Address: 285a Crown St, Surry Hills, 2010
Located on Crown Street, The Winery by Gazebo in many ways depicts the changing nature of Surry Hills from a grungy inner-city suburb to a social hub boasting come of the best food and nightlife in Sydney. The Winery catches your eye as you walk down Crown, as fairy lights and well dressed ladies in their high heels ask you to question 'what's down the cobble path' slightly out of view from the bustling street. The fairy lights capture your imagination, although the exterior of the building in unassuming. As you enter the wine bar, you are again taken on a ride as the rooms maintain a balance of the magical, surreal, quirky and beautiful. It was described by Lenny Ann Low from Good Living as ‘a sassy, Alice in Wonderland experience’.
The wine bar which was opened in September 2009 is located on a former Sydney Water site dating back to 1889 and is loosely based on the sister store in Elizabeth Bay which also has a similar eclectic feel and is also product of Keystone Hospitality.
As co owner Paul Schulte, states “Everybody loves a hang-out - somewhere you can meet friends, drink amazing wines, eat incredible food and listen to great tunes… Surry Hills is the perfect spot (for that)… like Elizabeth Bay, its rich with great restaurants and pubs, but we wanted to bring something to the area that bridges the gap.”
The interior itself features quirky fittings including chandeliers, indoor plants, taxidermied animals and apparently French chairs from the 1900s, however a large part of the Winery’s appeal is the way in which the space has been divided into separate areas in a manner which is similar to, and has been popularised by places like the Ivy in Sydney. These sections include the Gracelands room, which is a self proclaimed room dedicated to Elvis, with disco ball, The Garden Room which features a wall of plants, the Balcony which has chairs from the early 20th century and the Laneway. The diversity of these rooms is accentuated through the diversity of furniture and overall styling of the interiors. The textures include velvets, from seating to curtains adding a sense of elegance and an old-world quality. Bare brick walls also line the areas, giving a rugged feeling, working in opposition to and balancing out the refined furnishings such as extravagant seating. Polished cement floors bring modernity as does the use of timber.
By night, the space achieves whimsical nature through the balance of dim lighting and bright interior colours. Overall the space is girlie, fun, playful and inviting.
Images from www.thegazebos.com.au/winery/index.html
