Bar in Bondi Beach
A long-running back-street cafe on Curlewis Street that pours coffee and comfort food by day and slides into a cosy organic-leaning wine bar by night.
This is one of those Bondi locals' rooms that visitors rarely stumble on, tucked a few blocks back from the sand rather than on the tourist strip, and it's built a genuine reputation — a community-voted best wine bar in the eastern suburbs. The kitchen leans into from-scratch comfort food (the house sandwiches, Italian meatballs, hearty salads) while the list runs to organic, skin-contact and preservative-free wines, and the whole place has the feel of a slightly rowdy living room. We'd choose it when we want somewhere that works equally well for a morning flat white and an evening glass without ever feeling like a scene.
The signature house sandwiches, Italian meatballs and the seasonal salads by day; by night lean on the organic and skin-contact wines by the glass, and time a visit for the Tuesday or Sunday pasta-and-wine nights.
Warm, snug and neighbourhood-y — a cafe by daylight, a low-lit living-room wine bar after dark.
Local tip: Come for the 4–6pm happy hour with $9 selected drinks, or book ahead for the Tuesday and Sunday pasta nights, which fill up with regulars.
Worth knowing: It's a couple of streets back from the water, so there are no ocean views and it's a small room that can get tight and loud when it's busy.
Hours, prices and menus change — always check the venue’s own site before you go. Spotted something out of date? We keep this directory current; details reflect our last check.
Italian · Bondi Beach
The hatted, ocean-front Italian fine-diner perched above the Bondi Icebergs pool, serving hand-rolled pasta and seasonal seafood with the best beach view in Sydney.
Best for: Milestone celebrations and long lunches with a view
Gelato · Bondi Beach
The Bondi outpost of Sydney's most celebrated gelato maker, tucked into the Hall Street hub a short walk back from the sand.
Best for: A post-beach dessert walk on Hall Street
Modern Australian · Bondi Beach
The original bills, the Hall Street cafe where Bill Granger reinvented Sydney brunch, still turning out its ricotta hotcakes and creamy scrambled eggs a couple of minutes back from the sand.
Best for: A landmark Bondi brunch a short walk from the beach