Paddington's Tiny Wine Bar
10 William Street in Paddington is the closest thing to a Roman enoteca in Sydney — a tiny standing-only wine bar, careful pasta, considered antipasti, and a deep natural-wine programme that has built a fiercely loyal following.
The cooking is Italian wine-bar at proper restaurant standards: handmade pasta in single-serve preparations, considered cured meats and cheeses, and the kind of small-format Italian cooking that the format demands.
What to Order
Pasta first — small-format, daily-rolled, the seasonal preparations the strongest part. Cured meats and cheeses from the kitchen's small selection. The wine list rewards a confident natural-wine order from the staff.
The Format
The format is standing-room-only at a counter. Reservations are not the format; arrive early or wait. The room is genuinely small.
Best Occasion: First Date
10 William Street is a Paddington first-date win for diners who want the unconventional format. The standing-counter context provides immediate conversation; the wine programme provides the evening's pacing; the price point allows a return visit.