Septimus House ofCheese and Wine

Step off the East End footpath at 220 Grenfell Street and Septimus does its best to convince you you've slipped into a cosy French wine bar. Across two candlelit storeys, Adelaide's self-styled House of Cheese and Wine pairs a serious cellar with artisan cheese boards and considered charcuterie. The list bridges Old World and New — Champagne, Burgundy and the Rhône alongside the Barossa, Clare Valley, McLaren Vale and Coonawarra — with back vintages, verticals and rare allocations arranged by varietal, region and producer rather than by price. A specials board suggests wines with the cheeses cut to match them, and the owner runs private tastings that regulars rate among the city's best. It is the sort of place made for arriving alone, taking a seat at the counter, and letting the staff steer you somewhere you wouldn't have found on your own.