Claret Club

Overview

First things first: don't come to Claret Club if you're in the mood for a cocktail. "Sydney has so many fantastic cocktail venues — we're happy to leave those to the experts," says Bridget Raffal (pictured below), co-owner of the intimate Darlinghurst newcomer. "Wine is what we love, and that's where we choose to put our energy."

The other half of that 'we' is Raffal's business and life partner, Harry Hunter. Both are excellently credentialled: Hunter is a former sommelier at Rockpool, Bentley Group and Dinner by Heston, while fellow somm Raffal is herself an alum of Sixpenny and co-owner of Marrickville wine bar Where's Nick. Together, they've opened a deliberately wine-first bar and restaurant in Darlinghurst, doing away with gatekeeping — and, yes, cocktails — while putting great bottles and approachability front and centre.

Isabella Wild

Claret Club occupies a two-storey terrace on Stanley Street, with a walk-in wine bar downstairs and a European-inspired dining room upstairs. Wine is the undisputed star of the show, with a rotating selection of 30 drops available by the glass, and a by-the-bottle list set to expand to around 800 labels over time. Many of the bottles are pulled directly from Raffal and Hunter's personal cellar — expect everything from benchmark Bordeaux and Burgundy Grands Crus to standout Australian expressions from regions like the Yarra Valley, Coonawarra and Margaret River.

While the name nods to historically exclusive members-only wine societies, this is very much a modern, inclusive take. "We're excited to open up our personal collections," says Raffal. "A lot of sommeliers keep secret 'reserve' lists for those in the know, where guests are deemed worthy of ordering certain bottles, but that's just not our style." At Claret Club, if a wine is in its drinking window, it'll be on the list for anyone to enjoy.

Upstairs, Head Chef Andy Buchanan (The Dry Dock) oversees a wine-friendly menu inspired by classic European bistros and unfussy, flavour-first cooking. The à la carte selection includes pig's head croquettes with salsa verde, gnocco fritto with anchovy and sage, market fish with sauce vierge and roast duck with summer cherries and bitter leaves. There's also a $100 Carte Blanche option, where the kitchen matches five courses to guests' wine selection.

Cocktails, meanwhile, are conspicuously absent. There's a tight selection of aperitifs, digestifs and select spirits, but nothing shaken or mixed, ensuring the focus remains on what's in the glass. For Raffal, that focus is both practical and philosophical: "Can you imagine missing out on a conversation about a truly beautiful bottle of wine because you were stuck behind the bar making cocktails? Nightmare material!"

Images: Isabella Wild.