Once considered the exclusive domain of sommeliers and special occasions, wine bars are enjoying a renaissance. Today’s venues are warm, stylish and anything but stuffy—replacing formality with intimacy and matching standout wines with shareable, flavour-forward fare. It’s about curated casualness, where you can drop in for a quick glass or settle in for an all-night session with a table full of small plates and your favourite people.
From coastal chic to country cool, here are four wine bars proving that laid-back sophistication is the new benchmark for going out.
Atelier Wine Bar – Noosa Heads, QLD
Effortlessly cool and quietly confident, Atelier Wine Bar brings European cellar vibes to the heart of Noosa Heads. Set on Sunshine Beach Road, this sleek venue is a masterclass in modern minimalism—think curved ceilings, moody lighting, and walls lined with open wine shelving. The energy is both intimate and urbane, whether you're on a date or unwinding with friends after a day in the sun.
With more than 150 premium and rare wines available by the glass, half glass or bottle, there’s a drop for every occasion. The food menu is deliberately concise, encouraging slow sips and casual grazing. Pair a silky red with Pascal’s pork scratchings or opt for the cult-favourite Atelier toastie—Gruyère, aged cheddar and ham off the bone, pressed to golden perfection. For something more refined, the Wagyu tartare with caper berries, cured yolk and crostini proves that this wine bar takes its food as seriously as its cellar.
Nestled within the Pan Pacific Hotel on Adelaide Terrace, Más Vino delivers international flair and Mediterranean warmth to Perth’s wine scene. Plush velvet chairs, oriental rugs and moody lighting create a sensual atmosphere, perfect for a pre-theatre glass or late-night linger. The wine list spans both hemispheres, offering everything from robust reds to mineral-rich whites and plenty in between.
The menu is a nod to the bar’s global influences, offering a refined selection of Mediterranean-inspired dishes. Start with rump cap skewers resting on smoked potato purée, or Tiger prawn skewers served atop a Peruvian pumpkin bisque with jamon serrano crumb. Larger plates like market fish with fried plantain and salsa pimenton make Más Vino just as suitable for dinner as drinks. Here, it’s not about rushing through a meal—it’s about sipping, savouring and surrendering to the moment.
Bathurst’s best-kept secret, Norma Joan is more than just a wine bar—it’s a stylish local sanctuary. Tucked away on William Street, this cosy hideaway invites you in with its moody palette, dark leather Chesterfields and a low-lit glow that feels tailor-made for long conversations and slow pours. Upstairs on the mezzanine or out in the leafy courtyard, there’s a space for every kind of mood.
The wine list champions local drops, supported by a cocktail menu with a creative edge. Start with anchovy toast on milk bread with pea and eschalot butter, or beef carpaccio alongside crispy potato scallops. Bigger appetites will be rewarded with a bowl of seafood in tomato broth, brimming with prawns, squid and vongole. Or go classic with steak frites, dressed with Norma de Joan butter and paired with potato pave and molasses-dressed greens. Romantic, refined and relaxed—it’s everything a wine bar should be.
Woodend Cellar and Bar – Woodend, VIC
Equal parts wine bar and local hangout, Woodend Cellar and Bar brings the Macedon Ranges’ best bottles to your glass in one of the region’s most inviting spaces. Situated on Anslow Street, it’s the kind of place that feels like a well-kept secret—until you realise everyone already knows. The vibe is cosy and casual, with exposed timber, warm lighting and a constant hum of laughter and clinking glasses.
Here, wine is the star, but the menu more than holds its
own. Tapas-style plates like pulled pork rillettes with housemade jam and
toasted sourdough make excellent companions to a robust red. Lighter fare like
Atlantic sardines drizzled in chilli oil or chipotle chicken meatballs with
coriander and jalapeño salsa verde add spice and flair to the rustic setting.
Come for the wine, stay for the food, and leave already planning your return.
Today’s wine bars offer more than just a good glass—they provide a space to
unwind, explore new flavours and reconnect in style. These four venues prove
that casual can still mean curated, and relaxed doesn’t mean sacrificing
sophistication. Whether you're discovering a rare vintage or sharing a toastie
with someone special, this new wave of wine bars invites you to take your time,
sip with purpose and dine with joy.
