Harry & Frankie

Friends of mine got married here over a glass of Champagne. I don’t mean he proposed here, but that the celebrant said the official words right here while the Bride and Groom drank Champagne in the middle of the day. Papers were signed, photos were taken. Knots were tied.
It got me thinking that if it were legal to marry shops, that Harry & Frankie would be high on the list of places I would like to wed. I mean, who wouldn’t like to be bound to a gorgeous looking store that could provide endless glasses of interesting wines, plates of charcuterie and high quality cheese?

I first found out about this place thanks to a Unilocal Elite event.
On the night Tom and the team seemed nice but it’s always hard to judge when us Unilocalers have taken over the place. On my second visit — a run of the mill Saturday afternoon, I was greeted by the same friendly staff and chilled atmosphere.
I think the beauty of this place is the ability for it to be whatever you want it to be. Want to grab a bottle to take home or to a dinner party? Sorted. Want a quiet bottle to have there with your special friend? Sorted. A couple of bottles with the girls? Sorted.
I personally love the wine on tap (don’t judge until you’ve tried it!) and the opportunity to try some slightly unusual wines that I would normally by-​pass in a ‘normal’ bottle shop. If you tell the guys what you usually like to drink, they can make similar suggestions that will open a whole new world of deliciousness for you!

Harry. Frankie. Harry & Frankie I you. Like the bad boys from my teenage dreams you fill me with both youthful happiness and despair.
Oh so many delicious wines wanting to be caressed in a glass warmed by my delicate hands. So many choices so little time to try them all.
Whilst there was no one wine to rule all my desires Tom is fantastic at educating and assisting in a reasonable selection.
The despair comes from Toms seemingly magical ability to know all the wines and their personal backgrounds. And more do hi ability to shatter my taste buds with mind blowing amazing wines that a) I can’t pronounce and b) would normally avoid like an episode of the Kardasians.
After an evening here I walked away with a bounce in my step and a curiosity to learn and taste more of what’s on offer here. Especially the toasted sandwiches.
I snuck away with a 6 pack of beer as a peace offering for my designated driver.
Harry & Frankie I you so much I waited until you and I could reach the big 100^th review together.

I visited here last night for a Unilocal event and feel like that will Definately not be the last time I walk through their doors. Set up as half bottle shop half bar, this venue encourages you to drop in on the way home to pick up a bottle but then stay for a taste of something else… and then maybe something else. The immense knowledge of the owners makes this venue not only great for a drink but educational as well. Specialising in wines you are unlikely to see on the shelves of your local dan Murphy’s these guys get the wine of the wine makers who create for the big brands but have their own companies on the side.
You’re in for a treat if you decide to go with the wine on tap! An amazing blend from their own label that changes weekly sometimes daily. Definately recommend dropping in to Harry and Frankies for a post work beverage on a cool winters night

«We’ll go to this place I go to all the time and have a wine,» says my colleague and Melbourne local. Luckily she and I are like the same people in different bodies because I think I almost squealed when I walked into Harry & Frankie. Located in Port Melbourne, this is (I’m told) a new addition to the strip and what an addition. Amongst a pseudo-​Scandinavian fit-​out you can casually sip on expertly selected wines (we chose the Curly Tail) and savour gourmet cheese boards, as we did. I won’t lie — this is 99 kinds of awesome and a fine way to round out a day of meetings.

I must confess… I have a bit of a crush on a guy. Two guys actually — Harry & Frankie.
Part bottle shop, part wine bar, all sexy — this newcomer to the Port Melbourne region is a brilliant new addition to the area that is craving the finer things in life.
The wine collection is nothing short of amazing. Loads of small batch selections (most only 6 bottles purchased, some as low as 3 with a limit of 1 per person) and some really fun and interesting choices.
I came here with my partner for a birthday drink with the promise that he could choose whatever we like. A sucker for a good story, we let the sommelier (of Daylesford’s The Lake House fame) talk us through some unique wines. We ended up spending half our anticipated budget on an interesting and absolutely knock-​out wine, leaving us enough left to choose another to cellar. That is not to say that everything here is cheap, if you’re a wine buff there’s a good chance you’ll get carried away here. But with everything on offer at bottle shop prices + $ 15 corkage, you’ll likely walk away satisfied.
For food, there’s a tasty selection of cheese and charcuterie, a rotating main dish and selection of toasties — «less fine, but tasty» as our waiter suggested. We tucked into a healthy serve of charcuterie and cheese including some banging venison carpaccio and Occelli Testun al Barolo. Deeeeelicious.
We will most certainly be back. Once living just one street away from this venue, we left with heavy hearts but lighter wallets knowing that we’re not a mere stones throw away from Harry & Frankie.
UPDATE JULY 2015: Toasties are a thing of the past, but check out the two daily mains and other small bites on their menu. The wine selection still rocks, the charcuterie is just as delicious, and at the moment they are doing curry night every Wednesday which I am loving. Also I now feel super weird about joking about the crushes on Harry & Frankie now that I know they are the owners kids… Fun fact: their likeness can be found in the design of the beautiful corked ceilings. I have checked in here more than 40 times now and not once has it been anything less than 5 stars.