A peek inside the newly opened Bar Margaux

Bar Margaux, a New York-influenced French bar and brasserie and the latest venue from award-winning hospitality group Made in the Shade, has opened in a basement on Melbourne’s Lonsdale Street.

Made in the Shade – owned by Michael and Zara Madrusan – is behind some of Melbourne’s most successful venues including The Everleigh, Heartbreaker and Connie’s Pizza.

The new 100-seat Bar Margaux is inspired by the Parisian style brasseries of New York, with classic chequered black and white tiled flooring, an all zinc bar top, rich red leather banquettes and custom pendants and sconces inspired by Cafe St Regis in Paris.

Michael and Zara have also taken inspiration from France with the food and drinks menu. French-trained group executive chef Daniel Southern (ex Vue Group and L’Oustal), has designed a menu of French bistro classics including duck frites, escargots de Bourgogne, moules Basquaise and signature ‘MGX’ cheeseburger.

“Margaux is a bar, first and foremost,” says Michael. “That’s what we do. A bar with great food and wine. The stuff that we love to eat and drink.”

To that end, Michael has created a cocktail menu split into three categories: light aperitif, serious styles and digestif, stretching from French and Italian spritzes to half-size Martinis and Manhattans.

The wine program is handled by Made in the Shade’s group manager Marty McCaig and focuses on local producers, while the Champagne list runs from small, boutique growers through to classic producwrs like Billecart-Salmon and Krug.

“If we’ve learned anything from our projects to date, it’s that the experience comes first,” added Zara. “Quality doesn’t have to equal special occasion. We want to make it easy to enjoy great food and have a damn good time doing it.

“Margaux is the kind of place you swing in for a drink, end up meeting a bunch of friends for dinner and don’t leave until way past curfew.”

Bar Margaux is open Sunday to Thursday from 4pm-3am and Friday and Saturday from 4pm-5am. Click through the gallery below for a peek inside the new venue.

Image credit: Gareth Sobey