Olivine Wine Bar at Pentridge

Skip the standard enoteca. Olivine is a total trip—a masterclass in adaptive reuse locked inside Coburg’s infamous 1850s Pentridge Prison. Design junkies and northern-suburb epicureans are utterly obsessed with the aesthetic here. Think stark Victorian bluestone and original iron cell bars colliding with plush, moody Art Deco glamour. You can literally sip a rare cuvée inside a converted prison cell—an unmatched, deeply atmospheric conversation starter. The pours? An exhaustive, heavy-hitting wine list backed by stellar cocktails and sharp, Mediterranean-leaning plates. Those making the pilgrimage know the drill: order the octopus carpaccio, the vibrant beetroot tart, and the crispy whitebait. Time it right for Thursday's discounted oyster night—an absolute steal for bivalve purists. The sprawling, grand layout means catching a server's eye takes a second, but with hospitality this warm and a vibe this fiercely original, you won't mind the wait. An essential, high-voltage booking for your next group outing.