Third time’s the charm at Arlo Wines

Peter Roddy and Ebony Vagg took a chance on a Portarlington business, transforming it into their latest venture, Arlo Wines.

The dynamic duo is also the team behind Portarlington’s Pier Street Café and Melbourne’s Noir Restaurant.

The Arlo Wines story began in 2023, initially as a pop-up bar concept, before transitioning into pasta and wine.

“It came up just before Christmas last year, just before the holiday season, and we jumped at it and we have been building it since,” Roddy said.

“I hired a restaurant manager and he’s been very successful in building a community around us.

“Moving the concept along a little bit to a pasta bar, I’ve brought a new pasta machine to make fresh pasta from Italy and then we are doing our thing: pasta, wines and cocktails.”

 

After closing in August for renovations, the venue reopened last week with a refreshed bar, new seating and cocktail offerings.

The concept for the pasta bar came after the couple did something similar in Melbourne, which came with great success and “was a lot of fun”.

“It’s a Melbourne style offering in the country; it’s a quality produce and a delicious glass of wine.

“The food is the big selling point. It’s all handmade pasta, it’s all handmade sauce – everything is done in house.”

Roddy believes it’s their menu that’s going to make them stand out.

 

“The duck pasta dish is going to be a real point of difference,” he said.

“The prawn spaghetti is definitely popular at Pier St. It’s been on the menu there for a long time.”

When it comes to drink offerings, the couple have branched out, adding wines from across the world to their list.

“Every business in town does local wines, so we wanted to do something that’s different,” Roddy said.

“We’ve got a lot of French, Italian wines and then the best Australian wines as well.”

 

The cocktail list features some of the classics including, margaritas, Aperol Spritz, Americanos and more, with some highlighting local Bellaine gin.

Roddy has been a chef his whole life, working in the UK for the likes of Gordon Ramsay before he moved over to Australia.

In 2011 he opened award-winning Melbourne restaurant Noir.

The Swan Street venue has gone from strength to strength. Featuring fine French cuisine, the restaurant was awarded One Hat status for their culinary experience.

Five years ago, Portalington’s Pier St got its start, serving up fresh seafood by the water and showcasing local suppliers and produce.

 

Roddy now splits his time between all three venues and enjoys the workload that comes with it.

“Cooking just puts me in my happy place. It’s quite therapeutic and the challenge of endless work, I’ve got the energy for that,” he said.

He believes after taking over the Pier St Café, Arlo Wines was going to be their end destination, with no plans to expand further at this stage.

“We had been looking for an opportunity in Melbourne for a second business, the one in Richmond is a very small restaurant.

“We happened to be spending some time for my daughter’s birthday here in Portarlington and a hell of an opportunity just jumped at us.”

 

Roddy said 2024 has been an “absolutely hectic and difficult year” with the hospitality industry quieter than he would have liked, although he’s excited to see what the school holidays bring.

Arlo Wines replaces Edina Waterfront Café, transforming into an intimate bar with spacious seating, both indoors and outdoors.

Set on top of the hill and overlooking Port Phillip Bay, the venue offers diners picturesque views while they enjoy a European atmosphere inside the brick building.

The pasta and wine bar is at 1a Harding Street in Portarlington.

For more information, head to arlowines.com.au or follow Arlo Wines on Facebook.