When Ester first arrived it was a God send for some, and a quandary for others. A restaurant that was dishing up some of the best food and booze in the city, but the environment was about as far removed from fine dining as Holden utes are from Jaguars.

Do I wear an ACDC shirt, or suit? But, of course, that was the point.

Ester proved that in Australia we want great grub and quaffable drinks, but we want to feel relaxed and comfortable while we’re chowing down. Chef and owner Mat Lindsay’s smart, simple dishes champion seasonal ingredients — often given a kiss by the wood-fired oven.

With all the drop-in wine bar swagger from spot-on service staff, to a boisterously energetic room Ester is the place to get your fingers into the food and leave formalities on the coat rack. An approachable and at times, irreverent wine list backs up chef Lindsay’s honest and playful menu to a tee. Butterflied prawns are roasted in the oven and lathered in burnt butter. The wobbly meat butter of bone marrow comes with a slap of house-made XO, while charred spatchcock nests in a gorgeous garlic bread sauce.

Just make sure you order the burnt meringue — a play on the classic pavlova.

Must eat: Blood sausage sanga