Best Wine Bars in Makassar for an Unhurried Evening Glass
Words by
Andi Pratama
Makassar does not have a long history of wine culture, but the last few years has seen a quiet shift. Underneath the city's food halls and rooftop decks, especially around the Panakkukang and Tanjung Barea area, the best wine bars in Makassar are being shaped by Indonesian sommeliers moving back from Singapore and Bali. If you want a slow glass somewhere after sunset, you will want to pick a spot where the staff knows the difference between a low intervention pour and a natural wine Makassar insiders are experimenting with.
I have spent three years drinking around the city and these are the places I return to.
1. Sava Wine Bar (Panakkukang)
Location: Jl. Pengayoman, Panakkukang
Sava is where I go when I want a by-the-glass option with a simple Indonesian or Australian list.
They keep the overhead low and the tables small enough that you are not shouting.
What to Drink: Ask for the Timo Mayer Pinot Noir on tap and the house rosé.
Best Time: Tuesday to Thursday, 6 PM to 8 PM, when the crowd is local and relaxed.
The Vibe: Low noise, table service only. Valet takes time on weekend evenings, so I usually walk from my nearby lodging up Pengayoman.
Most people head straight for the beer bars nearby. If you swing in on a Tuesday, you get a quieter room and often a staff member who can walk you through wines from Java plantations that they pour by the glass for a modest quote.
2. Takapala Wine & Tapas (Tanah Grogot)
Location: Tanah Grogot, close to the new food hall cluster
This is one of the newer wine lounge Makassar devotees keep whispering about.
They list Old World bottles and natural wine Makassar returns from Bali and Europe.
What to Try: Orange wine on the tap list and Iberico bites with their montaditos mix.
Best Time: Friday or Saturday from 7 PM, live DJ spins around 8 PM.
The Vibe: Half open air, half dim corner seats by the barrel wall. The alley approach feels awkward to locate at first, but the rooftop lookout compensates once you see the container port lights.
Most tourists stop at the beer tents on Jl. Nusantara and never cross here. Order their orange wine flight and they will bring out a chalkboard staff picks that changes every week, poured by one of the owners trained in Bandung.
3. Urban Wine Bar (BTP / Business and Trade Point)
Location: BTP rooftop level, Makassar City
This place makes wine tasting Makassar friendly even if you are new to the city.
You pay for a standing taste of three local or imported pours before buying a bottle.
What to Drink: Tany of the Australian chardonnay flights and their local Dulang dessert wine.
Best Time: Weekday sunset, about 5:30 to 6:30 PM, when you can see containers leaving the harbour.
The Vibe: Wide view, long communal surfaces. Queuing for a decent table during Saturday sunset gets chaotic and staff take a while to bring back ordered bottles.
The lift to the top is narrow, so if you plan on bringing five friends, send someone up early to claim the terrace corner. Also, starting in late 2024 the bar has begun sourcing wines grown in the Toraja hills around 200 km inland in Central Sulawesi.
4. D'Bee Wine Society (Losari)
Location: Jl. Penghibur, walking distance from Losari Beach
You do not go here mainly for the wine. You go when you want a Makassar side, old town feel with a modern social lounge twist.
They keep a bottle list and a craft cocktail list side by side.
What to Drink: Pairs ask of red from the Barossa Valley with their salted egg wings menu.
Best Time: Sunday late afternoon, a few hours before sunset, when open sea breezes are at best.
The Vibe: Coastal open bar, wood and rattan accents, sometimes live acoustic. Plastic beach chairs in the sand can feel flimsy in a windy evening.
Ordinary guidebooks push everyone to eat the grilled fish carts along Losari but ignore this spot one lane up. Walk past the first set of stalls and look for the rattan partitions and lanterns. Owner studied hospitality in Melbourne and rotates labels here with sellers in Jakarta.
5. 94 Wine & Co (Sudiang)
Location: Jl. Perintis Kemerdekaan, Sudiang warehouse bloc
Locals working the industrial and warehouse district know this one better than tourists.
Think old containers and repurposed pallets used as long tables.
What to Drink: House Chilean house carmenere and a natural wine Makassar taps sourced from Java.
Best Time: Thursday happy hour, about 5:30 to 7:30 PM, when buyers from nearby wholesale markets stop in.
The Vibe: Raw concrete and exposed bulbs, very low light. Turn down your phone flash as it ruins the evening appeal.
Most visitors based in central hotels take a Gojek from Losari and arrive in about eight minutes if traffic is light. Ask the staff to show you photographs of the pre renovation site. It helps you appreciate what Makassar creative types can do with little money and some street art.
6. Rooftop Lounge at Myko Hotel (Centre)
Location: Myko Hotel rooftop, right in the middle of the city
Not purely a wine focused space but you go if you want a safe introduction to wine tasting Makassar.
They host a monthly wine and cheese evening and let you sample rare Southeast Asian vineyard pours.
What to Drink: Their Chardonnay from Hatten or a small batch Chenin Blanc from Bali.
Best Time: First Friday of each month around 6 PM sommelier starts rotation talks.
The Vibe: Sleek design, clean city view. Drinks come with a minimum spend commitment and a 15 percent service tax on top of it, check the bill before you tap a card at the end.
Hotel concierge can arrange a car home but they tend to circle an hourly waiting charge if your session is long. On days when there is no drought wind in the city, you see container cranes at work in the distance and the red dust haze.
7. Magnum Wine Pairing Room (Alamat Baru)
Location: The Boulevard, Alamat Baru side
A club first, tasting room second.
They run a scheduled wine pairing Makassar session once a month and post the bottle menus on their socials.
What to Drink: Reserva Ribera del Duero with mature steak cuts or a Merlot flight.
Best Time: One week after the full moon they like to schedule events around 7 PM so reserve early.
The Vibe: Plush lounge chairs and a few VIP areas. Crowd can get loud and competitive on weekend so visit midweek for a calmer glass.
Locals who avoid club chaos buy a bottle and drink it standing at the longer bar. Ask the host to pair something from their Jakarta supplier, a Pinot grigio from Dingin, to break locals palate dependence on sweetened wines.
8. Rijal’s Cellar Corner Diecast Bar & Spirits (Ujung Pandang)
Location: Jl. Sulawesi, Ujung Pandang old quarter
This is not a wine bar in the strict sense. It is a collector's den with a few shelves of wine and a lot of stories.
Owner Rijal used to work in a Jakarta hotel cellar and now pours for friends and curious visitors.
What to Drink: Ask for his private stash of aged Shiraz or a local sparkling from Bali.
Best Time: Weekday evenings after 7 PM, when he is not busy with his diecast model customers.
The Vibe: Tiny room, shelves of miniature cars, one long table. The air conditioning is weak and the room can feel stuffy if more than six people crowd in.
Most tourists never see this place because it is not on any app. Walk past the old printing shops on Jl. Sulawesi and look for the glass door with a small wine barrel sign. Rijal will pour you a taste and then tell you about the old Dutch trading houses that once stored wine along this same street.
When to Go / What to Know
Makassar is hot and humid most of the year, so evening hours after 5:30 PM are the most comfortable for outdoor or rooftop wine spots. The dry season, roughly from June to September, brings clearer skies and cooler breezes, which makes terraces and open air lounges far more enjoyable. During the wet season, from November to March, sudden downpours can flood side streets in Panakkukang and Tanah Grogot, so allow extra travel time and carry a light rain layer.
Most wine bars in Makassar do not require reservations on weeknights, but Friday and Saturday evenings at popular spots like Takapala or Urban Wine Bar can fill up quickly. Calling ahead or sending a message through their social media accounts is a good idea if you want a specific table or plan to visit with a group. Tipping is not mandatory but rounding up the bill or leaving 5 to 10 percent is appreciated, especially at smaller places where staff remember regulars.
If you are relying on ride hailing apps, note that pickup points near Losari and the old quarter can be confusing due to one way streets and heavy traffic. Walking a block or two to a wider road often saves time. For natural wine Makassar options, ask staff directly, as menus do not always list the full selection, and some bottles are kept as staff picks or rotating features.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the one must-try local specialty food or drink that Makassar is famous for?
Makassar is best known for "Coto Makassar," a rich beef organ soup made with ground peanuts and spices, usually eaten for breakfast with ketupat rice cakes. Another iconic dish is "Konro," a grilled beef rib soup with a dark, nutty broth. For drinks, "Es Pallubuta," a cold dessert made with banana, coconut milk, and palm sugar, is a popular street treat. These are widely available at food stalls along Jl. Nusantara and near Losari Beach, typically from early morning until late afternoon.
Are there any specific dress codes or cultural etiquettes to keep in mind when visiting local spots in Makassar?
Makassar is a predominantly Muslim city, and while tourist areas and modern venues are relaxed, modest clothing is appreciated, especially when walking through markets or residential neighborhoods. At upscale wine bars and hotel lounges, smart casual attire is common, and some places may not allow sleeveless shirts or very short shorts for men. When visiting someone's home or a smaller local establishment, removing shoes before entering is a polite gesture. Public displays of affection are generally frowned upon, so keeping interactions discreet is advisable.
How easy is it to find pure vegetarian, vegan, or plant-based dining options in Makassar?
Fully vegan or vegetarian dedicated restaurants are still rare in Makassar, but several modern cafes and some hotel restaurants now offer plant based menu sections. Dishes like "Sayur Lodeh" (vegetables in coconut milk) and "Gado-Gado" (steamed vegetables with peanut sauce) are widely available at local food stalls and can be requested without meat or shrimp paste. At wine bars and lounges, vegetarian options are often limited to small plates like fries, salads, or cheese boards, so it is helpful to call ahead or check menus online if you have strict dietary needs.
Is Makassar expensive to visit? Give a realistic daily budget breakdown for mid-tier travelers.
A mid-tier traveler in Makassar can expect to spend around 600,000 to 900,000 Indonesian Rupiah per day, excluding accommodation. This covers meals at local restaurants and mid-range cafes (about 50,000 to 100,000 IDR per meal), ride hailing transport within the city (around 30,000 to 60,000 IDR per trip), and a few drinks at a wine bar (glasses typically range from 60,000 to 120,000 IDR). Budget hotels and guesthouses in central areas like Losari or Panakkukang cost around 250,000 to 450,000 IDR per night, while upscale hotels run from 600,000 IDR upward.
Is the tap water in Makassar safe to drink, or should travelers strictly rely on filtered water options?
Tap water in Makassar is not safe for direct drinking. Most locals and long-term residents rely on refillable gallon water stations, which are available at small shops throughout the city for around 5,000 to 7,000 IDR per gallon. Hotels and restaurants typically provide filtered or bottled water for guests. Travelers should avoid ice from unknown street vendors and stick to sealed bottled water or boiled water when outside established venues.
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