Nights at Mistelle

A Parisian bistro meets New York in Double Bay.

For years, drinking in Double Bay has been synonymous with long-time pubs The Sheaf and The Oak. Both are fine, but not exactly intimate. Enter Mistelle, a French-inspired wine bar that matches the suburb’s upmarket aesthetic. 

Owner Alicia Wadsworth is a local. “I always wanted to go somewhere after work for a glass of wine or nice piece of cheese, to have a good conversation with a friend, or go on a date,” she says. “I really felt like that was lacking in Double Bay.”

Wadsworth is a wine enthusiast, with a diploma from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust. “In trying different wines from different regions, you almost take a journey around the world. That really fascinates me,” she says. Mistelle is actually a type of wine made in France. Unfermented grape juice is mixed with the spirit local to each region. “They’re a bit sweet, so they’re more an aperitif or a dessert wine to have with cheese,” Wadsworth says. 

Wadsworth describes Mistelle’s design concept as “Parisian bistro meets New York,” inspired by time spent in both cities. “I feel like it’s very Double Bay, with lots of plush furnishings.” she says. The interiors include European mosaic tiles and seats covered in dusky teal velvet. “My favourite spot in any restaurant is the bar, so we have a big, long brass bar, designed to be big enough to sit for a full meal, or just a cocktail, and watch the bartenders work,” says Wadsworth.

The modern French menu is designed to share. Signature dishes are the double-baked gruyere soufflé with crab, bisque, and caviar. There’s a seafood paella with prawns, scallops, mussels, spicy chorizo and fish of the day. “Our affogato uses Campbell’s Rutherglen Muscat poured over vanilla ice cream with espresso, rather than a liqueur,” says Wadsworth.

Originally published on Broadsheet.