Neighbourhood wine bar, bottle shop and kitchen serving hundreds of vintages from here and far, laid-back tunes and Italian-inspired plates in a North Hobart shopfront.
The simple illuminated sign out front – “Wine. Food.” – tells you everything you need to know about this popular local bar and bottle shop. Owners Carl Windsor and James Kingston opened Willing Bros to pour wines they like, which means a strong showing of Tasmanian and wider Australian makers as well as a heavy slant towards their favourite European styles.
More than 300 labels are stored inside this exposed-brick and pressed-ceiling space, with always around 15 to 20 available by the glass. If you want to go deep into wine-speak, Windsor and Kingston can oblige but, equally, if you just want a solid recommendation of what’s good to drink right now, they’ll do that and leave you to savour the moment in peace.
The vibe is intimate – group sizes are limited to eight – and what started as a wine bar with snacks has become known for its food. Plates are always seasonal, produce-centred and Mediterranean-inspired, and, of course, all match smartly with a glass of vino.
For a small space Willing Bros serves up several moods. Take a seat at the L-shaped bar, which is also the kitchen, to be centre stage. Sit in the curved window to watch the world go by, or on the street to take the pulse of Hobart’s happening food-focused strip. Or settle into the leather banquette on the mezzanine level with a good book (there’s a stack to choose from).
Music shifts the mood, too. Expect New Orleans jazz and blues on the regular, tending more funk and soul on busy nights. On Saturdays they might even bust out some disco.
Once you’re settled, the joy here is in perusing the exhaustive wine list, which recently merged with the cellar selection so there’s everything fromBellebonne bubbles from Tasmania’s sparkling guru Natalie Fryar to a very decent selection of Burgundies.
The regular clientele tends to be broad and eclectic and the wine list reflects this with something for everyone. Bottles lean towards classic styles, but minimal-intervention wines feature, too.
The list is arranged according to textures and weights, not varieties, so drinkers can more easily find something to suit their palate. Each grape colour is ranked from lightest to heaviest – in the whites, that runs from Made by Monks gewürztraminer from the Tamar Valley to a 2016 Les Clos Grand Cru Chablis from Domaine Christian Moreau. The reds range from Willing Bros’ own pinot noir, vinified for them by the pint-sized Chatto Wines, to a 2016 Toby Bekkers syrah from McLaren Vale.
Beers are crafty and Tasmanian, with a couple of Willie Smith's ciders.
Cocktails feature as well. Mostly classics, but you’ll find some inspired takes such as the house Martini made using Dasher + Fisher Ocean gin infused with Tasmanian seaweed, and an Espresso Martini upgraded with Spain’s Pedro Ximénez sherry.
The entire Willing Bros menu tempts with drink-friendly snacks, from cheddar beignets (aka cheesy pastry puffballs) to anchovy toasts with a piquant, eggy gribiche sauce.
The anchovies go beautifully with a Coal River Valley riesling from expat New Zealand winemaker Samantha Connew’s Stargazer label. It’s crisp, slightly off-dry, with the perfect amount of acid and green apple to conquer the salty fish.
The staple chicken-liver parfait, as light as a mousse and served with cornichons and lavash crackers, is an excellent excuse for a glass of sparkling.
If they’ve got the local calamari, usually served on a pool of garlicky fennel purée, on the menu pair it with a Chablis or Sicilian Greco. And the menu hero of pappardelle with rabbit ragù, split green olives and tarragon just loves a glass of Holyman pinot noir from Gravelly Beach.
The kitchen is generally open until 9:00pm, the bar until late.
