A serious new wine bar oasis in Burleigh Heads from the local team behind award-winning Restaurant Labart. Modern Australian and Mediterranean influences can be seen from the light filled bar through to the menu, and the wine list is focused on minimal intervention producers, and coupled with some old world classic styles.
Order by the glass so you can try as many different varietals as possible and be guided by the knowledgable Paloma team.
Paloma is the latest creation of owners Alex and Karla Munoz Labart, who also run the award-winning Restaurant Labart in Burleigh Heads, which has established a new high-quality benchmark in the town since opening in 2018. They’ve long desired opening a separate wine bar as a business companion.
“We always knew we wanted to open a casual, relaxed wine bar in the neighbourhood at some stage,” says Karla. In 2011, a venue became available on busy James Street, and the husband-and-wife team embarked on a clever transformation of the space. It now a few pavement tables that serve to draw your attention in through the open frontage to the long bar sweeping down one wall, opposite a stylish banquette and small circular cocktail tables.
“It was a dark and cavernous place, so we gutted the inside and opened it up to introduce a light-filled, more colourful beachside atmosphere,” says Karla. “The atmosphere is what makes Paloma special. It doesn’t have a beach view like some neighbouring bars in Burleigh, but the buzz that comes from inside the space is something that’s hard to resist.”
The wine list predominantly features small, boutique producers who practice minimal intervention techniques, along with a solid representation of old world, classic-style wines, and an event split between international and domestic producers.
“The pedigree of Restaurant Labart leads some people to think Paloma will be all about food. Although the food is exceptional, it’s simple – a seasonal menu of small plates that change frequently based on the fresh produce available from our local suppliers on the day, whether that be salumi or sardines. The focus is definitely first and foremost about wine,” says Alex.
“Paloma is a place to drop in for a glass or two or three, with no reservation required – and the food is all about small plates, designed to share. The idea is to graze and work your way through a series of plates while you try different wines. This is not a formal, restaurant-style dining experience – you can head to our sibling venue for that treat.”
Indeed, with Restaurant Labart now booked for two sittings, staff like to send diners to Paloma for a drink before or after dinner. “Beyond that, it’s also a great place to settle in for a long, lazy afternoon of snacks and drinks with friends,” says Karla.
Cru Bar & Cellar is woven into the fabric of Brisbane, with the pioneering venue never seeming to show its age, even after over a decade and a half. Wrapped around a central onyx bar, tables skirt the perimeter of the building, with patrons even seated on the sills of the retractable windows, almost spilling…
Until he opened La Lune Wine Co, chef Paul Mc Givern was perhaps best known for his exploits on the fine dining scene, notably at East Brisbane’s The Wolfe, which achieved its fair share of critical acclaim. And though McGivern again pushed into that sphere with Corella (now closed), the equation that underpins La Lune…
It would be easy to be absorbed by brilliant tapas and paella across a vast menu of Catalan and Basque specialties while drinking excellent cocktails, but don’t forget to investigate the wine list, which is crammed with thoughtful and exciting selections, from the humble to the grand.
Please sign in or create account as candidate to bookmark this job
Please sign in or create account to save this search
Please sign in or create account as candidate to create a resume
