Melbourne’s pub revolution shows its genteel side at The Rec. The trio of owners has spent nine years marrying their fine-dining pedigrees with Fitzroy North’s more casual algorithm.

The result? A venue where clever cocktails are served in the intimate front bar, an attention-grabbing collection of Old and New World bottles line the walls, and an assured menu of Frenchified bistro classics is the drawcard within the handsome red-brick-walled dining room. Pigs’ head croquettes are enriched by sauce gribiche, while even plumper rabbit tortellini take a Gallic slant in a heady thyme broth.

For the art of simplicity, look no further than pork chop on the bone, all pink perfection within its crunchy casing of parmesan-dusted crumbs. And should you fancy that bottle of red decanted? The old-school service guarantees that’s absolutely no problem.

Good to know: You can BYO wine Sunday to Thursday at $30 a bottle.

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