Noosa’s new wine bar is ‘Euro-chic’ – with a carpark view

Wine bars are having a moment with a Noosa opening sporting a sophisticated fitout although customers are favouring the patio.

Food costs spiralling? Chronic staff shortages? Opening a wine bar seems to be the elegant solution for many hospitality investors. Devise a drinks list, add a clipped, low-touch menu, create an appealing vibe and it should be a more streamlined operation than running a bells and whistles restaurant.

A rapidly expanding line-up of vino hangouts has opened in Brisbane in the past few months (yes, that’s you South City Wine Bar in Woolloongabba, Bar Francine in a renovated historic shopfront in West End from the El Planta vegan restaurant team, and NIKY in a pink repurposed garage in Doggett St, Newstead, among many others).

Now the Sunshine Coast is getting in on the act with two of the newest Noosa operators being Atelier Wine Bar on Sunshine Beach Rd at Noosa Junction and Apero, a wine and aperitif bar in Noosaville.

Apero is on Gympie Tce, across the road from the river in a group of shops fronted by a car park. The interior of the small enterprise is Euro-chic with a burgundy ceiling, globe lights, dramatic floral wallpaper and high-backed stools pulled up to the marble-topped, bottle-backed bar.

Apero wine bar at Noosaville.

On a warm summer night though, everyone’s outside at tables spread along the tiled patio that also works as a thoroughfare to the adjoining JD’s Chicken Co takeaway (also by the same owners) and in front of the closed-by-night Jimmy Fox burger, street food and salad bar and a pilates studio.

The venue is from veteran Sydney chef Justin North and David Singer (a wine industry stalwart who owns nearby Frenchies Brasserie) and a pink leather-bound menu reveals an extensive wine list from which you can order everything from a bottle of Billecart-Salmon Clos Saint-Hilaire Brut Millesime 06 for $1999 to a glass of Whistler Atypical Shiraz 21 from the Barossa Valley for $14.

The globetrotting bottle selection roams through new world shiraz to Bordeaux blends, a repertoire of Champagnes, roses and whites.

Given the breadth of the offering, the by-the-glass list is surprisingly limited to 13 choices beginning at $14 and rising to $26 for a flute of Taittinger.

Cocktails are classics and beers include locals such as Boiling Pot and Heads of Noosa.

Apero wine bar at Noosaville

Anchovies, pickled cucumber,baguette and butter at Apero

The food offering begins with warm bread and butter ($5) and works through to a 150g Jack’s Creek wagyu beef sirloin ($36) and parmesan and truffle fries ($10). Oysters with a tomato granita, marinated olives, cuts of acorn-fed Iberico pork, apple wood-smoked mortadella and a couple of cheeses with accompaniments are among the cold options. A can of premium Spanish Olasagasti anchovies with a plate of pickled cucumber, sliced baguette and butter ($26), takes 30 minutes to arrive, although at that point we could see no one else eating or apparently having ordered food.

Three smallish pieces of golden fried buttermilk chicken (a specialty next door) land shortly after topped with Avruga caviar ($12), which doesn’t add as much bang as you might expect.

Chicken and Avruga caviar at Apero

Char-grilled octopus at Apero

We follow up with an order for char-grilled octopus, which is tender and melds nicely with slices of chorizo and an appealing, verdant garlic herb aioli ($18). A take on Roman favourite cacio e pepe, with al dente curly edged ribbons of mafaldine pasta adorned with just the right amount of pecorino cheese and black pepper ($17) is a winner.

Staff go about their business in a professional, if rather removed, manner, with orders taken with no discussion and wines by the glass arriving pre-poured.

This is a relaxed spot for a drink and the snack food is superior but the carpark view is underwhelming.

It may come into its own in the cooler months when sitting in the cocooning indoor space seems more appealing and the proximity to staff may lead to more interaction.

APERO

203 Gympie Tce, Noosaville

aperonoosa.com.au

Open
Wed-Sun from 3pm.

No bookings

Must try

Mafaldine pasta with pecorino cheese and black pepper

Verdict

Food3.5 stars

Service 3 stars

Ambience 2.5 stars

Value 3 stars

Overall 3 stars

For more reviews visit delicious.com.au/eatout