Cru Bar and Cellar is one of the founding members of Brisbane’s most stylish precincts. It’s never gone out of fashion, because it’s just so approachable.

Those after a post-work beer or a round of cocktails are just as welcome as the guests settling into a three-course meal over a bottle of Krug. With oversized bay windows fitted with lounge chairs for drinking in the breeze, it’s impossible not to feel relaxed here.

As the name suggests, Cru is serious about its wines. The bar offers more than 650 wines, while the cellar boasts 4000-plus bottles from around the globe. Thanks to the innovative Coravin system, which prevents wines from being oxidised, more than 60 of Cru’s finest drops are offered by the glass.

The menu is a brief companion to the wine list focussing on simple things done exceptionally. Generous chunks of marinated chicken and pork fill the super-sized spring rolls. The eye fillet is served with crunchy shoestring fries and a béarnaise sauce. To finish, there’s a rich triple-chocolate brownie teamed with vanilla bean gelato.