Roth’s Wine Bar began life as the town’s general store, where alcohol was quietly sold to local farmers under the table. Orders were placed in code: “1080” (wild dog bait), “diesel” (fuel) and “lucijet” (sheep dip) were all aliases for home-brewed drinks. In 1923, Roth was finally granted a liquor licence and has traded under it ever since, making it the longest continuously operated wine bar in NSW.

Today, the bar pours Mudgee wines exclusively, with a rotating selection from the region’s best producers alongside its own house label, Grapes of Roth, grown at a nearby vineyard in Eurunderee. You can still order a “1080”, though exactly what goes into it remains a mystery. The heritage facade of the original shopfront remains, while the former storage shed out back has been converted into a larger dining area, with a stage for live music and comedy acts.

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