With natural wines, vermouth on ice, killer snacks and a breezy outlook, pocket-sized Lokal is punching well above its weight in a forgotten slice of Surry Hills.
Set on a corner and painted an understated black, Lokal is easy to miss, but once you spot it, the details take over. It’s the warm glow coming from the interior, the breezy bifolds opening onto a side street in warm weather, the palette of polished concrete and Tasmanian ash. It’s the corner kitchen, the shelves lined with pickles, spirits and Italy’s amaro liqueurs, the bar set with just a few stools, the handmade ceramics. Everything here feels intimate, personal, and connected to the neighbourhood, right down to the bicycle-only parking spots just outside. In summer, the team sets tables on the footpath, but whatever the season, Patrick’s sense of hospitality always shines through.
His wine list, while not enormous, packs plenty of punch, and you can count on him being across the producers – if he hasn’t visited the maker, he’ll have picked their wine because he likes to drink it, and will happily talk you through it, pour you a taste, and help you find your match. Same goes for vermouth, which comes with the option of added soda, while cocktails keep it simple and on trend with the likes of Martinis and Spritzes on rotation. In short, this is a place where every facet has been given its due, and the crowd – mostly young Surry Hills urbanites who linger long into the evening – are here for it.
