Mrs Mutton’s Wine Bar and Bottle Shop perches on the corner of Buckley Street and Victoria Street Seddon, giving off this warm glow like it’s got a secret to share.
Turns out, it does.
It’s Luke Mutton’s dream of a ‘listening bar’, as well as being a local bottle shop “without the wine snobbery,” he laughs.
The backstory? Luke is a hospo veteran and has been the co-owner of other notable Melbourne cafes and bars including Common Galaxia in Seddon, Dead Man Espresso in South Melbourne, Sun Moth Canteen & Bar in the CBD and Waxflower in Brunswick.
“Waxflower was actually supposed to be on this site, but the landlord wanted to open their own bar. That never eventuated, and at the same time I decided to leave Waxflower to create my own concept. Turns out this building was perfect for Mrs Mutton’s.”
The refit of the former canvas tarpaulin shop was completed thanks to Luke’s hard graft on the building’s plus frequent scouring of Facebook Marketplace for furniture and fittings.
As for the name? “It’s my mum!” laughs Luke. “All my other businesses had an Australiana theme, and I couldn’t think of a better name for this place. I like that ‘Mrs Mutton’s’ evokes a place with no false pretences and old world charm.”
Plans are underway to set up a new listening bar design which incorporates a new bar with 12 rotating craft beers on tap with plans for cheese, charcuterie and pickles to order.
It’s not just about sippin’ and chillin’. Let’s talk about Mrs Mutton’s soundtrack.
“As well as fine wine and craft beer, I love music,” enthuses Luke. “My concept for Mrs Mutton’s is inspired by Japanese listening bars. They sprung up after World War II and are music-driven bars with high-end, precision-made sound systems where music-lovers can go and appreciate music together.
“Waxflower was my first iteration of creating a listening bar. With Mrs Mutton’s I’ve paid a lot of attention to good acoustics treatment and commissioned a bespoke high fidelity sound system from Tassie speaker makers Pitt and Giblin.”
So, next time you’re way out west, make Mrs Mutton’s your pitstop. Let Luke guide you through a cracking wine and beer tasting, then sit back and enjoy a music listening experience that’s like no other.
