Mark Whitaker has been working his way towards this moment. The accomplished sommelier has curated wine lists for some of Brisbane’s best restaurants (including Gauge, GOMA Restaurant and The Wolfe), earning a following thanks to his wealth of oenological knowledge and his passion for sharing it through his wine education events, Grape Sense. But in the back of his mind Mark has fostered a dream of operating a hospitality venture of his own one day, where he would be free to curate all aspects of a venue beyond its impeccable wine list. Last year Mark experimented with being a business owner with After Dark in Newstead, a well-received vino-soaked pop-up that Mark engineered alongside fellow hospitality veteran Kirstie Petrie. After Dark’s expectation-exceeding success emboldened Mark to pursue his dream harder, handing the reigns of After Dark’s ongoing stewardship to Kirstie before casting his eye across Brisbane for opportunities to go one step further. One such avenue quickly presented itself in Ashgrove. Wine & Larder Bistro, the extremely popular neighbourhood locale that had been operated by James Alcock and Stephanie Fausz since 2018. Residents of Brisbane’s western suburbs regularly flocked to Wine & Larder for its broad selection of gluggable vino and European-accented fare. James and Stephanie were in the process of relocating to Tasmania and were looking for a buyer interested in taking over their beloved bistro. Mark and his wife Leah Shelton, enamoured with the venue’s elegant old-world feel and position as a suburban sanctuary, gamely stepped up to steer Wine & Larder Bistro into the future.

Taking over a venue with a loyal following comes with its challenges. Mark and Leah are eager to keep Wine & Larder’s legacy and vibe intact, opting to gently tweak behind-the-scenes aspects from an operational standpoint and let feedback from clientele help shape the offering moving forward. Mark, having inherited a selection of bottles from James in the handover, has been having a ball creating his debut wine list. Mark has savvily incorporated these new portfolios into his already bursting roster of suppliers, managing to create a list that is ambitious and fun – deftly negotiating a balance between traditional sips and experimental varieties in order to open minds to new regions and grapes. From Wine & Larder’s hand-picked (and constantly evolving) list of more than 50 wines, Mark has assembled a rotating selection of 25 wines available by the glass, encompassing Australian and international drops (including a few from Mark’s favourite region, Beaujolais) as well as some high-end sips served via Coravin. Beyond vino, Wine & Larder serves craft beer from Aether on tap, a tight selection of spirits and a bevy of non-alcoholic beverages including Heaps Normal’s Quiet XPA and Lyre’s spirits. The kitchen has been tasked with producing a menu that continues the established European feel, but offers everything from snacks and small plates to full meals. Guests will spy chicken liver parfait, pork-and-pistachio terrine, tarte flambée, tuna crudo, cheese from The Cheeseboard in Albion and charcuterie from Saison Salumi. Moving forward, Mark and Leah are eager to host one-off dinners overseen by guest chefs as well as making Wine & Larder the home of Mark’s Grape Sense events.

Wine & Larder Bistro officially reopens to the public on Friday February 18. Head to the Stumble Guide for current operating hours and contact details.