Jimmy Watson's Restaurant & Wine Bar

333 Lygon Street
CARLTON, VICTORIA 3053

Phone Bookings: 03 9347 3985 - please not before 10am.
For online bookings and current Menu's and Function enquiries please scroll down.

Bookings: 03 9347 3985
not before 10am.
For current Menu's and Function enquiries please scroll down.

OPENING HOURS

Monday
Temporarily closed

Tuesday to Saturday
 Lunch 12pm
Dinner From 5.30pm

Sunday
Lunch from 12pm

OPENING HOURS

Monday
CLOSED (temporarily)

Tuesday - Saturday
 Lunch 12pm
 Dinner From 5.30pm

Sunday
Lunch from 12pm

For current Menu's and Function enquiries see below.

About Jimmy Watson's

“See you at Jimmy Watson’s” is a very common saying in and around Melbourne.
  
Since Jimmy took over in 1935, his wine bar has grown to hold a very special place in the hearts of Melburnians. Recently the Australian Financial Review recognised Jimmy Watson’s as quintessentially Melbourne and arguably one of Australia’s very first small bars.

Often referred to as an institution, the wine bar captures the essence of a European café, casual yet sophisticated; a part of society, a place to meet friends, to drink, to talk, to argue, to joke, to make deals, decisions, assignation’s, to test a hypothesis, to change the world!

Changing little since the Robin Boyd renovation in 1962, the main restaurant features simplicity of bentwood chairs, polished table tops and views of the open kitchen with chefs busily preparing beautiful, fresh food.

The Courtyard is still a favorite with locals on a hot Melbourne day. Its hanging gardens offer some quiet respite from a bustling Lygon street.

The main bar has been untouched by the ravages of time, and maintains its traditional charm, having been unaffected by fads or fashions. One of the few places in the world where bottles of fortified wines from as early as 1919 lay on their side collecting dust, watching the passing parade.

No matter if you are 18 or 80, you will find your niche at one of our spaces at Jimmy Watson’s.

James Calexte Watson

Food and Drinks Menus

Images below are samples and subject to change without notice.

Functions at Jimmy Watson's

Function enquiries for 11 or more guests in one of our private rooms or upstairs areas, please email our Functions Manager at,

The Jimmy Watson Trophy

The Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy recognises Jimmy’s contribution to the advancement of the Australian wine industry. The trophy is presented to the Best Young Red Wine of the vintage classes. 250 dozen finished bottled stock must be held at the time of delivery. 

Jim Watson first opened the doors of JC Watson Wine Merchants in 1935, having relocated from nearby Gertrude Street in Fitzroy. At this time in Australia most men drank beer, women drank very little and seldom in public. The most common drinks were ‘three-penny dark’ port and sweet sherry, and Jim knew he had his work cut to introduce table wine to the Australian drinking palate. In spite of this the business was successful and grew rapidly.

Around 1940 Jim started organising trips to vineyards he purchased wine from to educate customers whilst he selected hogshead of his favourite wine styles, dry whites, young reds and great fortified wines to be taken back to the bar and bottled for sale. He marked these hogsheads with a Lion roaring over a barrel, a feature still found on the labels of Jimmy Watson wines today.

In 1960 Jim decided to redesign the existing wine bar layout to better incorporate the three shops on the current site, an important aspect of the renovation was that the building must have atmosphere. Roy Grounds a prominent architect was approached to do this, but owing to an already heavy workload, he delegated this task to an up and coming architect by the name of Robin Boyd, who submitted various designs for renovations and the present design was accepted and renovation finally completed in mid-1963. Business continued throughout this process. The building was acclaimed by customers and fellow architects, many who came to sit and admire the space and intimacy.

After Jim’s sudden death in February 1962, a group of friends and customers decided at his funeral to establish the perpetual Jimmy Watson Trophy for the best one year old red still in barrel at the Royal Melbourne Show. On the 50th anniversary the entry criteria was widened to include two year old finished wines.

The trophy is still arguably Australia’s most coveted wine trophy, with hundreds of entries in its’ class each year, which has been won by some of the biggest names in the Australian wine industry including, Wolf Blass, Penfolds, Hardy’s, Wynns, Cape Mentelle and Seppelt to name just a few.

JIMMY WATSON TROPHY WINNERS

2022
Hentley Farm – Grenache 2021
2021 
Fallen Giants Shiraz 2019
2020 
NOT AWARDED DUE TO COVID-19 CANCELLATION OF RASV
2019 
Bleasdale The Wild Fig shiraz Grenache Mourvedre Langhorne Creek 2018
2018 
Xanadu Wines Xanadu Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
2017 
Turkey Flat Vineyards Barossa Grenache 2016
2016 
Deep Woods Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2014
2015 
Home Hill Winery Kelly’s Reserve Pinot Noir 2014
2014 
SC Pannell Adelaide Hills Syrah 2013
2013 
Yabby Lake Vineyard Block 1 Pinot Noir 2012 (Mornington Peninsula)
2012 
Best’s Great Western Great Western Bin ‘1’ Shiraz 2011
2011 
Glaetzer-Dixon Family Winemakers Mon Pere Shiraz 2010
2010 
Harvey River Bridge Estate Joseph River Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
2009 
Eden Road Wines ‘Long Road’ Shiraz Hilltops 2008
2008 
Flametree Wines Flametree Cabernet Merlot 2007
2007 
Scarpantoni Estate Wines Scarpantoni Estate Wines Brothers Block Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
2006 
Shingleback Wines Shingleback D Block Reserve McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
2005 
Geoff Merrill Wines Reserve Shiraz 2004
2004 
Casella Estate Yellowtail Premium Cabernet Sauvignon 2003
2003 
Saltram Wine Estate The Eighth Maker Shiraz 2002
2002 
Rosemount Estate Hill of Gold Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot 2001
2001 
Pepper Tree Wines Reserve Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2000
2000 
Punter’s Corner Spartacus Shiraz 1999
1999 
Wolf Blass Wines Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon 1998
1998 
Katnook Estate Katnook Estate Shiraz 1997
1997 
Gulf Station Vineyards De Bortoli Wines Yarra Valley Reserve Shiraz 1996
1996 
Hardy Wine Company Eileen Hardy Shiraz 1995
1995 
Leasingham Wines Leasingham Classic Clare Shiraz 1994
1994 
Rouge Homme Wines Pty Ltd Richardson’s Red Block Dry Red 1993
1993 
Elderton Wines Cabernet Sauvignon 1992
1992 
B Seppelt and Sons Ltd Harpers Range Cabernet/Malbec 1991
1991 
Mitchelton Vintners Pty Ltd Mitchelton Shiraz 1990
1990 
Peter Lehmann Wines Pty Ltd Peter Lehmann Show Reserve Shiraz 1989
1989 
Haselgrove Wines Pty Ltd Jamiesons Run Dry Red Shiraz 1988
1988 
Thomas Hardy and Sons Pty Ltd Hardy’s Collection Series Cabernet Sauvignon 1987
1987 
Riddoch Wines Riddoch Estate Coonawarra Cabernet Shiraz 1986
1986 
Lindeman’s Wines Pty Ltd Coonawarra Pyrus Premium Claret Blend 1985
1985 
Hollick Wines Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 1984
1984 
Cape Mentelle Vineyards Cabernet Dry Red Claret 1983
1983 
Cape Mentelle Vineyards Cabernet Dry Red Claret 1982
1982 
Hamilton’s Ewell Vineyards Mildara JW Classic Coonawarra Cabernet Shiraz 1981
1981 
Lindemans Wines Pty Ltd St George Cabernet Sauvignon 1980
1980 
Krondorf Wines Pty Ltd Cabernet Sauvignon 1979
1979 
Orlando Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Dry Red Claret 1978
1978 
Miller’s Chateau Yarrinya ‘Chateau Yarringa’ Dry Red Claret 1977
1977 
Wynns Coonawarra Estate Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 1976
1976 
Wolf Blass Wines Black Label Dry Red Claret 1975
1975
Wolf Blass Wines Black Label Dry Red Claret 1974
1974 
Wolf Blass Wines Black Label Dry Red Claret 1973
1973 
Berri Co-op Winery and Distillery Cabernet Shiraz Dry Red 1972
1972 
B Seppelt Cabernet Sauvignon TTI 47 1971
1971 
Gramps Orlando Barossa Valley Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon Dry Red Claret 1970
1970 
Basedow Wines Bin 15 Dry Red Cabernet Sauvignon 1969
1969 
F E Osborn and Sons Pty Ltd d’Arenberg Cabernet Sauvignon 1968
1968 
Penfolds Claret Type (Grange) 1967
1967 Saltram Wines (Cabernet component of Saltram Mamre Brook Cabernet Shiraz) Burgundy Type 1966
1966 
Penfolds Claret Type (Grange) 1965
1965 
B Seppelts and Sons Pty Ltd Seppelt Great Western Shiraz 1964
1964 
Penfolds Bin 64 Kalimna Cabernet Sauvignon Claret Type 1963
1963 
Hardy’s Tintara Mildara Cabernet Sauvignon 1962
1962 
Stoneyfell Wines Metala Cabernet Shiraz Claret Type 1961

Contact us at 
Jimmy Watson's

Please contact the team at info@jimmywatsons.com 
For accounts please email accounts@jimmywatsons.com
Telephone: 03 9347 3985
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