Love, Tilly Devine

On the Grid : Love Tilly Devine

"The longest wine list and a romantic setting, perfect for dinner dates and drinks with friends." - Universal Favourite

The 31 Best Places To Eat & Stay In Sydney - The Infatuation

"There are some things you don’t want to have to search for, like alcohol at your brother’s roommate’s art show. But other times, the search is part of the fun. Love, Tilly Devine is hidden down an alleyway in the backstreets of Darlinghurst, and you’ll feel both accomplished and like a local once you find it. This split-level wine cellar—full of hanging plants and tables for two—has a small food menu and a huge drinks list with cocktails, local beers, and over 300 wine options. If you’re already feeling overwhelmed, the specials are a good place to start and the staff are extremely knowledgeable, friendly, and always ready to help you figure out which Chablis will work with the duck liver pâté." - Caroline Clements 33

"Love Tilly Devine, Darlinghurst by Universal Favourite. The longest wine list and a romantic setting, perfect for dinner dates and drinks with friends."

Sydney

Love Tilly Devine - Review - Potts Point - Sydney - The Infatuation

21 Best Bars in Sydney | Condé Nast Traveler

@cntraveler

"Love Tilly Devine, an intimate alleyway gem in trendy Darlinghurst, is exclusively a wine bar; its wine list boasts more than 300 wines from all over the world. The wines-by-the-glass list is impressive too, featuring predominantly Australian wines from the nearby Hunter Valley, as well as the Barossa Valley, Heathcote, and Adelaide Hills. For something light, punchy, and perfect for day-drinking, try Aussie producer Momento Mori's Fistful of Flowers (2017), a quirky, organic orange wine." - Kris Fordham, Laura Dannen Redman

Colin Chan

Google

Great wine bar that opens late. Superb decor and vibes and friendly (if slightly distracted) staff. Good selection of interesting natural wines, including orange macerated. Would come here again for food if we ever find ourselves I the area again.

Jason Lau

Google

Came here as a group of 6 and enjoyed their set menu. The food was quite delicious however I find it quite expensive especially for the quantity provided. I was particularly disappointed with the pasta dish where we had a plate (which small) to be shared between two. Our group left the restaurant feeling hungry. The service and wine was great though!

Rena Chong

Google

Honestly extremely disappointed with our experience at Love, Tilly Devine. We made a booking of 8 people and hence it was mandated that we took the set menu. We were only allowed to be at the table for 90 minutes, but at the end of 90 mins, we have not received all our food from the set menu. Because there was another reservation, we were given the only option to ‘sit’ outside. To finish the rest of our food on these tiny roadside tables. The tables could barely hold all our drinks let alone plates and cutleries. If the kitchen is not equipped for big groups, maybe you should not mandate for them to get the set menu? We would have been happy to just stay for some drinks and the vibes and have dinner elsewhere. Food was extremely overpriced and mediocre as well. For a $60 set menu I expected to be full after leaving but we were all still hungry. 90% of the food was literally not even cooked. Literally something you could have gotten yourself at the grocery store. I have attached a photo of the set menu with my review. Like the Dutch carrots were literally raw. And the whipped cod roe just tasted like a dip you could get from woolies? We also ordered some extra LP’s pig’s head sausage, potato bun, tomato relish (which by the way is literally just a very dry standard hotdog), the staff had forgotten to serve us our order and told us that all our food was served. They only corrected the order when one of us picked it up and asked for it. Overall, mediocre food, overpriced menu, very average service. You might get a nice photo from instagram though, if that’s a plus..

Efrén Barón

Google

One of my favorite places in Sydney. Great selection of wine and small bites. Casual low key vibes. Good music. Will be back soon!

Couch Potato

Google

So pleased I made it here. It has fab food one seldom gets to try and wine of course. The waitress put us at ease and made us feel happier right away. The chef was happy to chat about the venue AND brought the food to us himself - that never happens. Last, if you are a history nerd like me the atmosphere and links to its namesake with entertain. Thanks guys.

Laura Garcia

Google

When you finally tick another great venue of the bucket list, from the friendly service to the perfectly executed food! make sure to order the one of each from the small but mighty menu. The wine list is great too.

Annie McCann

Google

Each of the dishes were so fresh and full of flavour, and we loved the chic candlelit vibe. We had the Feed Me - would strongly recommend. The staff were particularly kind and helpful and the playlist created a warm and laid back ambience. We didn't try any of the wines but we'd definitely go back.

Casley Rowan

Google

First time at this bar and cannot wait to come back! The waitstaff were some of the best and kindest I’ve come across, which only added to the impeccable vibe and delicious food and wine. The bar is cozy but not too loud that you can’t have a conversation. A really perfect place for an after work catch up with a friend, a place to start the night with some nibbles or honestly a place to park yourself for the evening to fully enjoy their menu and wine options. I’ll be back, thanks again to the staff for being so great!

Mailys P.

Yelp

Great little wine bar is a back lane of Darlo ! Perfect for a casual date or a catchup with a friend :-) There cheese food platter is to die for - very generous portions for 24$ with delicious grilled bread and slices of pear / walnuts. There wine list is huge - do not hesitate to try something different and ask for advice as they are passionate about their wines and knowledgable !

Joel Amigo H.

Yelp

Tilly Devine comes in a small package but packs a punch, it's tucked away in Crown Lane, and can be a bit difficult to locate amidst the small eateries around lower Darlinghurst, so bring you're phone to guide you. The cute bar staff with their hipster big rimmed glasses, styled hair, and low-rise skinny jeans, are not only very attractive, but offer up some acute knowledge on the origins of their wine list, and bar food. To start we were sheltered from the horrible weather outside, to a small thin table, which was a tad too long for proper conversation. Although, with olives and bread, good wine and good music (although a bit too loud) there wasn't much room left for an intimate conversation. We shared 3 plates, starting with the Burrawong duck's liver pate with sweet and sour onions for $14, which was smooth and divine, although the onions were a bit on the small side. Second we had buffalo Mozzarella with shaved prosciutto for $15 which melted in the mouth, the creamy cheese was godly. Third we enjoyed the Sashimi style Whitebait served with olive oil, lemon juice, and mint, thinly layered and served, it was sweet and tangy from the acidic lemon, and smoothly soft in texture. The wine list was amazing, and next time I will get the waitress to explain to me each wine of choice, as the extensive menu put's a damper on being indecisive.

Just A.

Yelp

There's nothing I can fault with my sole experience at this cute little wine bar on a Saturday night. The planets were aligned as our group of 3 scored a free car park, just down the road, then strolled in to Ms Devine's, without a booking, and jagged the perfect table. Thank you Yelp for steering me in this direction. Being a small capacity wine bar, they offer a great variety of small producer wines by the glass and a neat round off with about 12 small plates of delights to tantalise even the most sluggish of taste buds. Staff recommendations are spot on and the food comes out quickly. I am amazed that such delights are produced in a space occupied by 4 staff, with not enough room to swing a cat. That's talent, right there. If you want a perfect inner city date spot, or a spot to hang with a couple of your posse, over a wine glass or two, this is my recommendation.

Laura N.

Yelp

Love, Tilly Devine is more a statement of fact versus a cutesy name. In fact, you could just remove that comma altogether, because truly, I Love Tilly Devine. It's small, sultry, savvy and manages to do everything right from a simple seasonal menu (think: Buffalo mozzarella and broadbeans and/or marinated sardines, currants, pine nuts and radicchio) to a intimate atmosphere that makes you want to have "just one more." (Whether that's one more glass, one more hour, one more lover, or all of the above...) Here's what it really boils down to: 300 wines. 40 seats. You do the math.

Danielle L.

Yelp

2 girls walk down a dark alley in the middle of Surry Hills. The walls are covered with graffiti and as they pass giant mounds of rubbish buns the one girls lets called her Danielle begins to get concerned Danielle "Are you sure we're in the right place?" Friend "Yes yes, keep walking...." Danielle " Ok, but if we die I'm blaming you" Friend " Almost there...you'll see" And bang in the middle of some nowhere back alley is this stunning bar which requires and introduction to find it. The owners of Love Tilly Devine love more than ms Devine - they're obsessed with wine! They take their drinking very seriously, with a wonderful collection to choose from. Glasses start from $10 - but you're not going to order the cheap one are you? So rather, the first glass you'll buy costs $18 - but it will be from somewhere fancy like France or Italy so I'm sure you can justify the cost. I love this bar,I love the vibe and I'm going to admit I love the exclusivity! Thumbs up from me!

Pablo M.

Yelp

You decide, for some reason, to embrace your hipster tendencies. You also realize you need wine. This is small and cozy. The wine list by the bottle is captivating, but the offer by the glass is sad, very sad. Given that this is not a cocktail bar, make sure you hit the wines and ensure there is enough stamina or mouths to warrant whole bottles. The card machine was broken so we actually just stopped for one drink! But do love to come here from time to time.

Christa L.

Yelp

Cute place that from outside is seemingly a whole in the wall in an alley. When you go in to the front door it's an adorable fully stocked wine bar. Service is fantastic; they take the time to give you recommendations and they even gave us restaurant ideas in the area we were staying. Such a lovely place and absolutely adorable.

Benjamin B.

Yelp

Back alley yadda yadda . . . small bar yadda yadda . . . prohibition yadda yadda . . . Old story by now but one that (ironically) never gets old for LTD because this joint is just a damned delight, it really is. Urrtime I come here the staff are happy and congenial, helpful and smiley, and sashay about finding you seats and bringing you drinks like it's the easiest, most casual thing in the world. No pretence. No awkwardness. No horrid, earnest over-helpfulness. Riesling, the menu declares, is the best drink on the planet and the best drink at this bar, so I went with the Pyramid ($9) which was slightly fizzy and grassy up the wazoo. From there we moved onto Aperol Fizz, rounds of them, because who doesn't like happy sparkly light refreshing alcoholic drinks with two juicy olives riding shotgun? Nobody, that's who. I'd just smashed a monster meal elsewhere and regretted it, because the bar snack menu is super affordable (different varieties of gourmet bruschetta for $5? Bitch puh-leaz!) and interesting enough that I wanted all of it in my face hole. Next time, Gadget. Next time.

Mark F.

Yelp

This hard-to-find hole-in-the-wall is worth the effort for a drink, but the menu is a little on the light side for me. The wine list is impressive, and the glassware is great - something often overlooking in smaller places. The space is interesting and funky, definitely a hip crowd of all ages. Finding a seat was truly lucky, as the place was very full but seemed to be turning tables fairly regularly. The pate was OK, the bread lovingly toasted and garlicky flavoured, and enough to keep the proverbial wolves from the door, but to be honest not much else appealed on the menu - perhaps we were a bit jaded by then, hard to say, and a second approach is definitely needed. Worth a visit!

Beth J.

Yelp

Perfect little wine bar tucked away in Darlinghurst. The space is cosy and very European. The wine list is EPIC - only a few featured wines and beers are available by the glass but by the bottle the list goes for pages and pages and can accommodate any price range. We stopped in for a pre-dinner drink, but the share plates look amazing so we'll be back for dinner and more of their fine beverages.

Melissa S.

Yelp

I was a bit hesitant to go here to be honest. Darlinghurst....hipsters...you know. But I was pleasantly surprised by the awesome atmosphere and the phenomenal staff. Tucked away in God knows where...Love, Tilly Devine clearly believes that old fashioned service will guarantee you repeat customers. And they've pretty much got it sorted. For a pleasant change you take a seat and a menu is brought to you and you get table service. No long queues here! And they know their stuff! I asked for a sweet white wine and the waiter suggested one saying and I quote 'it's f#%king delicious'. And do you know what? It was! Even though I was more in the mood for a cocktail the wine really hit the spot to wind down a night of heavy drinking. It's a bit pokey and close but you can still enjoy some privacy. And it really adds to its old school charm.

James E.

Yelp

Cute, hard-to-find, cozy, sophisticated little bar. The food was great. The wine list was HUGE, but I'd rather see more Australian wines. Oh well, we were in Darlinghurst... The staff were professional, rather than particularly friendly - another Darlo characteristic? In any case, I loved it. We'll be back!

Zoe K.

Yelp

I want this place to stay exactly how it is. Where to start!? The location, the vibe, the historical nod and the wine- all perfect. Attentive knowledgeable staff that wait on you as soon as you sit down, who are happy to chat and give honest recommendations. 10 pm on a Saturday night, and the atmosphere is just perfect- its not too crowded, the music isn't too loud. We were lucky enough to sit at the front window and watch people pass through the alleyway with curious looks as they spot the hole-in-the-wall bar. The wine list is extensive with some unusual labels. Not very many cocktails and the food is more meant for nibbles rather than a meal. I'm quite sure I will return!

Moe K.

Yelp

Love this place for a great wine and a quiet conversation. The staff are amazing and know their stuff and the atmosphere is chilled. Great hidden in the wall gem.

Alecia W.

Yelp

Love, Tilly Devine has a more than impressive wine list. Who knew that many types of Riesling even existed? I wandered down to this back alley wine bar with a few girlfriends for a post-meal vino one night. Though all tables were taken, the staff made their best efforts to accommodate us at the front of the dining room on some stools by a wraparound bench. One of the girls had tasted the pâté on a previous visit and insisted we try it ourselves - served with sweet and sour onions and toasted bread slices, it was indeed an indulgent duck liver treat. A gluttonous order to begin with (we were already full as googs from dinner at Phamish up the road), the half-eaten starter was put aside for grazing later on. My eyes widened with horror moments later when a jurassically large cockroach crawled across the plate, then u-turned to burrow around in the dip. We didn't bother mentioning it to the staff; I'd say it definitely wasn't a kitchen-dwelling friend as we were seated right by the street-facing entrance where the windows had been folded back to let in the balmy March air. And perhaps some laneway critters, too. I'll be insisting on a table further inside on my next trip to this awesome little wine bar.

Elliott W.

Yelp

wine wine wine, so much wine. thank goodness for helpful staff who know their way around the menu or else I would have spent a long time trying to figure out what to order. This place fills up FAST though Thursday-Saturday so if you're going either go early or go earlier in the week to avoid disappointment over not getting a seat. Great little place!

Serafina F.

Yelp

Too cute and cool for school. If you can cope with the dodgy back lanes, it's the perfect winter venue. It's tiny so get there early or be prepared to wait. Great wine list, great sounds, great staff. Have not ventured to the menu yet, but that's for the next visit!

Lauren B.

Yelp

If Underbelly: Razor has taught us anything, it's that you don't say no to Tilly Devine. So don't. Pop your head into this wine bar hidden in the backstreets of the Sydney heavyweight's former neighbourhood, and come to eat, drink and be merry. The focus here is on quality wine - and with around 300 wines from around the world making it onto the list, you're certainly spoilt for choice. For those on a budget, there are a good number available by the glass. Have a nibble on bread or olives, or enjoy a cheesy threesome of goat's blue, brie and cloth-bound cheddar. This is the place to bring your date or a few favourite friends for a bit of special love from Ms Devine.

On the Grid : Love Tilly Devine

"The longest wine list and a romantic setting, perfect for dinner dates and drinks with friends." - Universal Favourite

The 31 Best Places To Eat & Stay In Sydney - The Infatuation

"Love Tilly Devine, Darlinghurst by Universal Favourite. The longest wine list and a romantic setting, perfect for dinner dates and drinks with friends."

Sydney

Love Tilly Devine - Review - Potts Point - Sydney - The Infatuation

21 Best Bars in Sydney | Condé Nast Traveler

@cntraveler