Cold beer vibes, warmer wine list than expected
West Melbourne · Melbourne · Floribbean / Key West-inspired American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 12, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Hemingway's Tavern’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Walking into a Key West-themed tavern in a strip mall in West Melbourne, you're not exactly expecting a wine list worth talking about. But flip past the cocktail specials and the rum punches and there's a 30-bottle list that actually has some opinions. It's not a wine bar — it knows it's not a wine bar — but it's trying harder than the tiki torches suggest.
The list leans California heavy — Bonanza, Oberon, Decoy, Banshee, Sea Sun, The Prisoner — which reads like a greatest hits of well-distributed crowd-pleasers, but there are real bright spots tucked in. Ceretto Blangé Arneis from Piedmont and Abadia de San Campio Albariño from Spain show someone actually thought about white wine beyond Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio. The Red Schooner Voyage 12 Malbec is a legitimate curveball on a list like this — it's a high-altitude Argentinian project that punches well above its zip code. Gaps are mostly on the European red side: no Rhône, no Rioja, and the Italy section is thin outside of a likely Brolio Chianti and the San Polo Sangiovese.
By-the-glass coverage is genuinely generous — most of the list pours in both 6 oz and 9 oz options, which we appreciate, and there's a rotating draft wine that's worth asking about. At $9–$15 for a 6 oz pour, prices are fair relative to the bottle markups, and the breadth means you're not stuck choosing between two Chardonnays. The August Kesseler Riesling and Abadia Albariño being available by the glass is the kind of thing that quietly makes a wine list better.
Seghesio Zinfandel, Sonoma County — $52 bottle (est.) / ~$13 per 6 oz glass
Seghesio is one of the most reliable Zin producers in Sonoma and this is a consistent, fruit-forward bottle that holds its own against Napa reds costing twice as much. On a Wednesday, this is a no-brainer.
Ceretto Blangé Arneis, Italy
Arneis is a native Piedmontese white grape that almost nobody orders — which is their loss. Ceretto's version is crisp, floral, and a little nutty in the best way. On a menu full of fish tacos and Cuban sandwiches, it's the sleeper pick that actually fits the food.
Veuve Clicquot Brut NV, Champagne, France
At $135 a bottle against a $60 retail price, this is a 125% markup on a bottle everyone recognizes. You're paying a premium for the yellow label, not the experience. Spring for the Goldeneye Sparkling Rosé instead — it's marked up only 24% and actually feels special in this setting.
Abadia de San Campio Albariño, Spain + Fish Tacos
Albariño and seafood is a classic match from the Galician coast for a reason — the wine's bright acidity and saline mineral edge cut right through the fried fish and slaw, and it doesn't bully the lime crema the way a bigger Chardonnay would.
Wednesday — Wine Wednesdays: half off all bottles of wine from the regular wine list, all day long.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Hemingway's Tavern isn't a wine destination, but it earns its keep with a list that's wider than the vibe suggests and a Wednesday half-price bottle deal that makes even the steeper markups disappear. Come for the tacos, stay for the Albariño, and thank the calendar for getting you there on Wednesday.
North Melbourne · Melbourne · Japanese / Sushi
Makoto isn't trying to be a wine bar and it knows it — the list is short, the labels are familiar, and the prices are genuinely kind. Send your friends here for sushi and tell them to order the Malbec by the bottle; they'll be fine.
Crowd Pleasers
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Melbourne · Melbourne · Elevated Regional American
The Landing Rooftop is a reliable spot for a glass with a genuinely spectacular view — hit it on a Wednesday when the wines go half price and the Cambria Chardonnay becomes the best deal on the Space Coast. Don't come here to geek out on wine; do come here to drink something decent while watching a rocket launch.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
West Melbourne · Melbourne · Greek / Mediterranean
It's a counter-service Greek grill in a strip mall that serves Xinomavro and Assyrtiko at fair prices — that's either a minor miracle or a Wild Card, and we're calling it the latter. Don't sleep on the wine list just because you're eating off a paper tray.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Melbourne · Melbourne · Casual steakhouse / Australian-inspired American
Outback's wine list is exactly what you'd expect from a national chain that treats wine as a revenue line item rather than a program worth caring about. Come for the steak, order the Chateau Ste. Michelle if you need a bottle, and save the real wine exploration for a different night.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Melbourne · Melbourne · Steakhouse
Texas Roadhouse is not a wine destination and makes zero pretense of being one — we respect the honesty, even if we can't respect the list. Order the rolls, order the ribs, order a beer, and let the wine page collect dust.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Melbourne · Melbourne · Steakhouse
LongHorn Melbourne's wine program is a checkbox, not a passion project — the list exists because a steakhouse has to have wine, not because anyone here cares about what's in your glass. Order the steak, grab the Riesling if you must, and save the bottle for a place that's actually trying.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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