The Thousands

Bottle shop The Wine Store has its home in a 1905 heritage-listed building, has long been a port of call for wine lovers chasing quality blends. New owners John Poynton and Rob Bates-Smith have spent the better part of the last 18 months evolving it into a small wine bar. It’s great! I am set on making it my ‘local’. I don’t even care that it is half an hour away from where I live!

Tapas dishes made from local produce are served over the bar; the empanadas and asparagus were so moorish. Excitingly, they’ve made a couple of their fancy cellar wines available by the glass, so you can try something you might not normally be able to get your hands on by the bottle. Palate expansion imminent!

Perth studios Design Theory and Coup Creative have delivered one of the most forward-thinking bar fit-outs this city has seen in ages. I can’t stop thinking about the long, dreamy jarrah dining table in the limestone cellar. Sourced from a 1920’s Fauldings department store, it’s a little bit of history that subtly seeps in to the bar, aided by second-hand finds such as reclaimed brandy distillery oak barrels and grainy, B&W historic photography blow-ups on the walls. Meanwhile custom-made pieces, natural timbers, and lots of greenery make the place feel fresh. Keep your eyes peeled for the retro cement plant pot in the shape of a swan – I am going to be back there so soon to give it a pat on the head.