Brisbane’s wine bar scene is booming in 2022, with Newstead getting in on the action with NIKY – a vino-centric sipping spot from the team behind Salt Coffee. NIKY sits just a couple of doors down from Salt’s corner site on Doggett Street, with a brand-new fit-out transforming the former garage into a chic locale for Newstead sippers to enjoy. Pale pink textured concrete forms the primary material in the space, with a curved ceiling, central bar and LED-lit alcoves creating a striking and modern setting. A big chalkboard at the rear of the space lists a range of wines available by the glass (though bottles can be plucked off the shelves if you spy a drop not listed), with the assembled array sourced predominantly from small producers. Expect a lean towards new-wave vino – think low-intervention options like zippy pet-nats, juicy skin-contact drops and a bunch of magnums – backed by a small range of interesting beers, digestifs and a clutch of three-ingredients-max concoctions. Chef Jianne Jeoung, whose resume boasts stints at Greca, OTTO Brisbane and Clarence, is overseeing NIKY’s small kitchen, from which she’s dispensing a casual-yet-thoughtful menu of eats that will change weekly or fortnightly. Think roasted cauliflower with yellow cherry tomatoes and pesto sauce, stracciatella with grapes, tea-soaked currents, basil oil and roasted pine nuts (served with a toasted crumpet), sourdough toast with figs, anchovies and salami, tagliatelle with lemon butter, miso paste, and green and white asparagus.