The Stables Craft Bar & Kitchen may be a block from Eagle Farm Racecourse, but this isn’t your typical trackside watering hole. With nary a poker machine or betting office in sight, The Stables is more a boutique bar and eatery with a relaxed neighbourhood atmosphere.

The space was a popular butcher shop for many years until owners Marcus Tanzer and Daniel Ward turned it into the all-rounder it is today. Weekdays see The Stables open for lunch and dinner, and on weekends the doors open early for breakfast service. The menu changes often, but you can always count on finding share plates of Szechuan squid, popcorn chicken and bountiful cheese boards.

There’s coffee from Byron Bay’s Marvell Street Coffee Roasters, as well as a range of beer from Australian and US breweries. At least one cider is always on tap and the other beer taps change regularly. Rounding out the liquor menu is a selection of local wines, an impressive range of aged and Japanese whisky, and a simple but well-executed list of cocktails.

The rustic interior of exposed brick, timber and polished concrete flooring pays homage to the heritage of the space, as do vintage photographs of the area, which were sourced from the archives of the State Library.