The Bishop

The restaurant formerly known as Bishop Sessa has had a reboot.

Now called The Bishop, the Surry Hills fine-diner has been reimagined as a moody wine bar that's absolutely ideal for date night or a chill catch up with friends. 

While things at The Bishop are a tonne more casual than before, the quality of the wine you'll sip and share plates on the menu are still high. In the kitchen is chef Troy Spencer, co-founder of Spencer Gutherie in Newtown and most recently, executive chef at TarraWarra estate in the Yarra Valley (he earned the venue a coveted chef's hat during his tenure). 

On Spencer's menu are sophisticated but hearty things like beef cheeks with whipped cashew and burnt butter, and chopped rose veal with anchovy butter. Lighter items include a cured Petuna ocean trout with yuzu curd, smoked jelly and soybeans, and roasted beetroot with goats curd and pickled shallots. 

Other must-tries are the duck and pistachio terrine with caramelised onion bread, and the braised pork jowl with boudin noir, butternut, brussels sprouts and macadamia. 

The wine list features about 30 varieties by the glass, and over 200 by the bottle. Cocktails include a 'Salty Dog Martini', a twist on the classic made dirty with a freshly shucked oyster. The cherry-based 'Wolf' is served on the rocks and will, apparently, have you howling at the moon after one bite. 

The interior has been updated too—big, comfortable leather stools flank bar tables downstairs under low-lit lamps, and upstairs a wine-coloured velvet banquette runs around the edge of the room. 

Image credit: Bob Barrett.