The concrete and timber-clad Vinesmith,on the corner of Flinders Lane and Spring Street,has chef Richard Hayes (ex-The Lincoln and London’s Ledbury) channelling what he saw while working in Paris.
Owned by a winemaking group of the same name,the venue encompasses a bistro,wine bar,bottle shop and tasting room over two levels in the space that has housed venues including Verge and Hihou.
The upper-floor bistro overlooks the canopy of Treasury Gardens and serves various set menus,starting at $49 for two courses.
After dark,the cellar door facing Spring Street shuts up shop and becomes a wine bar. Stop by for quail egg croquettes and duck pate de campagne (a coarse pate or smooth terrine,depending on how you look at it) that’s made in-house,or larger dishes such as steak frites.