Bambini Wine Room

Halfway along Hyde Park on Elizabeth Street is Bambini Wine Room, a plush little wine bar in the city. There are tables outside if you want to watch the world go by, but the interior is much more enticing. There’s a European sumptuousness to it; the room is intimate, the ceilings are high and the chandeliers spread a warming light.

Wine is big here and they’ve got Champagne by the glass. Three sherries and the selection of beer, spirits and aperitifs will satisfy most tastes, and the cocktail list plays classic hits. If the bartender is on song, you’re home.

The wines by the glass are well-priced (compared to many other CBD venues) and the diverse selection covers all the expected varietals, with a few curiosities as well. The long list is a mixture of well-known, commercial producers like St Hallet and Yalumba, which keep everyone comfortable, and lesser-known small producers such as Dexter and Glaetzer-Dixon. The European selection follows suit.

The food is good, whether it be bar snacks, the specials on the wall or the Italian/French mains off the dining room menu. There are oysters if you’re drinking sparkling, a selection of cheeses to complement the whites and there are some more substantial meat-based plates if you’re on red.

The place pumps on a Friday night, but the overall feel is one of old-world restraint. So if you feel like indulging and you want to do it with fine wine in a soft setting, Bambini will work in your favour.