Pioneering Italian wine bar 10 William St remains at the forefront of Sydney’s flourishing natural vino scene and delivers a tight, enticing menu to match.
When 10 William St’s door swung open back in 2010, it was part of a new wave of wine bars that raised the stakes for Sydney’s drinking culture. Fast-forward a decade or so, and there are plenty of bars in Sydney just like it: intimate spaces that blur the line between restaurant and bar, where the mood may be casual, but the approach to food, wine and service is anything but.
Yet, even in the face of stiff competition, 10 William remains as good as it has ever been, thanks to co-owners Marco Ambrosino and brothers Giovanni and Enrico Paradiso, industry veterans with an uncanny knack for staying current. These fellas are also the brains behind long-standing Potts Point trattoria Fratelli Paradiso and they know a good thing when they see it – whether it’s an exciting new winemaker in the Adelaide Hills or talent on the floor or in the kitchen. In its lifespan, 10 William’s kitchen has been a springboard or a detour for some young guns. Now under the watchful eye of executive chef Trisha Greentree, the respect for Italian fundamentals with a touch of flair continues, alongside a wine offering that has pushed boundaries from day one. A total package indeed.
Diners often claim certain venues remind them of a place you’d find in a fashionable pocket of Paris, say, or a chic ’hood in Milan. When people say that about 10 William St, though, you should take their word for it. There’s a distinctly European look and feel to this converted terrace house, wedged between shopfronts on a happening stretch of Paddington. The lights are dimmed, the tables small and tightly packed, and the room timelessly accented with worn leather banquettes, bentwood chairs, herringbone floors, subway tiles and brass finishes.
Whether you’re the first one through the door (and you might want to be, given how busy it gets) or the very last to leave, there’s always a buzz in the air. Staff work the room with charm and good cheer, always eager to steer the discerning, on-trend crowd in the right direction. Not that there’s much margin for error – every detail, from the smart choice of wines by the glass scrawled on the chalkboards to the righteously al dente house-made pasta, is given obvious thought, and it all comes together with confidence and style.
The short and snappy menu changes frequently, but one thing has remained constant over the years: a soft seeded pretzel served with whipped bottarga, Italy’s salty, tangy cod-roe dip. It’s arguably the most talked-about bar snack in town, and the thought of popping in for a drink without ordering it is pretty much unfathomable.
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