Bar Thyme is a relaxed neighbourhood bar and bistro with a focus on sustainability, seasonal produce and natural wines. The warm and friendly space on Barkly Street invites you to spend ‘thyme’ with family and friends with its approachable share-style dishes and drinks, but you can just as easily stop in for a solo vino. As is the case with all great locals, the bar’s philosophy is that everyone and anyone’s welcome to drop by.
A project by Howard Stamp, once head chef at Movida and part of the Lincoln Hotel team, Bar Thyme runs a more sophisticated food and drink program than you might expect at first glance. The ever-revolving menu changes weekly (sometimes daily) based on seasonal availability, using the best produce from both local and ethics-driven suppliers.
Think freshly shucked oysters, sourdough bread baked daily, sirloin steak with Café de Paris butter, smoked mackerel rillettes and a hearty ham hock, carrot and parsley terrine. An exceptionally pretty heirloom zucchini salad arrives with fried flowers, ricotta and a sprinkling of lemon, while thrice-cooked chips with HP sauce give a nod to Stamp’s British roots.
Along those lines, you’ll also notice vintage menus from 1972 London hanging on the walls and travel knick-knacks on the shelves – curiously homey touches for a bistro with serious culinary chops. The considered wine list is composed of natty wines from near and far, with the spotlight on smaller organic and biodynamic producers. Not sure what you’d like to drink? The bar staff are happy and eager to help you find the right bottle.
Bar Thyme is also, at its heart, a cocktail bar – so you can expect a mix of true classics and inventive signature drinks to round out your evening. All syrups and soft drinks are housemade, and if you’re off the grog, there’s plenty of alcohol-free bevvies to enjoy that are just as thoughtful and interesting.
