Dining at Matt Moran’s Aria is a rite of passage for lovers of fine food and wine, and come July 14 the fine diner in the heart of Circular Quay will reopen its doors for the first time since March.

And with the reopening comes an exciting change.

While a new menu will celebrate Australian produce at its best (think kangaroo with palm heart and macadamia, and organic pork jowl with caramelised persimmon and cauliflower), part of the restaurant is set to be transformed into a relaxed wine bar.

The wine bar, which is scheduled to open in late 2020 will offer an extensive wine list with more than 80 wines by the glass and 1700 bottles. “The Aria wine bar concept is a great opportunity to show another side of this special place,” says Anna Solomon, co-owner of Aria. “It’s going to be a wonderful place to enjoy rare wines and watch the world pass by.”

With Solomon, Moran, Joel Bickford (Aria’s head chef) and Alex Kirkwood (Aria’s head sommelier) at the helm, the wine bar is set to be the hottest ticket in town. Guests will be able to pop in without a reservation and nibble on sophisticated snacks by Bickford and order a drink (or two) from Kirkwood’s curated wine list.

“I’m looking forward to designing new dishes that can be enjoyed in a more relaxed setting alongside a cocktail or a few glasses of wine,” says Bickford. “The dishes we’ll put on the bar menu are more casual than what we’ve done in the past, but still use the same great produce and techniques our kitchen is known for.”

Let’s all raise a glass to that.