Cafe by day, wine bar by night. It’s a concept that’s taken Brisbane’s food scene by storm over the past year, as demand increases for more nighttime haunts in the suburbs and hospitality operators look for ways to get the most out of their locations. Venues like Priorities, After Dark Wine (which operates as Masters St Coffee during the daytime), Josie North, Hoo Ha Bar and Cordeaux Social Club are some of the venues adopting this dual-identity business model, satiating the commuter crowd’s coffee cravings in the morning and then giving them a soft landing spot for vino on their way home. Gastown, Ashgrove’s Vancouver-inspired hole-in-the-wall nestled near the corner of Waterworks Road and Ashgrove Avenue, opened in July of 2022 with a long-term plan in place to add a wine-bar component once its coffee trade was chugging along smoothly. On Friday March 10, Gastown opened its doors in the evening for the first time, dimming the lights that illuminate its dark green and walnut interior – both cosily intimate and coolly minimal – and swapping flat whites for fiano. “We often get told, ‘Ashgrove needs more specialty coffee and wine bars'”, says Marnitz Kotze, who co-owns Gastown with partner Sloane Poole-Warren (the tandem also own Soul Revolver Co in Alderley). “The most common question in regards to Gastown was about the wine bar, so we knew the community was eager and ready.”

The duo has taken inspiration from the small-bar scenes of Tasmania and Vancouver for Gastown’s post-dusk identity, cherry picking the best aspects to hone in on an offering that suits Ashgrove’s diverse demographic. “Our initial concept was to have a wine bar that changed its wines often and played with food ideas, making sure the space was approachable and fit well in a neighbourhood setting,” Marn informs us. “While we were awaiting our licensing, we often shared that idea with customers. The response was always positive, so we knew we were on the right track.” Being on the smaller side, footprint wise, Gastown has kept its selection concise and arranged by body, so guests can easily winnow the list down until they find wine that suits them. A by-the-glass list encompasses three whites (including the likes of a chardonnay from Margaret River’s Flame Tree Wines and Unico Zelo’s Alluvium fiano), three reds (like a biodynamic pinot noir from Ngeringa and a shiraz cabernet from Rusden Ripper Creek), as well as a couple of chilled reds, an orange and some bubbles. “[Gastown’s] wine range will try and focus on being primarily Australian,” Marn elaborates. “Obviously, if a delicious international varietal makes its way across our table we’ll add it in, but there are just so many great Australian winemakers out there that we think we can play with what we already have in our back yard.” A clutch of cocktails – covering classics like negronis, martinis and Aperol spritzes – and a trio of beers from Range Brewing round out Gastown’s selection of stiff sips, while a handful of non-alcoholic options are also available. On the food front, an ever-changing menu of simple snack-centric fare keeps stomachs suitably lined. The offering starts small with olives, bread and butter, plates of meat and anchovies on crackers before oscillating towards comfort-food winners like brie toast with caramelised apple, white wine, chive and three-cheese toasties, and meatballs (a Vancouver staple).

Gastown is now open on Friday and Saturday evenings from 4:00–10:00 pm.