NOW EXPERIENCING:Sonny
Drinks Directory|Date night|Non-alc Options|Bar

Sonny

Saturday: 4:00 – 11:30 PM
120a Elizabeth Street, Hobart, TAS 7000
Phone
No phone
Website
sonny.com.au
Instagram
@sonny.hobart

Read time 4 Mins

Posted 29 Apr 2022

By
Luke Slattery

Sonny by name, sunny by nature. Think of this hallway-sized wine bar as a Hobartian house party, with the city's most interesting wine list and outstanding tunes.

Sonny bar interiors
Why you goThe concept seems simple, but nailing it is quite an achievement. Sonny delivers simple pleasures – good and interesting wines, good tunes and good times - with a sense of unpretentious fun. Hobartians love Sonny because it reminds them of the great small bars of the world, from Madrid to Tokyo, while visitors are overjoyed to find hard evidence of global small-bar culture in a town where they might not necessarily expect it. The food is simple. The wine list is tight, and favours minimal-intervention producers. The fit-out, too, is low-fi. And the music is all vinyl. In short, Sonny is all about the edit. And it’s great.
Why you stayAt first glance it seems like there’s no obvious reason to linger – no high-wire act, nothing glamorous, no star power – and yet Sonny is a difficult place to leave. Manager Al Robertson’s record collection has a lot to do with it. Expect the smooth sounds of Barry White as a warm-up, a funky twist of Prince after a while, a roll-call of ‘70s funk as the party rolls on and a hard charge of Led Zeppelin in the wee hours. Sonny is tiny – only 20 bar stools – so staff have time for a laugh. People talk. No one’s a stranger for long.
Bartender with skills
Liquor bottles lined up
What drink to orderGood times start with Sonny’s “mystery wine”, and the key is to engage with Al – he’ll choose the wine he thinks will work for you. “It could be something you’ve said, a dish you’ve ordered, or what you’re wearing,” he says. Gold stickers on the blackboard list indicate which wines are open, but he’ll happily dig out something you feel like or something he feels like serving. There’s always a good showing of Italian wines to match the snacks. But Al’s tastes are broad. France, Spain and both North and South America make up much of the list, and it leans heavily to small, minimal-intervention winemakers with interesting back-stories. And while that might mean something interesting and unfiltered from a couple of young-guns making wine outside Bologna, say, Tasmanian also wines make the list on merit – the pinot noir by Two Tonnes Tasmania made in the Tamar Valley is a great example. Not only is it made especially for Sonny, the bar team helps bottle it. Beyond wine, the offering is tighter still: an honest tinnie (Boag’s Red), a Spritz, a local Spring Bay gin and tonic, local brandy and absinthe, and Negronis, which Al pre-mixes using Spring Bay gin and Del Professore vermouth from Turin.
What to pair it withYou might know chef-owner Matt Breen from his days running Templo, Hobart’s go-to tiny diner. Here at Sonny, he serves simple Italian-inspired dishes with market-fresh ingredients assembled at the far end of the bar. It has to be simple – he has just two burners, a toaster and a meat slicer at his disposal; no oven, no dishwasher. Seafood is a staple: Bruny Island oysters, for instance, and the likes of pickled mussels and Sicilian-style crab casarecce pasta. Pencil-thin leeks, served buttery and topped with rich romesco sauce, come straight from Hobart’s Farm Gate Market. Jamon focaccia and gouda soldiers made with brioche seem like a good reason to order some wines with a bit more heat to them. To let you in on a little secret, the keys to Sonny’s soldiers are finely sliced cheese and, while the butter melts in the pan, a shot of Campari. That’s a shot for the chef, but the customer may as well have one, too.
Who to takeLess is more – it’s too small for team celebrations with the whole team. Bring out-of-towners, as an essential introduction to Hobart, and people you like to dance with.
Food and drinks pairing
Bar customers seating arrangement
Why we love itThere’s always laughter at Sonny. It could be the mood-lifting soundtrack, or the fun to be had with the mystery wine, or the upbeat energy of the staff. “Part of the experience is the warmth and the friendly spirit and that’s part of our goal – to make people happy,” says Al. “The food and the wine are the ingredients.”
Regular's tipCome early and be prepared for a long shift. Sonny is small – 20 bar stools for 20 people – and for walk-ins only, no bookings. We love Sonny’s version of a chef’s table: a drink at the far-end of the bar that doubles as the kitchen.
image credits: Chris Crerar
Authour image
Luke SlatteryLuke Slattery is a journalist, author, editor, and a new Tasmanian.
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Drinks DirectoryTop notch wine listNon-alc OptionsDate nightBarHobartVego Food OptionsMeal and a bevFancy occasionRestaurant
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