10 William St

You could visit this hole-in-the-wall three times in a week and never get bored. Run by the same brothers as Fratelli Paradiso in Potts Point, 10 William St mixes classic Italian swagger with Australian-style experimentation.

It’s a wine bar first and foremost. The large, ever-evolving list of reds, whites, skin-contact orange wines and natural vino by the glass is chalked up on a blackboard near the front window. The team is eager for drinkers to try something new, and will happily suggest interesting bottles it has come across lately.

But 10 William St wouldn’t be what it is without its stellar bar menu. It’s one that’s felt the hand of many of Australia’s most interesting young chefs, such as Daniel Pepperell and Luke Burgess.

There are a few mainstays, such as a big, soft and seedy pretzel with whipped bottarga; two or three pastas; and fluffy, boozy tiramisu. Other than those, the menu is fair game for resident chefs, who influence dishes with Chinese, Japanese and other non-Italian flavours.

The space is tight and cosy and the vibe is loud, which makes for a lot of fun. If you stick to the rule that there are no rules, you’ll fit in just fine.