An intimate new wine bar and bistro serving caviar crumpets, house-baked focaccia and dry-aged bistecca has opened this week in Cronulla, called Fred’s After Hours.

Popular cafe, premium grocer and butchery Fred’s Providore is adding another string to its bow from Thursday, transforming into an evening venue.

Golden hues adorn the intimate, European-inspired space, while the leather banquette and marble tables perched beneath the exposed brick feature wall make for a perfect place to enjoy one of the 16 wines by the glass, specialty cocktails and share plates.

Owner Nathan Creary moved into the site on the mall following the second COVID-19 lockdown in 2021, when the area was struggling and there were a string of vacant shop fronts.

The builder turned butcher initially launched Fred’s Providore as a specialty retail store, but Creary said the plan was always to open the cafe and wine bar.

“We wanted to create a space that caters for people all day, from early morning until late,” he said.

“Rather than doing it for the masses, we thought why not make it smaller, more premium and all about the experience.”

Those experiences extend from intentional design elements like the fluted glass signage with gold leaf stencilling and pop-up tables that extend along the bar, to the food and drinks on offer.

The drinks list by sommelier Jeff Beresford features wines from Australia, New Zealand, France and Italy, with Pol Roger and Ruinart champagne both available by the glass.

Meanwhile, the venue’s signature cocktails all have the option to be paired with an indulgent caviar crisp.

The Fred’s Passionfruit Martini – the team’s take on a pornstar martini – also comes served with a side of prosecco palate cleanser to ensure guests get maximum flavour from each of the dishes.

Patrons can start their evening with bite-size snacks like the house-baked, artisan focaccia made fresh onsite every day, tuna crudo bites, Olasagasti anchovy gildas, Fred’s brioche lobster roll or the decadent Black Pearl Oscietra caviar with crumpets.

The food menu also features a selection of small and large share plates, including grass-fed steak tartare from the butchery that’s accompanied with house-baked focaccia and 24-month parmigiano reggiano, charcoal grilled Fremantle octopus with macadamia cream and a MB9+ wagyu intercostal skewer.

Fred’s After Hours is located at 109 Cronulla St, Cronulla NSW.