Some venues thrive by nailing their niche, while others achieve crowd-pleaser status by presenting a few different offerings. Double Bay's Bartiga is the latter, functioning as both a bustling wine bar and a flavour-packed diner. Nab a table out of Bay Street with some friends on a Saturday afternoon, and it's an ideal spot for a glass of wine and a next-level snack. The drinks list has plenty of top drops by the glass, and there's a little something for everyone when it comes to the cocktails on offer. Our picks of the bunch: the Ben Haines Amber Semillon Blend, or the Skyfall which blends whisky, amaretto, macadamia liqueur and Aztec bitters. There's also a banana and vanilla-infused espresso martini for a kick of caffeine, and an extensive list of wine by the bottle split into 'Timeless Drops' and 'Future Classics'. If you're in for a short stopover, you can tide your hunger with a few choice snacks, including thinly sliced wagyu beef sliders with a red curry pesto, or prawn toast served with lettuce leaves to wrap the toast in, plus fresh chilli and a lemon and chilli sauce. You can also settle in for a heftier meal courtesy of Head Chef Faheem Noor, who brings experience from Tetsuya's, Empire Lounge and Gordon Ramsay's Maze to the Bartiga kitchen. Noor and the team have created a menu inspired by Southeast Asian classics that they describe as "modern yet not defined". Comfort foods from across the globe collide with the barbecued prawn tom yum spaghetti, while other signature menu items to keep an eye out for include the MB4 scotch fillet topped with an Asian herb chimichurri and crispy onions, beef rendang sausage rolls and XO pipi linguine. The relaxed interior rides the line between cosy charm and all-out elegance, allowing Bartiga to facilitate both casual catch-ups and romantic date nights. It's a welcome addition to Bay Street during an exciting time for the east Sydney thoroughfare.
