SPON BAR

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Opening Hours

The Vibe

• The space: A 20-seat bar that doubles as a retail wine shop, with bottles lining the walls and a French oak communal table dominating the interior. Four streetside tables face King Street, plus seating at the front window for people-watching the Newtown foot traffic.
• The crowd: Wine explorers and curious drinkers drawn by the chance to try bottles they'd never normally order by the glass. Groups cluster around the communal table comparing pours, while solo visitors perch at the bar chatting with staff about the day's selections.
• The energy: Relaxed and exploratory, with the conversation often revolving around what's been opened that day. The retail element keeps things moving as people browse between sips, creating a different rhythm from traditional wine bars.

What People Love

• The wine system: Any bottle on the retail shelves can be opened and poured by the glass throughout the day, meaning the by-the-glass list constantly changes based on what other customers choose. You might find rare natural wines or cult brewers like Belgium's Brasserie Fantome available by the pour.
• Staff picks: Two wines (a red and white) are always available as approachable, sessionable options that won't break the bank, with beverage manager Jordan Blackman promising depth alongside accessibility.
• Bar snacks: Simple offerings from the Odd Culture kitchen including charcuterie, cheese and tuna crudo with potato chips - built for drinking alongside rather than filling up on.
• The bottles: Everything can be purchased to take home with diplomatically priced corkage or ordered online if you discover something worth keeping.

The Neighbourhood

• King Street position: Sits on Newtown's main strip at number 256, within walking distance of the train station and surrounded by the suburb's mix of vintage stores, record shops and late-night eateries.
• The Odd Culture connection: This is a reimagining of the boundary-pushing bottle shop concept, maintaining the focus on spontaneous and natural fermentation that made the original a destination for wine geeks.
• Street presence: The four outdoor tables put you right in the flow of King Street foot traffic, making it a good spot for watching Newtown's evening parade while working through whatever interesting bottles have been opened that day. The retail element means you're likely to see regulars ducking in for takeaway purchases between pours.

Nearby in Newtown

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