Claret Club: Wine & Dine in Style

0:00Clear a club just opened its doors on Stanley Street, blending a cozy wine bar downstairs with a full restaurant upstairs. Owners Amy Ruffal and her partner Hunter are pulling wines from their personal sellers that you'd normally find in fancy spots, making them accessible. By the glass for under $20, it's all about simple, hearty food, paired with elegant pours from places like South Australia and Beachworth. Ruffal, who's also pushing to smash gender barriers in wine through her group, women and revolution, adds personal flair everywhere. Her birthday falls on Valentine's Day, so heart motifs pop up on walls, stones, and even the logo, turning the place into a labor of love that welcomes everyone. Downstairs feels like those classic European wine haunts, with rickety chairs, stirred cocktails, and light bites from four to five thirty-four, $5 snacks and $10 drinks. Downstairs, chef Andy Buchan and keeps things straight forward, think nourishing plates that hit home without over-the-top tricks.

1:02Standouts include, confy duck, with pickle plums, whipsalted cod downstairs, and fried sweet breads with peppercorn sauce upstairs for $29. They push gyms like yellow flower pecorino, or vivid granache to match the duck, steering clear of the usual suspects. Slide in for that lived in vibe, soundtrack of heartbreak ballads flowing, and let the stone hearts melt as you savor another glass. You've been listening to Sydney News today, AI-powered local news.