It might have started off slow, but Imogen Murphy and Todd Norcott’s drink-in bottle shop Thirstville has become a go-to for knock-off drinks on Illawarra Road.

The generous daily specials ($7 glasses of wine on Mondays, $7 schooners from a rotating tap list on Tuesdays, no corkage fee for drinks purchased and consumed in-store on Wednesdays, and BYO food daily) caught customers’ attention. But it’s the wide range (250 craft beers, 1200 boutique wines and an entire fridge of fun non-alcoholic drinks) and welcoming neighbourhood vibe that keeps them coming back.

This is the kind of place where you can comfortably sit alone with a book, play a game of cards with friends, or wander in from a walk with your dog. There’s also a free pool table upstairs, and the occasional comedy night presented by local act Imaan Hadchiti.

Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant can’t pay for a review or inclusion in the Good Food Guide.