Number One Wine Bar

Tony Bilson, award-winning chef and Francophile, has turned his hand to opening a wine bar in Circular Quay. If you didn't know it was there you might miss it completely – it's underground, which is kind of unusual in such a picturesque area. Sit at the bar made from a big hunk of marble, or grab one of the seats outside and take in the air.

The beginning of the wine list is broken up into 100ml, 375ml and 750ml pours – perfect if you want to try a few different things or you're drinking alone. The rest is all by the bottle, though plenty of it's reasonably priced, hitting the $40–$60 mark. Of course, there's always the opportunity to spend up big if you like, with plenty of heavy hitters on the list. Don't like wine? Drink somewhere else (joking! Sort of). There's a modest beer list and an accomplished range of Cognac and other digestives.

Cushion all that vino with some food – the eats here are almost better than the drinks. The charcuterie platter makes for great drinking food; jamon iberico, prosciutto, salami, chorizo and slices of lard team together to make a happy pig party. And the pork rillettes are absolutely sensational (here, shreds of smoky, sweet flavoursome pork captured and cured in its own fat). The fried goat's cheese fingers are incredibly rich and slightly stinky. Light, fluffy brandade (salt cod) croquettes disappear in two crunches or fewer. There's also a burger on offer, if you're after something a little more substantial.

Number One is a little more grown-up than some of Sydney's other wine bars – it's great to finally have somewhere sophisticated to drink in Circular Quay.