Stafford Road Wine Bar

About Stafford Road Wine Bar

Stafford Rd Wine Bar is a local corner bar in Northcote Point, focused on wine, craft beer, spirits, cocktails and tapas. In November 2009, half of the neighbouring Point Wines shop floorspace was excavated to create the wine and tapas bar, and the two businesses have shared a symbiotic relationship ever since, giving Stafford Rd access to a deep wine resource on both sides of the kitchen.

The bar occupies a building dating to 1911, and deliberately preserves the old-world, rustic character of the space. Refreshed in February 2020, the interior now blends plush chesterfield furniture, brass, stained oak and white granite, giving it the feel of a speakeasy from the roaring '20s with a modern touch. Plentiful outdoor sidewalk seating adds an option to catch the afternoon sun.

The drinks list runs deep, with a continuously revised wine list — most offered by the glass — spanning bubbles, aromatics, rosé, pinot gris, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, pinot noir, syrah, merlot and cabernet blends, and more. Four tap craft beers and over thirty bottled and canned craft beers sit alongside a curated Stafford Rd cocktail list and a superior spirits offering. BYO wine is available through Point Wines next door.

Stafford Rd Wine Bar: A Speakeasy-Style Corner Bar in Northcote Point

Tucked into fashionable Northcote Point, Stafford Rd Wine Bar has built a genuine local following as a corner bar centred on wine, craft beer, spirits, cocktails and tapas. It's a bar that prides itself on being a neighbourhood fixture — somewhere locals come back to again and again rather than a destination for a single big night out.

Born from a wine shop

Stafford Rd Wine Bar's story is tied closely to its neighbour, Point Wines. In November 2009, half of the Point Wines shop floorspace was excavated to make room for a new wine and tapas bar. That symbiotic relationship has continued ever since, giving the bar access to a deep well of wine knowledge and product from next door — and giving customers the option to BYO wine straight from Point Wines if they'd rather bring their own bottle.

A building with history

The bar occupies a building dating back to 1911, and the interior deliberately preserves that old-world, rustic character. Refreshed in February 2020, the space now blends plush chesterfield furniture, brass fittings, stained oak and white granite — the kind of combination that could easily pass for a speakeasy straight out of the roaring '20s, but with a distinctly modern touch. Plentiful outdoor sidewalk seating adds another dimension, letting guests catch the afternoon sun and watch the world go by.

A wine list built to explore

Stafford Rd's wine list is continuously revised, with a thoughtful and versatile range of carefully selected wines, most offered by the glass so you can work your way through a few styles in one sitting. The bubbles section alone runs from an approachable Prosecco through to Bollinger and Veuve Clicquot, while the still wine list covers aromatics, rosé, pinot gris, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, pinot noir, syrah and shiraz, and a solid merlot and cabernet selection — pulling from New Zealand regions like Marlborough, Central Otago and Hawke's Bay alongside France, Italy, Spain, Australia and the US.

Beer, spirits and cocktails

Beyond wine, Stafford Rd pours four tap craft beers and stocks more than thirty craft beers by the can or bottle, alongside a superior spirits offering and a curated list of Stafford Rd cocktails. The Espresso Martini, Negroni, Pornstar Martini and a Gin or Whisky Sour all feature, alongside a seasonal Mulled Wine for cooler evenings.

Finding the bar

Stafford Rd Wine Bar is easy to find — take the first exit (Stafford Rd) after the Harbour Bridge heading north. Whether it's just you or you're bringing a group, the bar positions itself as having the key ingredients for a good time, wrapped in a cosy, characterful setting that's hard to replicate elsewhere on the North Shore.

Signature items

• Espresso Martini
• Negroni
• Pornstar Martini
• Southside
• Mulled Wine
• Gin or Whisky Sour

Menu

Cocktails

• Spritz — Aperol or Limoncello, Prosecco & soda
• Pornstar Martini — Vodka, lime juice, passionfruit syrup, Prosecco
• Margarita — Lime juice, tequila, sugar syrup, Cointreau
• Negroni — Gin, Campari, Vermouth Rosso, Angostura bitters
• Espresso Martini — Vodka, Kahlua, sugar syrup, espresso coffee
• Caramel Espresso Martini — Vodka, Kahlua, sugar syrup, caramel syrup, espresso coffee
• Mulled Wine — Red wine, spices, seasonal fruit
• Mojito — White rum, lemon juice, sugar syrup, mint
• Southside — Lighthouse gin, lemon juice, sugar syrup, mint
• Gin or Whisky Sour — Scapegrace gin or Wild Turkey, sugar syrup, egg, lemon juice

Beer On Tap

• Sawmill Pilsner
• Urbanaut Lager
• Urbanaut Hazy Pale Ale
• Sawmill IPA

Other Drinks

• Bundaberg Ginger Beer
• Sodas & Juices
• Fever Tree Premium Tonic Range
• Coffee & Tea

Wine - Rosé

• Les Petites Jamelies Rose — Languedoc, France
• Peregrine Rose — Central Otago, NZ
• Château Roubine 'La Vie En Rose' Rosé — Côtes de Provence, France

Wine - Bubbles

• JK .14 'Ombra' Valdobbiadene Prosecco Brut DOC — Treviso, Italy
• Billecart Salmon Inspiration 1818 Brut — Mareuil-sur-Ay, Champagne, France
• Bollinger Special Cuvee NV — Ay, Champagne
• Moet & Chandon Brut (.375ml) — Eperney, Champagne
• No1 Family Estate Rose — Marlborough, NZ
• Tattinger Brut Reserve — Reims, France
• Veuve Clicquot — Reims, Champagne

Wine - Aromatics

• Domaine Jovly, Vouvray — Loire Valley, France
• Nautilus, Albarino — Marlborough, NZ
• Hawkshead Pinot Blanc — Central Otago, NZ
• Mt Edward, Gruner Veltliner — Central Otago, NZ
• Pegasus Bay, Riesling — North Canterbury, NZ

Wine - Chardonnay

• Matchbook — Napa, US
• Cave de Lugny Macon-Villages — Bourgogne, France
• Babich 'Irongate' — Hawkes Bay, NZ
• Pyramid Valley — Central Otago, NZ
• Denis Race, Chablis — Burgundy, France
• Bilancia 'Tiratore' — Hawke's Bay, NZ

Wine - Other Reds

• Vina Amate Tempranillo — Rioja, Spain
• Spencer Block, Malbec — Mendoza, Argentina
• Domaine Chermette Griottes Beaujolais — France
• JK14 Lirica Primitivo — Manduria, Italy
• Umani Ronchi "Podere" — Montepulciano D'Abruzzo, Italy

Wine - Pinot Gris

• Two Rivers "Phoenix" — Marlborough, NZ
• Peregrine — Central Otago, NZ
• Man O' War "Exiled" — Waiheke Island, NZ
• Arthur Metz 'Anne-Laure' — Alsace, France
• Prophet's Rock — Bendigo, Otago, NZ

Wine - Pinot Noir

• Martinborough Vineyard 'Te Tera' — Martinborough, NZ
• Grasshopper Rock — Central Otago, NZ
• Fromm 'Natural' — Marlborough, NZ
• Peregrine — Central Otago, NZ
• Felton Road — Otago, NZ

Bottled & Canned Beer

• Heineken — Lager
• Corona — Lager
• Asahi — Lager
• Peroni — Lager
• Steinlager Classic — Lager
• Garage Project "Beer" — Lager
• Urbanaut Miami Low Carb — Lager
• Cassels Milk Stout — Dark & stout
• Little Creatures — Pale ale
• Peckhams Apple Cider — Cider
• Heineken 0% — Non-alcoholic
• Garage Project Fugazi 2.2% — Light strength
• Sawmill Bare Beer — Light strength

Wine - Syrah & Shiraz

• Linke, Shiraz — Barossa Valley, Australia
• Elephant Hill, Syrah — Hawke's Bay, NZ
• The Fox & The Grapes — South Australia
• Chateau Fortia Chateauneuf du Pape — Southern Rhône Valley, France
• Bilancia 'La Collina' — Hawke's Bay, NZ
• Craggy Range, Le Sol — Gimblett Gravels, NZ

Wine - Sauvignon Blanc

• Rapaura Springs 'Rohe' Dillons Point — Marlborough, NZ
• Dog Point — Southern Valleys, Marlborough, NZ

Wine - Merlot & Cabernets

• Yalumba 'Sanctum' Cabernet Sauvignon — Coonawarra, Australia
• Alpha Domus 'Navigator' — Hawke's Bay, NZ
• Chateau Barton & Guestier Cuvee — Bordeaux, France
• Vasse Felix, Cabernet Merlot — Margaret River, Australia
• Puriri Hills, Bordeaux Blend — Clevedon, NZ

Frequently asked questions

What does Stafford Rd Wine Bar serve?

Wine, craft beer, spirits, cocktails and tapas.

What's the story behind Stafford Rd Wine Bar?

It opened in November 2009 in excavated floorspace from the neighbouring Point Wines shop, in a building dating to 1911, and was refreshed in February 2020.

Can I BYO wine?

Yes, BYO is available through the adjoining Point Wines shop.

What are the opening hours?

Monday to Wednesday 4pm-10pm, Thursday 3pm-11pm, Friday and Saturday 2pm-11pm, and Sunday 3pm-10pm. Note the site also lists a slightly different set of hours elsewhere, so it's worth calling ahead to confirm.

Is there outdoor seating?

Yes, plentiful outdoor sidewalk seating is available.

How do I find the bar?

Take the first exit (Stafford Rd) after the Harbour Bridge heading north.

Do they serve cocktails?

Yes, a curated selection of Stafford Rd cocktails is available alongside the wine and beer list.

Tips

• {"body":"The site lists two slightly different sets of opening hours, so it's worth calling ahead to confirm.","title":"Confirm hours before visiting"}
• {"body":"BYO wine is available through Point Wines next door.","title":"Ask about BYO"}
• {"body":"Outdoor seating is available for catching the afternoon sun.","title":"Grab the sidewalk seating"}
• {"body":"The Espresso Martini and Negroni are part of the bar's curated cocktail list.","title":"Try a Stafford Rd cocktail"}

Good to know

• {"payments":"BYO wine available via adjoining Point Wines shop"}