An unexpectedly sophisticated bar showcasing Darwin’s heritage and hospitality, Stone House offers an extensive wine list alongside local spirits with a Top End twist.
With more than 200 wines, many poured by the glass, there’s always one more you want to try. And one more snack you could order, or one of the craft beers on tap – maybe a locally made 4:21 ale (named for the time NT government workers are officially able to knock off). Or what about an affogato, an ice-cream dessert with cold brew coffee and Spain’s rich Pedro Ximénez sherry?
Although some people swing by for a pre- or post-dinner drink, if you’re not on a schedule you’ll want to linger. The long room is softly lit by mismatched cream-coloured glass pendants, and the pocked stone walls hint at the building’s long history. Darwin doesn’t have many heritage buildings, but this one, built in 1888, is well known as the city’s only remnant of Chinatown. It’s been used to store opium (not recently, of course), and has survived three cyclones and several WWII bombing raids. The Salty Plum Room, used for functions and wine tastings, is named for the mouth-puckering Chinese treat beloved by local children and immortalised in the Salty Plum Gin created by Stone House’s owner, Rebecca Bullen. Out the back, the dark interior gives way to a fairy-lit garden with huge cane chairs and traveller’s palms. It’s kind of magic – especially on an evening in dry season (May to September) when the weather is almost guaranteed to be perfect.
Try one of the pinot noirs – wines by the glass change every month, but if the fragrant and lightly spicy 2017 Lucien Muzard from Burgundy is on the menu, give it a go.
Besides the wines, there's a mighty impressive beer list that deserves your time, too – an extensive list of craft beers from Norway to Canada and plenty in between.
