Christian McCabe believes you don’t need to know anything about a band to enjoy going to a bar and listening to live music. And that wine is just the same.

So, it’s an uncomplicated approach to food and wine at Embla. Together with partner and executive chef, Dave Verheul, McCabe has made Embla like an extension of your lounge room – with better food and booze. Designed by Kiwi architect Allistar Cox, it’s all dark floors, naked wood and sandy brick. It’s fairly rustic.

Mains lean into grilled proteins, with snacky starters ticking your classic wine bar boxes. The menu changes seasonally but you can always expect uncomplicated dishes done well. It’s what’s made Embla so unswerving for so long.

The wine list is a collaboration with French natural wine guru, Eric Narioo, and Aussie winemaker legend, Patrick Sullivan. It’s a melange of local and international bottles, with drops from South Australia alongside others from France. It also covers wines that McCabe says usually never make it beyond the maker and a few of his or her mates.