Bronte is, objectively, a very nice pocket of Sydney. It’s slow-living charm to Bondi’s boisterousness. The few cafes are pared-back quiet achievers, and there’s Iggy’s Bread, a mechanic, a fish’n’chipper and a Pilates studio, plus an ocean pool – but not much more. Read: it was missing a moody spot for a drink. A fun yet considered menu. A nicer fit-out. Somewhere you can go if you’re not sinking beer at The Robin Hood. But it misses no more with Table Manners, the bar and dining room on a Euro-bent that officially opens tomorrow.

Locals will recognise the glossy, green-tiled facade as the old Wet Paint site, but Alex Cameron – a Bronte local whose hospo career includes managing Armorica, Parlar and Franca – is taking it for a fresh spin.

“There’s little bits of fun and informality all the way through,” Cameron tells Broadsheet. “It’s that casual, off-the-street wine bar: refined but easy. On the beaches, we’ve got fine dining or casual but nothing in the middle.”

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The menu by Luke Churchill (ex-Parlar, Oncore by Clare Smyth, The Butler) can be played in a variety of ways. A golden finger of brioche topped with toro (tuna belly) or a Bega Stringer-esque potato croquette and a quick glass of wine – where else in the neighbouring ’burbs could you do that? Amp that with scorched scallops, a serve of stracciatella and mussels drowned in cafe de Paris butter for a breezy lunch. Or grab a group and head in for a no-expense-spared meal – noting the spaghetti all’assassina is a must.

“The Moreton Bay bug club sandwich and the crispy spaghetti have been getting a lot of love,” Cameron says of the week-long soft opening. “I don’t know of anywhere myself that has [assassin’s spaghetti], although I’m not sure how long that will last. Gio Paradiso [of Fratelli Paradiso and 10 William St] came in and had a bit of dinner last night and he was like ‘Oh cool, I haven’t seen this for a long time’.”

Cameron first saw the pasta on Stanley Tucci’s Searching for Italy. Dry spaghetti is added to a hot pan with oil and a rich tomato sauce that caramelises around the strands. It’s cooked enough to twist around your fork, but the centre retains its bite. Fair warning: it’s $88 a serve, though topped with four mega king prawns and intended as a main for two or shared for the table. The bug club (where the juicy meat is joined by crisp-fried bacon, lettuce, tomato and a house-made aioli ramped up with cornichons, tabasco and bug oil) is likewise $54. Bronte doesn’t have a dining room like this – and the prices reflect that.

At lunch it’s BYO with $40 corkage, or order from Cameron’s superb wine list. He’s sharing the fruits of his relationship with Bass Phillip, which gives him access to esteemed domaines.

“Champagne Salon, Screaming Eagle out of Napa. They’re all top-of-their-game, cult-y sort of wineries that are often extremely expensive on wine lists. But because I’ve got a relationship, I’m trying to put them on for what I think is a very, very reasonable price – or passing them on at the cost I can get them for. Just so they can be opened and people can enjoy them.”

The special drops are joined by an interesting list of cocktails (the grapefruit Negroni is a star) and three long-pour Martinis that a far cry from the minis we’ve seen around town lately.

And while the menu’s price point leans higher than a casual, off-the-beach dining room we were expecting, the execution stands out. The dining room splashed with playful murals by local artist Bec Fernon, flickering tapered candles and pops of olive green – designed by award-winning Blainey North – is a big win for Bronte.

Table Manners
56–60 Macpherson Street, Bronte

Hours:
Wed & Thu 5pm–late
Fri midday–late
Sat & Sun midday–late

tablemanners.com.au
@tablemannersbronte