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Agnes Wine Bar

22 Agnes Street, Fortitude Valley, QLD, 4006
Phone
(07) 3067 9087
Website
agnesrestaurant.com.au
Instagram
@agnes.restaurant

Read time 4 Mins

Posted 26 Jul 2022

By
Fiona Donnelly

Inside Agnes Wine Bar in Brisbane

A portal to the highly sought-after offerings of Agnes Restaurant, Agnes Wine Bar is also a lure in its own right, its line-up of well-crafted drinks backed up by knockout snacks.

A bartender in action at Agnes Wine Bar
Why you go It’s near impossible to nab a table at Agnes Restaurant, unless you book months in advance. But a sweet hack enables those in the know to drop in at Brisbane’s hotter-than-hot, wood-fired bistro and experience a little of the magic. What’s better, it comes with some of the city’s best drinks and snacks as part of the deal. Agnes Wine Bar quietly accepts walk-ins as well as providing a cosy spot for pre- and post-dinner drinks for Agnes diners. Just don’t get carried away and try to enter via what looks like the wine bar’s door. Yes, the bar feels standalone – and yes, it’s certainly a door – but you need to walk through the restaurant to get access to the downstairs wine-bar action. This gives management a chance to monitor numbers – diners rightly have first dibs – and to ensure everyone’s happy, so it’s worth the (minor) detour. Sun shining? There’s a splendid alfresco terrace upstairs. Ask about this space if you want balmy breezes, olive trees and views instead of the chic, dimly lit Euro vibes of the wine bar. 
Why you stay Much more than a simple holding pen for diners, Agnes Wine Bar is a lure in its own right. Interiors are dark and flatteringly lit, just like the restaurant, with a Euro-chic industrial bent to the décor. Lovely steel-framed Crittall-style windows, a mix of brick, distressed paint and charcoal-hued walls, and comfortable black-leather banquettes all make for an inviting yet stylish space, with interesting nooks adding quirk to the vibe. The long, handsome black-timber bar, flanked by high Japanese-style timber stools, commands centre stage. Staff here are knowledgeable, friendly and efficient, and the playlist is as unconventional as the rest of the offering. Though with snacks this good, bigger tables for two would be ace, particularly as the plates emerge fast.
The appealing terrace at Agnes Wine Bar
Friends enjoying a drink at Agnes Wine Bar
What drink to orderThe back-lit bar shines like a good deed in an unruly world and staff working it know how to put together some cracking cocktails. Most are inspired by the 2019 Tarantino film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Get the evening started with a Not a TV Cowboy, which features Flor de Cana four-year-old white rum, Lillet rosé apéritif wine and citrus cordial, or a Way Ahead of You mixed from smoked butter-washed Buffalo Trace bourbon, fire-roasted pineapple and house-made macadamia orgeat syrup. Trust the staff – no matter how unusual the drinks may sound, they will taste great. The bar’s by-the-glass wine list likewise sidesteps the expected, showcasing smaller, artisanal and eco-friendly producers – labels from Georgia, Spain’s Basque Country, and France’s Loire Valley and Burgundy sit shoulder-to-shoulder with choices from the Yarra Valley, Beechworth and beyond. There’s more than enough here to focus the attention of wine buffs as well as those who just like interesting drinks.
What to pair it withThe snacks are straight from the restaurant menu. Don’t miss the famed Agnes sourdough crumpets, variously topped with sweet spanner crab or prawn chunks, perhaps, or Western Australian scallop and crème fraîche. Whatever seafood is in play, lay your money down and be ready to not want to stop at one. Another must-try is the fermented potato flatbread slathered in garlic butter and served with salted squash ribbons arranged around a tasty eruption of kanzuri, aka savoury Japanese-style fermented chilli, and creamy feta for richness. Mix it up and you’ve got a first-rate topper for your puffy disc of charred bread. Yakitori-style skewers of wagyu beef, meanwhile, are scattered with river mint and boosted by a pool of lime-infused oil and yoghurt. Top stuff.
Why we love itAgnes has some of the hardest-working, most-enthusiastic staff in Brisbane, and they’re dedicated to ensuring you have a good time. When it comes to the cocktails they concoct, each is a labour of love. Among their ingredients, the vermouth, for instance, are ones made in-house (in this case with leftover wine), and an element of cooking over fire regularly features in drinks, such as the sweet roasted pineapple in the Way Ahead of You. Wines are selected with an eye to pairing well with the wood-fired dishes, so expect some higher-acidity drops that cut through the richness and smoke. All are made by wineries with great attention to detail.
Regular’s tip This wine bar is so great that Agnes diners have been known to turn up two hours early for a table to fully enjoy the experience – so spots can be scarce and they disappear fast. Make this your first port of call. Arrive at opening time to have the best chance of snagging a table. Or on a Friday afternoon perhaps enjoy a few cocktails upstairs on the terrace to end your working week.
Make it fancyEverything is already a bit fancy here. You’ll find more single malts than at many so-called whisky bars, and the selection of top-notch gins is cherry-picked from Iceland, Ireland, Italy and all around Australia. Then there’s the wine list, with 25 options by the glass. And fans of Italy’s bitter amari liqueurs will find plenty to keep them happy here.
The moody interiors at Agnes Wine Bar
Authour image
Fiona DonnellyFood writer Fiona Donnelly turned her love of bars and restaurants into a career – and she’s still pinching herself.
Tags
Drinks DirectoryTop notch wine listBarA+ spirits listDate nightAfter work drinksKiller cocktailsOutdoor areaBrilliant beer listNon-alc OptionsCasual catch-upBrisbaneMeal and a bevFancy occasionGreat tunesRooftop
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