Gallon Wine Bar and Restaurant truly wears its Pyrmont history with pride. Located inside a heritage sandstone building, Gallon retains the charm and nostalgia of its colonial past while boasting modern, imaginative interior design featurs and decor. Add to that Gallon’s extraordinary menu, comprehensive wine list and impeccable service and it’s easy to see why this Pyrmont identity draws patrons from near and far.
Even the name “Gallon” references the past; it refers to the gallon of rum that was paid by John MacArthur to purchase the land around Pyrmont. Gallon the restaurant came into being in 2009 when Jarina and Julian bought what was then an office space in a burgeoning Pyrmont destination precinct.
They gutted, cleaned, and completely refurbished the two storey space to create a beautiful dining venue featuring exposed sandstone walls, courtyards, beer garden, themed rooms — in short, a restaurant that is as much a feast for the eyes as it is for the taste buds.
“We’ve got lots of little things we’ve picked up from the auction places that have a meaning around Pyrmont: how Pyrmont formed, what it used to be…every time you come and you sit in a different place, you feel like you’re in a different bar,” says Jarina.
It’s not just about the visual aesthetics, of course — Gallon has a stunning menu to match. Jarina hails from Slovakia where the cuisine puts emphasis on freshness and simplicity, and she transfers that food philosophy to Gallon.
Ingredients are locally sourced and always fresh, nothing is frozen. As such, they offer seasonal specials along with their signature dishes, some of which have gained their own celebrity status.
“We’re quite famous for the chicken wings. We’ve got one of the best chicken wings in NSW,” boasts Jarina.
They also do delicious meatballs, slow roasted pork, lamb shoulder and beef, share plates (including hot crumbed cheese), and pizzas, each of which is named after a member of Jarina’s family.
Gallon is very popular among wine connoisseurs and those who appreciate a well selected or well constructed beverage.
“We’re one of the best wine bars, and we’re not really just a wine bar, we do lots of cocktails,” says Jarina. In fact, Gallon is one of the preferred venues for Sydney Wine Centre to hold wine tasting events. Gallon has also just launched their spritz season featuring various refreshing spritz recipes.
Gallon is at the heart of Pyrmont, but Pyrmont is also in the heart of Gallon. It’s in their decor, they share stories and suggest attractions to their patrons, and they have built relationships with other businesses in the area, including Sydney Lyric.
“We do pre-show drinks, we’ve got a quick menu for people who come pre-show,” says Jarina.
There are a variety of spaces available for functions, too. They can cater for 10 to 150 people with the bigger areas being the Sunroom, Stables bar and courtyard.
Open until midnight, Monday to Saturday, until 10pm on Sunday