For the past few years, chef Dominique Rizzo has been keeping Banyo locals amply fed and watered at her acclaimed cafe Putia Pure Food. When a recent survey revealed a high demand for a local wine bar, Dominique and her fiance Simon McCarthy decided they were just the people to make it happen. Dominique and Simon recently opened Clapham Junction Wine Bar Provisions in a free tenancy next to Putia, which has been converted (by hand, including the bar) evoking the days of steam-powered locomotives. Simon and Dominique have recruited Sam Richards to spearhead the kitchen at Clapham while Simon curates the bar offering. Dominique continues to build Putia Pure Food, with Clapham Junction acting as the nighttime yin to Putia’s daytime yang.

While travelling through Europe Simon was exposed to wines from an assortment of regions. As he was sampling the product of different grapes, Simon was taking mental notes and learning as much as he could about unique environmental contexts and flavours. Simon is hoping to use Clapham Junction to similarly educate locals by serving up a mixture of boutique drops that will be slightly unfamiliar, yet enticing. Sample vermentinos, tempranillos, nebbiolos and albarinos, but if wine isn’t your thing you can sip local beers from All Inn Brewing, a stellar cross-section of Australian spirits or something from the growing list of cocktails. Clapham Junction’s kitchen whips up it own syrups for the cocktails, and chooses to stock organic sodas instead of mass-produced soft drinks. Chef Sam is flexing his culinary muscles with the epicurean delights, which will be continuously changing. Sam has paired his own experience travelling through Italy with Dominique’s Sicilian heritage for a distinctly Italian twist. In addition to platters of cured meats and cheeses, Sam has put together a selection of fascinating bar snacks such as black truffle salami and buffalo mozzarella brioche toasties, ‘nduja dagwood dogs, lemon pepper calamari, slow-cooked lamb shoulder, white anchovies and green olives on flat bread and brioche doughnuts filled with locally made pistachio gelato.

Sounds pretty amazing, doesn’t it? Clapham Junction Wine Bar Provisions is now pouring! For all opening hours and contact details, be sure to check out the Stumble Guide.