It’s little wonder Adelaide loves a wine bar so much. We’re practically surrounded by world-class wine country. But in the past six months there’s been a particular uptick in new bars that are all about vino. Some are keeping it brilliantly simple. Others are doing food that’ll rival the drinks. And all of them are worth a visit.
Dolly, Unley
Since opening in mid-2021, inner-east neighbourhood wine bar Lune has become known first and foremost for its (topnotch) snacks. It’s becoming a common story as more and more watering holes place greater attention on food (Pastel and Good Gilbert among them) and the line between bar and restaurant continues to blur. So at Dolly, the latest from the Bar Lune team, co-owner Sam Worrall-Thompson wants the focus on the drinks. The neighbourhood wine bar, which opened on January 18 at the base of a new apartment complex on Unley Road, is pouring creative cocktails alongside wines from (largely local) producers such as Yangarra, Harrison and Hills Collide. While you’re likely to be focused on what’s in your glass, or who’s in front of you, don’t forget to look up – designer Ryan Genesin of Genesin Studio has installed a striking mirrored chrome ceiling. Despite the drinks focus, the food is no afterthought: expect crab soldiers with chilli crisp and shaved bottarga; taramasalata with waffle, roe and nori; buttermilk-fried quail with hot sauce and pickled daikon; and steamed zucchini flowers with spaetzle, ricotta and honey.
Nearly, CBD
The revitalisation of Hindley Street’s western end over the past few years, triggered by the Royal Adelaide Hospital and University of South Australia upgrades, has attracted a new wave of restaurants and cafes to the once gritty strip. But one thing has been missing: an intimate wine bar specialising in local drops. Enter Nearly, which opened at the start of January opposite Stem. “I think the street now has something unique. It’s not a restaurant and it’s not a pub – it’s a cosy spot you can come and feel right at home,” says co-owner Alex Glastonbury. The former Udaberri bartender has joined forces with Stem co-owners Lachlan Farmer and Tom Paxton, illustrator Cécile Gariépy and designer Stephen Roy to open the bar – and it’s been an all-hands-on-deck effort. Roy built the curvaceous bar and tables, while Gariépy took on the rendering and branding. Glastonbury has curated a local drinks list featuring the likes of Travis Tausend, Gentle Folk and Ochota Barrels. “We’ve got such good wines to offer here in South Australia and we really want to show off what’s being produced in our own backyard,” he says. There’s also a compact cocktail list featuring Martinis, Negronis and Old Fashioneds, plus bottomless coffee and some simple snacks.
Bandit Pizza and Wine, Hyde Park
The brand new trattoria from the team behind Anchovy Bandit has all the things you know and love about the Bandit brand – beautiful design, outstanding Italian(ish) food, top-tier drinks and warm service. But the inner-south sibling is going back to basics. “The idea was to re-centralise the menu around pizza,” says co-owner Alex Bennett. Here, you’ll find the classics – including a formaggio and a margherita – plus toppings like kipfler potato and kohlrabi kimchi, or lamb ragu. The pies are backed by a small selection of share plates like smoked tomato and ‘nduja on toast, tiger prawns with chilli butter and shiso, and Hutton Vale lamb skewers. But it's the wine that shares equal billing with the pizzas, and for good reason. The extensive list includes a substantial offering of Australian and Italian varieties, plus rare bottles from the group's cellar. If it's cocktails you're after, you'll find them here pre-batched by Anchovy Bandit bartender James Coppe.
Pastel Wine Bar, North Adelaide
After opening Pinco Deli in September, Elijah Makris and Saba Maghsoudi (of design agency Studio Mazi) turned their attention to a spot on O’Connell Street vacated by L’Italy, partnering with Daniel Vaughan (1000 Island) and artist and designer James Brown to bring new energy to the strip. The team envisioned the moodily lit spot as “a place of refuge from the city hustle”, and they’ve created just that, albeit with all the trimmings of a slick city venue. And while the name declares it a wine bar (as does its extensive list devoted to approachable lo-fi and conventional drops), the food is just as much a pull with snacks like chargrilled octopus skewers with taramasalata and salsa verde; Ortiz anchovy fingers with soft boiled egg, pickled fennel and aioli; a Sichuan cucumber salad with chilli oil, soy peanuts and ginger; pork and prawn dumplings; and coconut-braised beef short rib with green mango and roasted rice.
Noori, Port Noarlunga
What was once an early-1900s horse barn and billiard saloon has transformed into a seaside wine bar serving South Aussie drops, pintxos and cheese toasties with a side of salty ocean air. In more recent incarnations, the space has been home to a drapery store and a cafe. Nowadays, palm trees, a pelican mural and a vintage London lamppost lead the way from Port Noarlunga’s main drag down an alley to the small but beautifully executed bar, which features a surprising centrepiece: a well in the middle of the room, established in 1914. “It’s literally a 20-foot hole in the middle of the building. It’s surreal,” says owner Jacob Barter. His dad, a builder, was quick to modify the well so that no wayward beverages or punters meet their fate down there. The drinks menu crosses the globe, spanning classics and unicorn wines from nearby McLaren Vale, the Adelaide Hills and all across South Australia, backed by bar snacks by chef Annika Berlingieri.
Jennie Wine Bar, CBD
Scott Taddeo (ex-Alfred’s Bar) wasn’t entirely sure how his new bar’s wine focus would go down with Peel Street’s regular crowd. “We kind of joked, ‘What’s the bet our first customer asks for like a gin and tonic or a vodka soda?’” Taddeo told Broadsheet in September. “Then the first customers rolled in and ... got some single-vineyard gruner veltliner from Austria, some albarino from Spain and some gamay from Beaujolais.” The order speaks to the bar’s strong international line-up, which includes some tough-to-find bottles alongside some of the usual local suspects. The minimalist nook feels a little like walking into a mate’s wine cellar. An 18-seat African mahogany table runs down the centre of the room; close to 200 local and international drops line the walls on one side, with a mural by artist Alex Bellas on the other. There’s no service bar, making things relaxed, informal and intimate. A tight food menu includes Ortiz anchovies, chicken pate and duck terrine, plus Basque burnt cheesecake by Adelaide chef Leo Loureiro.
