About
Blue Tongue has sat on the corner of Ormond Road and Beach Avenue in Elwood since the mid-1990s. For over two decades, it has been part of the fabric of this neighbourhood. A place where locals come for a good glass of wine, a proper meal, and the kind of atmosphere you can only get from a venue that truly belongs to its community.
Over the years, ownership has changed hands a few times. Each chapter has brought something new, but the core of what Blue Tongue is has always remained the same: a neighbourhood bar where you feel at home the moment you walk in.
In 2025, Drewe Bellmaine took the reins. Drewe is a long-time Elwood local and a hospitality veteran. He’s the person behind Riva, the much-loved St Kilda institution on the foreshore at Marine Parade, which became one of Melbourne’s great bayside destinations under his stewardship. When the opportunity came up to take on Blue Tongue, it was a natural fit.
The venue is now Blue Tongue Bar + Kitchen. The format is relaxed. Come for lunch, stay for dinner, or drop in for a drink at the bar. No fuss.
Our food is built around quality produce and the things we do well. We’re known for our steaks, cooked over flame and cut from the best beef we can source. The menu is made for sharing, with plates designed to sit in the middle of the table alongside a good bottle of wine. There are comfort food favourites done right, and a nod to our bayside location with freshly shucked oysters sourced direct from farms in Tasmania and NSW, plus a considered selection of seafood options.
Our wine list is approachable and good value. The beers are cold. The cocktails are well made. That’s the brief.
The locals are what make this place. They always have been. Our team are Elwood locals too. They live here, they know the neighbourhood, and they care about what Blue Tongue means to the community. We’re focused on one thing: making sure this is your favourite place to come back to.
Blue Tongue Bar + Kitchen. 62–64 Ormond Road, Elwood. Open daily.
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