Sydney’s original rock ’n’ roll tapas haunt collides with a bar-bottle shop to offer killer snacks backed up by a wine offering that moves to the beat of the staff.
Some 15 years ago, Bodega landed in Surry Hills when the neighbourhood was at the peak of its powers as Sydney’s hub for arts, culture, fashion and exceptional food and drink. The mini tapas bar made a name for itself with rockabilly stylings and small plates that landed punches in the flavour stakes while quietly revolutionising what it meant to snack in the city. We take forward-thinking two-bite plates for granted these days, but when Elvis Abrahanowicz and Ben Milgate threw the doors open at their first venue (they’ve since followed up with Porteño, Humble bakery and Bastardo, among others) that kind of offer was a game-changer.
Cut to today and Bodega has been shrunk down and slipped into the space housing Wyno, the group’s short-lived Italian-ish wine bar. Hence, Wyno x Bodega, a coming together that expands on the strengths of both. Along one length, behind glass doors, remains the bottle shop, stacked to the brim with an eclectic mix of local and French bottles, and supporting acts from Germany, Italy and Spain. Along the other runs a communal counter, the bar on one side, stools all around. Staff pour whatever they’ve got open, while the kitchen at the back, usually manned by just one chef, plays the hits from the Bodega menu. The result? The best of both worlds.
