While it’s never advisable to judge a book by its cover, it’s likely to be a case of love at first sight when you get a glimpse of Bar Leo. Now in its third week of trade, Bar Leo has already found its way into the social calendars of residents from the surrounding area with the venue reaching capacity almost nightly. Neighbouring Roy’s by Gemelli, the aesthetic 80-seater has assumed the newly created corner spot and completely transformed the shell into a casually sophisticated wine bar that features a striking palette of terracotta, green tile and brass. Curved lines feature heavily throughout the design, from the beautiful arches that frame the entrance to the bulkhead over the kitchen, and even the bar. A plush bench seat lined with scatter cushions extends along the internal wall, framed by enormous sliding windows that allow the fresh air to flow through the entire space. The true design feature however, is the open kitchen that not only offers a glimpse into the venue’s engine room but breaks down the traditional barrier between chef and patron. Here, you can chat with the crew as they make your meal.

From the outset, it’s clear that the owners of Bar Leo are seasoned hospitality folk. The crew of four collectively decided that the suburb of Sorrento was crying out for a neighbourhood bar, a place where you can enjoy a couple of wines over a plate or two, or settle in for something more substantial. Having previously established restaurants in Mount Isa and Darwin, the latter of which was listed in Australian Financial Review’s top 500 restaurants list at the time, Bar Leo represents a long-awaited return to the kitchen for the owner/chef (who used to work at Hellenika back in the day). The vision was to create a neighbourhood venue that became part of a community instead of just another restaurant along the strip, and, judging from the evening’s bookings that has almost every table accounted for, they nailed it.

In terms of the menu, Bar Leo dishes up modern Mediterranean bites with a lean towards locally sourced seafood and in-season produce. The snacks and small plates include dishes such as handmade chorizo alongside octopus with potato, pickled chilli, parsley, lemon, olive oil and smoked paprika. For those in the mood for something a little more substantial, there’s a cuttlefish ink risotto with local calamari, half roast chicken with nduja, baby spinach and soft herb creme fraiche and a 1-kg Black Angus rib with cauliflower puree, jus and potato crisps. Each dish is sliced and portioned to make it conducive to sharing. The team have plans to introduce a range of constantly rotating specials so that the regulars will always have something new to try. In terms of the drinkables, Bar Leo focuses on wine, with selections spanning various wine regions including France, Italy and Australia. If you’re in the mood for something fun, look to the ever-changing list inside. This is where they will feature museum wines as well as the small-batch bottles that are now pouring. There’s a full selection of spirits and cocktails available upon request alongside tap and bottled beers.

Bar Leo is now open! Hit our Stumble Guide for booking details.