Little Village at Jimmy Watson's

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You’ve heard of the Jimmy Watson trophy, Australia’s best-known wine award? Now visit the place where it all began. The old wine store, established by wine merchant Jimmy Watson in 1935, was taken in hand by the great architect Robin Boyd in 1962, which is also the year it first started offering food. There’s a front bar complete with Jimmy’s portrait and a restaurant area, with function rooms upstairs and a lovely courtyard. The floors are tiled, the chairs are bentwood, the walls are white, and it’s all very convivial.

Ramone Villotet took over the kitchen this year, having worked there some years earlier and returned. The food is mainly Italian with pastas, a range of pizzas baked in the large oven, and further options of porterhouse steak or a rich, hearty fish stew. Additional dishes are chalked onto the blackboard. To start with there’s a range of nibbles like olives, mushrooms, fetta and so on; and on Monday lunchtimes only there is DIY barbecue in the courtyard. This is an Australian wine bar, and the Watsons still source wines and blend fortifieds to sell under their own label. Try the sparkling Shiraz and the tawny port, working your way through the range. Just don’t forget to eat something; a platter of cheese is great for you wine lovers out there.

Rita Erlich