Stem
Features
Stem is a sprawling wine bar and restaurant. It’s distinct from other offerings on the western end of Hindley Street. The 180-seat venue blurs the line between restaurant and bar, comprising a huge main room, spacious wine cellar, open kitchen and private dining area (featuring a mural by local artist Nicole Black).
The food leans Mediterranean, with a focus on woodfired pizzas, share plates and some larger dishes: think oven-baked “lasagne-style” gnocchi; broccoli hummus with charred broccoli and chilli jam; roast pumpkin with burnt leek, pepitas and pistachios; and a honey-and-nut tart served with olive-oil gelato.
There are 10 independent beers on the taps at the three-tonne, ridged concrete bar. There are also five seasonal cocktails, around 30 wines by the glass, and two Coravin pours.
The once cavernous room has been given a sense of intimacy by the design team at Sans-Arc Studio, with planter boxes that double as partitions separating distinct dining spaces. There’s a kind of “ruin-aesthetic” here that shows up in the exposed-brick walls, textural concrete and overgrown greenery. American oak and terrazzo tables complement pale-green banquettes and dark timber wall panelling. Outdoor seating along Register Street features planter boxes filled with lilly pillies.
We do not seek or accept payment from the cafes, restaurants, bars and shops listed in the Directory – inclusion is at our discretion. Venue profiles are written by independent freelancers paid by Broadsheet.
