The Winery by Gazebo

Very ladies who lunch, but with an urban twist.  Lacks some of the pretention of its sister spot in Elizabeth Bay, so for those of us who want an upscale alternative to the coffee catch-up with friends on a weekend -- but refuse, wholeheartedly, to wear heels when not required to -- this spot fits the bill. Add in a reasonably priced cocktail menu and it's a great lazy lunch option.

A dark, sexy, fancy fitout and Crown St Surry Hills location are no guarantee of quality, unfortunately. On the other hand, the fact this place is from the owners of Elizabeth Bay's terrific Gazebo Wine Room was promising. And happily, this newer spot is even better than the original. The food is standard Oz/French bistro but delicious: steak frites, charcuterie plate with good toasted bread; grilled salmon, etc. Great wine, spirits, and cocktails (I had a v.good Negroni) also abound. Service is well informed, quick and pleasant if a little erratic (they're all v. young, it seems). It ain't cheap (4 of us, admittedly with a lot of drinks) was about $300. But it was an extremely enjoyable experience whiling away the hours there and I'll be back in a heartbeat.