot on for what I was after and reasonably priced.<br/><br/>Service was perfect, playlist was rad 👌<br/><br/>Thanks for having us!

Great ambience and great food to go with it. Had the liver parfait and I'm still thinking about it haha. Also enjoyed a beautiful chicken dish and enjoyed looking through their selection of wines. Will be back for sure!

The wine selection had many options which were fantastic and for food, I ordered the lamb breast, the meat was soft and tender and I'd definitely recommend it. The ambiance was lovely but the service was absolutely appalling, left feeling unwelcomed.

Good food, friendly service, and above all, a wonderful wine list. Having been to Embla many times there's a lot to say for a Melbourne restaurant that offers a consistently good night out!

I was super excited to try this place out as I’d heard fantastic things and I love a good wine bar. But, to my dismay, we left very underwhelmed. Surprisingly, there wasn’t a good selection of wines by the glass (no heavier reds at all), and the food came out cold (steak) although it was cooked properly. We had to send it back. We might try them out again in a few months to see if it was just a fluke, but we were pretty disappointed the first time around.

Brilliant experience on a date nightSaturday night with Wifey. Seated straight away, immense vibe, wine list and interesting sophisticated and very on trend menu. Had the Sourdough, Buratta, Pipis, and Squid, all great choices. Rum Baba dessert was probably the most boozey dessert I've ever had, not a great choice. Would have been 4/5 but gets a 5/5 due to the fact they had Gang Starr on the playlist. Embla was good fun, I'll happily go back.

I have walked passed Embla so so many times but never noticed it until a friend of mine took me there. Its a hidden little wine bar. Does get busy, we had to wait for almost 30 minutes but its worth waiting for. They have a great collection of wines. Absolutely love the dim and dark interiors adds so much character to the place. Portions are really small but then you get to try more dishes on the menu. Their sour bread is a must to order, so moist and freshly made. I asked them for more simply because they taste so so good.

Killer food, great staff, relaxed yet fine, cool crowd, couldn't fault it - and a surprise when the bill came too, it's not expensive. Absolutely worth going to once for the food and experience, but worth going to regularly because it's downright enjoyable at every angle, loved everything that passed through our lips, especially the pipis and the Brussel sprouts!

Embla is a wine bar that serve really good food. Me and my friends went there for dinner after knowing the chef won the time out award for best young chef. Had an amazing time there and will definitely go there again. Highly recommend the pipis and the swordfish

What a little hidden treasure in the middle of the cbd! Beautiful food - such tasty morsels 👌🏻 there was a party in my mouth most of the time. Great wine pairing to match and excellent service. Will definitely be back to try more items on the menu!

Cosy interiors with excellent dim lighting creating an inviting, exciting and romantic atmosphere. Staff are very professional and knowledgeable about food and wine and have great attention to detail. They knew we were rather thirsty and kept offering and suggesting wine, which in turn was incredible. Fantastic wine list. Food is best shared and the passion that is put in to create each dish is clear from with an uber cool open kitchen. A must visit for every foodie.

Embla has an extensive wine list with many rare and natural wines. Surprisingly the food menu is also very good even the desserts are nice 😉

This has been on our hit list for a few months now and was happy to finally get in there. The ambiance was more like a bar while the food was gastronomical. Enjoyed everything from service to dessert. The entrees were very unique tasting (in a good way) Would highly recommend this place to small groups and for date night!

I first came to Embla before it won it's accolades in Gourmet Traveller and boy was I impressed when my partner and I first stumbled across it when we were waiting for our table at a Flinders Lane establishment. With a classy interior despite the obscure frontage - Embla was an awesome place to cozy up and sip on some fine wine. The wine wall inside was awesome and I found the staff to be attentive, friendly and very helpful. They also know their wines well and can easily recommend or steer you towards certain flavour notes depending on your preferences. We were being conservative as we had a dinner to attend so opted not to have anything to eat when we were here. I've since been very intrigued with the menu and can't wait to come try the 1/2 chicken as all the dishes I saw go past me looked delicious! <br/><br/>Great place for an intimate date or catch up!

Went here with a work friend, and the service was great, the waiter was friendly and really knew his stuff. The butter was incredible, almost tasted like cheese. Can't wait to take my man here.

Cosy, rustic but without feeling too unrefined like many of these Euro-inspired hubs can be. Every dish reached new levels of impressive but the Straciatella was unbelievable!

Stand out venue!! This place is way ahead of the curve when it comes to food and wine. Amazing fit out and very knowledgable and attentive staff.<br/>Hard to find something on the menu not to recommend, if you can get a set at the kitchen bar, do it! And just order whatever you see you like. Good value for money both lunch and dinner.<br/>Thank you to the team and I/we will keep coming back for more(-:

But if we’re talking simple yet delicious, then the Pipis, Serrano, Basil ($17) have the final word. I never knew just how sweet and succulent pipis could be, and they were unbelievably good cooked with just some fresh basil and salty Serrano ham. After I polished off the slice of toast on the side, I proceeded to dip the sourdough into the salty, briny broth until I’ve wiped up every last drop.

I was so excited to try this place and decided to bring my friend for a special occasion. The food was nice but the experience was ruined by terrible service. So disappointed.

Fantastic place. So unsuspecting and welcoming. <br/>The food was just unreal. <br/>That Straciatella thing and the mushroom dish?!  What. Was. That?! Unreal!<br/>Even the bread is wow. <br/>We are coming back 1000%

Delicate yet flavorful dishes. Was not able to order bottles thus choice of wine was limited. The selection for glasses was still decent and overall a good experience with good service and amazing ambience.

Finally I got to visit Embla. I tried to contain my excitement and not set the expectations too high, but threw caution to the wind as I ate my way through their menu. To get it out of the way the service was impeccable, a balance of non intrusion yet fully at a ready to provide information and suggestion. The food was a brilliant mix of shared and larger plates, which were proportioned well, accompanied with a great selection of by the glass wines. But the quality of the ingredients was the standout underlying theme. From the warm buckwheat bread, to the pipis, to the salmon roe, to the amazing snapper carpaccio with a delightful touch of tomato, there was always care and respect for the produce. The steak and salsa verde was also melt in your mouth tender and delicious; the only small drawback was perhaps the creme caramel which lacked fortitude and needed to be denser. Other than that, Embla was a joyous experience and could easily be one of those care free, don't think just eat places that I'd frequent.

A real gem of a place. Sort of venue you can park up at the bar and see a night thru eating and drinking fine things . A definite must visit

Came for a quick and easy lunch, portions were a little too generous.Great set of staffs, handled reservation issues fast (which probably was my fault to begin with), sat at the bar by the kitchen for to see interesting set of professional kitchen staffs who knows how to have fun at work on Sunday lunch.

Good place for light dinner and small chat. Very busy on Wednesday night, we waited around 30 mins. The dishes came out very slowly. The music was a little bit aloud for us. My husband and me ordered 5 dishes, we liked pipis and duck liver. The place more likes Bar instead of restaurant. My husband doesn't feel full after having 3 dishes and one bottle of wine. So we went for a Ramen after dinner. LOL.

<br/><br/>Remember the days when you had to travel to the city to go to the cinema? Greater Union in Russell St was one of the biggest; and after the movie, we'd head across the road to grab a pizza at one of Melbourne's first pizza restaurants, Pizza Napoli. Those guys were so ahead of their time, using thin bases made from 'OO' flour, which is considered the standard now. <br/><br/>Then one day it was gone...when I noticed the restaurant had closed, I mourned a piece of my childhood. Luckily, every cloud has a silver lining, and I was excited to hear that the new people to take over the space at 122 Russell St were the crew from Town Mouse in Carlton.<br/><br/>This new city wine bar/eatery is offering something quite unique: Embla is far from a simple wine bar concept. Its website states:<br/><br/>Our tastes in wine might be slightly weird but we think there are others out there like us.<br/>So take the time to chat with the friendly and knowledgeable staff, who will guide you on your wine adventure..... make sure you're Ubering home, as you won't stop at one glass.<br/><br/>The only link to its predecessor is the wood fired oven. Although the food menu is small, there are many items that marry well with the smoky flavour, such as their Roast Half Chicken, or Pork Chop with the oven-roasted crunchy crackling. There are beautiful raw options for something lighter. A twist on the classic Vitello Tonnato comes with chopped raw veal, rocket and peas. The Snapper Tartare is light, tangy and full of zest. We also tried the Duck Liver Parfait with fermented turnip and wafer-thin toasted sourdough. Embla offers perfect food and wine combinations that break with tradition, sending you on a sensory adventure. There is a delectable cheese selection too, if you're there for some supper.<br/><br/>The ambience is dark, yet cozy; and the beautiful timber and brass panelling creates a Parisian touch. You can be seated at the tables, or for something more casual, find a stool at the bar or beside the kitchen.<br/><br/>Embla only takes lunch reservations, so be prepared to wait if you decide to go at night. This is a good quality, unique addition to the CBD - and it's open until late.<br/><br/>Ranked no.1 Melbourne's best restaurant October 2016, Time Out<br/><br/><br/>

Beautiful experience at embla the staff were very knowledgeable and the food and drinks were so on point. It seems quite small but is packed with so many treats. Certainly didn't expect this here thanks guys you are awesome

Very good food.  Wasn't in a drinking situation, but would have been very easy to do so.  Food is light and fresh,  vegetable dishes are especially great.

Went to the Sunday lunch special. Great food and wine. In fact too much food. Would prefer a more balanced meal with some wine included in the price. Had the big Aussie red and was very happy with that.

Josh, you the man, fantastic waiter. Dddddelcious food, awesome service, good vibes. We've been before and we will be back. Always recommending this lil gem in the heart of Melb.

Very, very good. On a cold wintery Melbourne day, Embla was a snug little oasis. Unobtrusive staff, but extremely knowledgeable. Some experimental wines and delicious share plates, made for a very enjoyable afternoon. Can highly recommend for date night or day.

Awesome date place. Very intimate and good to taste a variety of wines. Staff were attentive and friendly and helpful.<br/>We will have good next time. What we saw looked delicious!

Fantastic experience at Embla. Came for their lunch on sunday set menu for $50pp. Which tbh was excellent value. Three small entres, main to share and salad as a side finished with a dessert. Loved it!!

Another Melbourne restaurant that makes we wish Sydney had something similar. We tried the Sunday tasting menu, and it was an ideal amount of delicious homely food, at a reasonable price

Loved the vibe inside this place. We went for afterwork drinks but i will be back for food. Such a great selection of wine and beer plus the waiters are friendly and attentive

This is the second time I've been here and both times have been excellent. Wait staff are attentive and knowledgeable. Shared tomato straciatella, pickled cucumber and a few other dishes and all were very tasty. Bread is also of high quality.

This was literally the worst meal i've ever had outside of fast food in the entire 7 years i've lived in Melbourne. One thing I will give them is this: the food is beautifully and exquisitely presented. But once the food hits your taste buds it feels like it came from a cheap suburban supermarket. The duck was chewy and tasteless, the feta tasted like budget supermarket dip and even the wine recommended by the waiter was gross. I wonder whether the high score is influenced by the visual presentation of the food. I see no other explanation.<br/>Must also say that waiters were nice but by no means attentive. For a place like this you shouldn't keep having to call them over.<br/><br/>SOOO many way better places.

Really cool little place, amazing wine, but what we really need to talk about is that super sexy, sumptuous sourdough bread... holy moly, I need a moment.

Amazed by the plates served to us last night, we had the cream corn which was out of the world, tomato with smoked ricotta - delightful, carpaccio, duck parfait, rustic sour dough keep you wanting for more. Vino was on point and great service as well - well deserved for winning the best newcomer restaurant!

Embla is hot news, having featured in September’s Gourmet Traveller and being listed as number 30 on the list of the top 100 Australian Restaurants. It matches great wines with simple but successful share plates. It’s open long and useful hours (but not Sunday’s). It also has great desserts like the Apple Blossom Creme Caramel $10..

Wow! I'm really impressed with this place I just had to write a review. The most stand out dish was the whipped cod roe herbs provence flatbreads! I've never tasted anything like it. It was really yummy! I would seriously go back just to order this dish. I also enjoyed the veal tartare. It was refreshing and quite unique, different from other tartares i've tasted. I also ordered the heirloom tomatoes with smoked goats ricotta and oregano, the duck and oysters which were all great too. (Oysters were amazingly fresh) I loved the relaxed atmosphere of this place. I could see myself coming again to try out other dishes and drop by to have a drink or two!

Staff super knowledgable and attentive. I'd suggest letting them choose for you. Venue is so different to what used to be there. A very chic and almost 'clicky' joint. Great wine selection and cheese - the cheese was so palatable. We couldn't fault it and although a tad pricey, we will be back. No bookings here.

I'm going to be controversial and upfront! I'm not a fan of The Townmouse which is Embla's sister restaurant. I haven't enjoyed the food the two times I've been there and I don't find it a comfortable place to eat. I almost gave up on the little stool I had at the bar to eat standing up. But many people have urged me to give Embla a go and we found ourselves there for a pre theatre feed on Saturday. It was just after 6pm and there were a few seats left. We chose to sit at the kitchen bar, just to the side of the wood fired oven to try and stay a little cooler and it was a great seat. I'm so pleased to say that the stool was comfy and there was a little ledge to support my short legs. Great start Embla and I like you already!

Lil miss piggy pigged out and rolled all the way home<br/><br/>Simple, tasty and generous serves. I was in the mood for small plates of delicious rustic food and embla delivered. <br/><br/>The starter of anchovy toast whetted my appetite, the sour cucumbers nice and refreshing, the snapper carpaccio delightfully piquant, the veal tartare a playful twist to a French classic and finished off with buttery garlic pippies.<br/><br/>Loved the small bar vibe and open kitchen. Great spot for a lazy lunch.

A friend and I chose this recommendation from the good food guide and it delivered the goods. All dishes are to be shared and this would be great for a date night as mood lighting is dim but with a warm atmosphere. Wait staff was very friendly and knew there stuff with great recommendations. Would highly recommend ordering 4-5 dishes for a light yet satisfying meal. Personal favourite was the flathead fish and the pipes (soup was amazing).

We came here for dinner. We ordered a few things to try - cucumbers, golden beetroots, zucchini , pipis, some cheeses and dessert. The serving were reasonable, not as tasty as I would expect. The music was a bit too loud for my liking. Staff was friendly and efficient. <br/><br/>It's a place for snacks, light dinners and small chats.

One of the best places I've dined at in a long time. <br/>The ambience of the place is amazing, and it ushers in a sense of anticipation of something special - and it was.<br/>The food is just out of this world good. We asked them to surprise us with a custom degustation share menu, and what was to follow was mind numbingly good.<br/>Veal tartare, soured cucumbers, heirloom tomatoes and sardines, duck, beef, flathead, oysters.. the list goes on and it was ALL GREAT.<br/>And the sommelier was absolutely fantastic - we had some Australian and New Zealand wines that seriously were world class.

Awesome venue with a great vibe and unique menu. We ordered the snapper carpaccio, the veal tartare, the pipis, the calamari and the zucchini. Everything was very tasty but the calamari stood out in particular. Definitely a must order. The wine list was also impressive.<br/>

Super Cool venue with a fantastic aroma on arrival. Great tapas choices with a slide of wine. Melbourne's second best 'Old fashioned'…commitment has to be shown by having more than one!

Went here because this restaurant is number 1 on the Time Out 50 Best Restaurants in Melbourne list (Attica sits at number 2).<br/>This restaurant truly deserves that position on the list, and it doesn't come with the expensive bill.<br/>Worth going to experience for yourself.

Faultless. The staff are exceptional with a wonderful gift of imparting product knowledge as if they made ( and sourced) the food and beverage themselves.<br/>The wine list is extremely interesting. The tapas bites are fantastic.<br/>If nothing else, you've got to try the anchovy toast. A morsel of deliciousness.<br/>The space is smart and simple <br/>I loved engaging with the Chef as we sat at the bar, telling us little stories behind each dish we had.<br/>I love that it feels so casual and yet it hits every point spot on.<br/>Definitely a favourite

Sat at the kitchen bench and saw all dishes being prepared. Ordered a couple of different wines with the anchovy toast,sour cucumbers, whiting with burnt butter, snapper carpaccio and the aged flounder. Especially liked the snapper carpaccio and the presentation, the anchovy toast and the whiting. Toasty with the wood fired grill going and service good. Would go back soon to try rest of menu.

DO: The stracciatella, pipis, the John Dory and the roast chicken. <br/><br/>DON'T: Drive there, since the wine selection is too notch. It is a wine bar after all. <br/><br/>TIP: Since there are no dinner bookings, go for lunch when they do take bookings.

Embla, the newest venture from the team that brought you Town Mouse (which y’all know I simply adore), was somewhere I had dropped by for a drink when they first opened, but just never made it around for dinner. Until your friend Chris from Brisbane randomly drops in on a Monday night and it’s simply perfect timing.

Almost perfect.<br/><br/>Great ambience, attentive and knowledgeable service, comprehensive wine list and an en pointe menu that delivers great food.<br/><br/>The only criticism is that they don't have gluten free crackers or bread to accompany their tantalizing cheese selection!

Emblematic excellence. Finally made it to Embla - not for want of trying! But being here after word has got out, including a recent City of Melbourne billboard campaign, means you're looking at a 20-40min wait for dinner. And it's totally worth it.<br/><br/>A pescatarian friend in the party meant we didn't try the charcuterie or meat dishes but no biggie - everything we tried was great. Fantastic fish - an aged flounder cooked to delicate perfection. A range of unusual vegetable dishes like the castel franco salad, the hasselback celeriac with a quenelle of creme fraiche and a dusting of dehydrated capers, and chargrilled broccoli - different and great. Plus absolutely awesome cheese - we behaved ourselves and just had one, served with a mustard pickle and shards of crispy flatbread. Add in a glass of excellent wine - mine a minerally Italian variety I've never had before - and it was a perfect food night. And about $100 all up before tip - another big tick.<br/><br/>Service is a blend of understated achievement with unfaked friendliness. The maitre d' was a charismatic, hospitable lady who welcomed us on arrival even though she didn't have a table available immediately. True to her word, she called within the expected time frame, and made us feel like guests rather than super-privileged people "allowed" into an elite event as some pretentious places do. Our two waitresses were smart, smiling and so helpful, walking us through the unfamiliar items with chilled charm. I can't wait till the restaurant proper opens!!!

One of the truly great things about working in the hospitality industry is the people. Now in an industry who’s main goal is obviously making people feel welcome, or being hospitable as it were, this may sound like a fairly dumb thing to say. The people I’m referring to however, are not the ones sitting at the tables staring coldly into cyberspace while unceremoniously shovelling products that took hours upon hours to prepare into their greedy gobs, only breaking contact from their oh-so-precious devices long enough to ensure they aren’t going to throw a portion of their meal down the front of their $200 t-shirt, before mashing up all your hard work and beginning the process of turning your efforts into shit, literally.

Excellent service, food is simple but tasty and well executed. Only complaint, the fig with the cheese tasted a little burnt.

We dined here on a Friday night - only had to wait for approximately 20 mins for a table/ seat. We were seated at the bar which enabled us to watch the food being prepared and to talk to the chefs. Food: Anchovy toasts and pine mushrooms were moorish; chicken and broccoli that followed also didn't disappoint. Next time I'll go with a few more people so that I can sample more of the menu. Service was terrific- attentive but not pushy.

Such a great bar & fantastic food offering. Wine list is amazing and food is original and tasty. We popped in here late after a festival in the city - it was the perfect end to our evening.

What a cracking way to spend an afternoon. Impressive wine list, shared dishes to graze on friendly staff & cool atmosphere. What more can I say? Just go already!

Opened in Dec 2015 by the Town Mouse team, Embla is definitely an up and rising wine bar in the CBD - recently voted as the top 34 Australia restaurant on Financial review. Their roasted chicken was also featured on Herald Sun as the best chicken. I absolutely loved their creative menu and beautiful crafted dishes. High quality food, extensive wine list, cozy ambience and friendly service.. And they open from<br/>8am till late! Highly recommend their beef tartar, mussels, house bread and mustard butter. Their lunch special dish - pork belly and potato curry $16 was generous and delicious too.

Enjoyed the food, great selection of wines, good buzz, but nothing to write home about. Service felt a little hurried and at times lacking (waitress seemed distracted).

Easily My Favorite Restaurant in Melbourne. Has everything I need. Interesting Nostalgic flavors a great great wine list and a great intimate ambience. Love coming here with the wife and love coming here with friends.

Embla Melbourne is the new wine bar/eatery by Town Mouse duo Christian McCabe and executive chef Dave Verheul. At its heart it’s a simple inner city wine bar, with a focus on quality wines and fantastic food. It’s a cozy space with with New Zealand architect Allistar Cox making extensive use of wood, exposed brick and granite floors to create something quite rustic.

Had a great lunch here. Food was smart and love the feel of the place for a drop-in casual meal, lots of wood and visible kitchen make for a great ambience. Good wine list too, reasonably priced.

Yet to try the food but excellent selection of wines here (by the carafe on request too, so good). Most of the stars for service and atmosphere.

More of a wine bar than a true restaurant, this is great hang-out spot. The waitstaff are very knowledgeable about their wines, which are quirky, interesting and delicious.

Embla was a last minute decision tonight, after we were shunned by a rude waitress at Kappo. Thankfully, we were greeted by a warm smile at the door and seated in a packed dining room, immediately.<br/><br/>We ordered the snapper with pepper puree to start. Thankfully, it wasn't a sign of the dishes to come because I thought it was below average. The dish was lacking salt and the cooked pepper puree didn't quite harmonise with the raw snapper. Next were the pickled mussells + rouille, served with a side of bread crisps. This was a huge improvement on the snapper carpaccio! The mussells were beautifully plump and had a lovely acidity, and we were forced to order a side of grain sourdough (which also came with a delicious mustard butter) to mop up the remaining juices and rouille.<br/><br/>We then had the half roast chicken (with jus and roast garlic), woodfire grilled broccoli with some kind of miso puree and creamed corn. The roast chicken had been brined and was succulent, but the jus didn't really add anything. The florets on the roast broccoli were a bit overcooked for my taste, saved only by the stalk which was beautifully tender.<br/><br/>All things aside, the corn was the real star. Creamy and sweet, and flecked with herbs and sourcream, it was perfectly balanced and went hand in hand with the salty chicken.<br/><br/>I would return just for the corn! So definitely give it a go!

Embla in Russell Street CBD is one of the hottest wine bars in Melbourne right now; and is championing a refined yet a more relaxed style than most. The World Loves Melbourne imbibed a joyous night out with Paul and Lauren from leading digital publication The City Lane. After a brief catch up at Milk the Cow we had decided on a proper catch up at Embla, a rising star on the Melbourne bar and dining scene. Bumping into Christian McCabe at the Milk the Cow event we were hoping to catch him again at Embla (he was out but it's all good).  At times the blogger circuit can get frustrating; The World Loves Melbourne says "no" to many of the invites for events and meals, preferring to visit the places we want to eat at (like Embla). It was awesome to catch up with Paul and Lauren and pay for our meals (as opposed to some freebie blogger events).

Service was fantastic and easily the highlight of the evening. Wait staff were extremely knowledgeable about the menu, interesting to chat to and very attentive - ensuring our glasses were full of water or wine and orders taken quickly and without fuss.<br/><br/>On the downside, I found the food extremely overpriced and at times bland and uninteresting; despite the descriptions given in the menu. It seemed like the place was just trying way too hard to come off as some high-end, swanky wine bar - the price tags and service matched, but the quality of the food didn't.

Interesting yet simple food. Friendly albeit it a little rushed service. There is plenty to like about this cute, cool and busy little wine bar. Probs could do with an extra staff member at peak times to etch it up a further note but I was happy with the overall experience. Will return. Good wine list.

Great place for interesting food, beer and wine. Relaxed atmosphere, nice fit out, friendly, knowledgable service. Not much more needs to be said!

bread, anchovy toasts, straciatella, creamed corn, rainbow trout, poached peaches, fig ice cream, calamari. everything was delicious. a restaurant i would be going back to for more

Absolutely outstanding! By far one of the best restaurants In Melbourne. The flavours and simplicity of the dishes are incredible. The desserts are stunning. Can't wait to go back!

Dynamite! Having enjoyed a few meals at Town Mouse, I was keen to try. Awesome food. My style of cooking. No particular region comes to mind, just a mix of techniques and flavours that honour quality produce. Explored most of the menu and loved all. Tasty treats all round. Would have said the wine list was a bit brief, but it's just different in a good way and full of interesting drops. Service is friendly and casual. My new favourite city hang, as long as I can get in!

Was truly a pleasure to dine and drink at this new Melbourne nightspot. Interior is classy but still maintains a warm ambience which is also reflected by the kind staff. Food is excellent quality, modern with hints of traditional parisian, and are enjoyable when shared. Certainly a great addition to the CBD.

New wine bar in town with a dark, sleek yet cozy fit out. Ample space at the many tables with plenty of space at the bar for lighter meals. Diverse wine list with plenty to try by the glass. Food cooked beautifully - modern Australian slash French bistro. Highlight was the brocoli steak - grilled brocolli stalks with a housemade sweet miso sauce.

Embla magically exudes old world charm, and embodies new age cool. I love the soothing green hues, in aqua, in emerald, and in forest, coupled with the reserved sophistication of the dark gold tones . The bar is abundantly stocked, with classic spirit labels, a number of Australian wines, including / and some "weird" wines. Embla believes, that wines are a bit like people, and the weird ones can become the most interesting once you get to know them.