Sydney’s original laneway wine bar keeps it low-key with the mood, then overdelivers with a list brimming with next-gen local labels and snacks that pack a punch.
Since the very first day Love, Tilly Devine opened way back when in 2010, it’s been a big deal. Tucked away in a Darlinghurst back alley, it was one of the first venues to stand up and show Melbourne that Sydney’s laneways and small bars could finally hold their own against the big boys. That’s one reason to cherish it, but the real drawcard is it puts together good snacks, great drinks and a low-key vibe, all without hassle.
There’s some cheek here, too. LTD is named after a notorious crime boss and madame who plied her trades around these streets in the 1920s and ’30s, and in the early days drinking here in a hidden pocket of the city, bricks crumbling around the entrance, felt just a little outlaw and that extra bit thrilling. The thrill today comes from the owners, who are now pillars of the local scene – they also run wine bar Dear Sainte Éloise, next-gen pasta bar Ragazzi, and pasta deli Fabbrica – doubling down on the things that made their name: new-wave Australian wine and food that’s low on fuss but goes extra on flavour.
The drinks here have always been at the forefront of the scene, pushing new and emerging locals since the get-go. If there’s a place to discover the next big thing before it’s the next big thing, it’s Love, Tilly. That doesn’t mean it’s all bearded, barefoot winemakers playing music to their grapes and harvesting at the full moon, though. Big-name makers who do things the old way get plenty of airtime, often with their rarer bottles on show. So you might see wines from Tyrrell’s or Frankland Estate mixed in with bottles from pioneering Yarra Valley producer Mac Forbes along with the sort of lo-fi stuff your free-spirited cousin is into – you know, chilled reds, orange wine, sparkling numbers in a riot of colours.
The good thing about the local angle (and there is the occasional international drop around) is that things stay affordable, too, so there’s always room in the budget to stick around for another glass. And why wouldn’t you when that creamy burrata is so damn delicious paired with crunchy-crusted sourdough and a killer sweet-savoury carrot XO sauce that riffs on the Chinatown classic?
