I’ve come to a point in my young life where I can earnestly claim to know at least some of the things that I like and don’t like.

Things I like:
- Beer – all kinds
- Cheese – all kinds
- Learning about geography by means of wine, beer and cheese
- Delicious snacks – general
- Jokes
- People who like jokes
- Exposed brick
- Sitting around for hours and chatting
- Treasure
- Zorba the Greek
- Watching people do things that they love and are fantastic at

Things I don’t like:
- Mouth noises – chewing with mouth open, dry smacking, etc.
- People who don’t like jokes

It’s lucky for me that I live around the corner from a place called Monkey Bar, which has become without a doubt my favourite local bar. This is because it satisfied all of my previously recognised likes, leaving behind all the dislikes, and as well supplied me with new ones. Zorba the Greek. That’s a new one.

Monkey Bar is the brainchild of friends Leanne and Pauline (surnames unknown) who met a number of years ago while campaigning for the Greens. They eventually decided, as many friends do, that they wanted to go into business together. The two women were both working in organics, Leanne at Friends of the Earth. It sort of went without saying that they would focus on locally sourced, organic and biodynamic wine, beer, cheese and other delicacies. Time passed and still no business, but whenever they were out together they couldn’t help collecting artefacts and trinkets at garage sales, Opp shops and the like, claiming, “this is for the business.”

Two or so years ago, the dream finally became a reality and Monkey opened at 181 St. George’s Road. It is a hidden gem but a local standard. With its unassuming but surprisingly ornate stained glass exterior, you could pass it by without seeing a thing. But if you do look in, you’ll see beautiful brick walls, some lined with bottles of wine, hard to find spirits from all over the world, and a piece of treasure or two here and there. You’ll also see either Pauline or Leanne chatting with one or many of the regulars sitting around the bar who came specifically to see them, choose records from their pretty random but always pleasant collection and try a new local wine (they open three at a time according to what the first people who come in that night have chosen).

There are monkeys sitting on ledges and some on shelves. There’s a back garden covered in plants and a high table by the front window perfect for early evening people watching. The “petite pizzas” are creative, seasonal and delicious, everything at Monkey is. They have concerts and other scattered events. It’s quaint and subtle. It’s not overextended, just personal.  Everyone who knows it loves it. As I said, all the likes and none of the dislikes, that's all I need in life.

Monkey is open Thursday, Friday and Saturday until 1am.
And Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday evenings until 11pm.
Garden open until 10pm.

181 St Georges Rd, Fitzroy North.