Albert St Food & Wine

Albert St is a serious food destination with a style and humour that mirrors the bohemian sensibilities of north-side locals. The all-day eatery-foodstore-wine bar is handsomely fitted with timber floors, tables and bentwoods inside a stately reclaimed bank. It's usually full, humming with convivial chatter, and affable and professional service. A meal here might begin with an heirloom-tomato gazpacho given a luxurious lift with avocado, picked spanner crab and olive-oil sorbet; or oysters with Hendrick's gin jelly and cucumber. Progress through faultless spaghettini with prawn meat, blackened corn and a lick of chilli, or a special of juicy roasted chicken with sauce chasseur, potato fondant and wafers of black truffle. Finally, arrive at one of Ms Sibley's whimsical desserts - perhaps Sunday Sundae of strawberry and rockmelon sorbets and meringue, or a decorative panna cotta dubbed Mirka Mora. Weekday lunch deals and afternoon snacking make Albert St a trusty all-rounder.