Barney Allen's |
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- Address
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14
Fitzroy
St
St Kilda 3182 - Phone
- 03 95255477
| As merry, relaxed and welcoming as its namesake, Barney (who you'll find busy behind the bar most days), Barney Allen's is one of the few St Kilda eateries that manages to fuse a laidback, bar-like ambience with quality food. There's no doubt that the meals here are designed for drinking, but with high-profile chef Iain Hewitson at the helm, nibbles such as polenta fingers; crumbed mushrooms with tartare sauce; generous burgers with crispy hot chips; and moist fishcakes are taken to a new level. Operated by the team of Hewitson, Ruth Allen and her brother Barney Allen, all formerly of the famed Tolarno Bistro, this place attracts both long-standing Tolarno junkies and St Kilda's young primped-up professionals. An artistic display of green and clear wine bottles, through which sunlight shines like a modern stained glass window, and retro Mirka Mora paintings from the Tolarno days decorate the deep red walls, lending a chilled-out mood.
There's no table service and bookings are not taken, which reinforces the casual diner vibe. The pub-like ambience encourages you to park at the large central bar and sample a few wines, or take your plate out to one of the settees, which frame the Fitzroy Street-side porch. No meal here costs more than $20, which is a staggering steal on this block.
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12:00am 1:00am
Mon-Thu 3pm to 1am
Restaurant Licensed
