Tell us about your bar:
Annata is a wine bar and restaurant on Willoughby Road in Crows Nest. The wine, spirits and cocktail list is curated by owner and manager Christian Blair, ex-Eau De Vie manager and bartender at Rockpool Bar and Grill. The restaurant is a casual fine dining affair, with food by Jimmy Richardson, ex-Bridge Room sous chef and chef at Cafe Paci. Beyond the product, professional, friendly and personalised service is paramount. Our aim is to provide a delicious and creative mix of familiar and new flavours presented in a warm and inviting atmosphere.
What’s on the menu?
The à la carte menu offers diners a selection of fresh, seasonal dishes with flavours of global influence; dishes on the menu rotate with seasonal variation. Diners can choose to order dishes à la carte, or leave it to the professionals with The Annata Menu, a five-course shared set menu curated by our chefs, with the option of matched wines. Highlights include burrata with hazelnut crumble and radicchio [below], Skull Island prawns with goat’s milk, olive oil and tobiko, John Dory with butter sauce, Sicilian olive and finger fennel, or wagyu tri-tip with whipped bone marrow, pickled onion and duxelles.
Above: Annata Burrata, with hazelnut crumble, hen egg, balsamic and radicchio
Care for a drink?
The cocktail list is a reflection of Christian’s extensive experience in cocktail bars, focusing on simple combinations with seasonal produce and bespoke ingredients. Highlights include the ever-changing seasonal cobbler (gin, fresh fruit, sherry, citrus), 2015 Bacardi Legacy finalist The Diplomat (rum, apricot, orgeat, cardamom and lime), or the Heather & Stone (jasmine-infused Jameson, pistachio syrup, citrus and suze). The two-glass-awarded wine list is a healthy mix of old world charm and new world cool, stretching from biodynamic classics from Austria, France and Italy, to an ever-evolving selection from Australia’s new guard of small producers embracing natural, organic and orange wines.
Sounds:
The music evolves to fit the night, from jazz, to lo-fi, sample-led hip hop during the week, to more up-tempo funk, soul and grooves on the weekend. Early week encourages a calm and intimate environment, while weekends carry an energetic buzz.
Highlights:
Annata is a perfect date spot, whether it’s a first date or a wedding anniversary; our set menus and drink selection also make large groups a breeze and our friendly and engaging service means that any occasion, large or small, can be catered to in a perfect and appropriate fashion. The food and drink selection are inventive and delicious, at a level unmatched on the Lower North Shore, yet the friendly neighbourhood bar atmosphere makes Annata a versatile choice, from after work or Saturday drinks to intimate dinners or large group functions.
The bill comes to:
$50-70 per head for food. Wines start at $60/bottle or $12/glass, cocktails from $16.
Annata Sydneyis located at69 Willoughby Rd, Crows Nest
Phone number: (02) 9437 3700
Opening hours: Tue – Thu 3pm-late; Fri noon-late; Sat 3pm-late
