Being down the quiet side of Norton Street, down by the City West Link, which is actually quite…read moreloud now that I think about it, so perhaps my initial adjective was a poorly chosen one, is Amato's Liquor. One of a couple of business's that occupy the lot on the corner. What it is, is basically a warehouse full of alcohol. Like a Bunning's Warehouse of booze. It's huge. Wine's as far as the eye can see and a wide selection of beers and spirits. Ice is available in their freezers and bits and pieces necessary for a party are sold here as well. There is a parking lot out the front and trolley's are available should you be requiring a large amount of grog. While Amato's isn't the cheapest bottle shop, that's not to say that it's expensive, but it is not a discount retailer. Ideal for parties, when you're looking for a brand of beer or wine that is hard to get your hands on and when you're really really thirsty.

On the corner of Norton Street and the western distributor is a large brick building. People…read moredriving past on their way to Haberfield and Five Dock may have noticed but have never been interested in what lies inside the building. Go past the brick wall and around the corner into Norton St and you come across the driveway and parking area for Amato's Liquor. Amato's is a large warehouse-sized (600 sq ft) liquor store that carries wines, spirits and beers from all over the world but apart for a huge range of Australia wine specialises in Italian wines. They have a wonderful selection at all price points so that anyone with an interest, be they novice or confident connoisseur can purchase a bottle of vino Italiano. However, the rest of the world hasn't been left out, 35% of their stock is imported. Like all other liquor stores, they have wine in the fridge, which on a Friday night comes in very handy as there are so many BYO restaurants in the area. They also have case deals for people who want to buy in bulk. A cool-room especially to keep the beer nice and cold is at the front and the spirits and liqueurs are in easy reach on the wall facing the front of the store. With thousands of products in store and over 250 beers, the store can be a little overwhelming but Franc, who owns the store has plenty of help and they are always ready to suggest a product if you're not too sure what to buy. There's parking for about a dozen cars at the front of the store which is handy as there's no street parking at that point in Norton St. Also available: * Panetone (at Christmas) * Ice * Wine Accessories * Pasta / Sauce / Oil * Soft drinks * Confectionary * Glass Hire

Family run, N & T Luchetti is like a small, dimly lit super market. They have a large selection of…read morepackaged food and also alcohol. They are of course a little expensive, being a small company and not a huge conglomerate, but sometimes it's nice to pick up a few things from a supermarket and not be bombarded with fluorescent lighting and excessive marketing. What they have above the large chain stores is a great selection of cheeses and meats in their deli section. The family that owns and runs the store are ever friendly and it's nice to recognise a friendly face on the way into the shop. Great to pick up a few items and the deli has a large selection.

Cittavino is a great neighborhood wine bar and off licence full of interesting and varied wines…read morefrom all over the world. Marko is a local who runs the place and really makes everyone welcome. He has an extensive wine knowledge so tell him what you like and let him suggest some options. As an added bonus is Cittavino is also licensed to sell take away, so go for a pre-dinner drink and take something with you for the meal. There are great nimbles like olives, cheese etc to accompany the wine but you'll need to find a restuarant if you're after a meal. Cheers

Beautiful little wine bar right in the heart of Newtown…read more We were struggling to find places with space on a Saturday night, but the quiet and fancy looking Cittavino had a beautiful communal table up for grabs! Really friendly service- staff were happy to run through the wine options and make suggestions. With no prices in sight we were a little reluctant to head up and get the bill, but drinks were between $10-15 so pretty reasonable for really great drinks. It's a cosy little spot with free nibblies, and worth dropping by!

TO AVOID AT ALL COSTS! (unless you want exceptionally poor…read morecustomer service - you've been warned) This is the worst shop anyone can find in whole of Australia. They are so, so rude and abrupt and they don't really care, 'case they still have the customers, as no one imports/stocks wine from my home country :( When Anthony (Tony) told me no one was buying the wine I often purchased, I soon found out WHY, when I got a case of 4-5 corked wine bottles and was told to get stuffed and hand up phone on me... It's impossible to get them to smile or do anything nice for a customer. Even became postcode snob and won't ship if they don't know where we live... And one cannot avoid grump Tony (he should consider another career path, really), because Anna doesn't do much in the business anyways and always fobs off everything to him :(

Dr J's review is spot on. I've just been abused and hung up on twice! It's like they are the grog…read moreequivalent of the soup nazi off Seinfeld. "No wine for you!" I honestly don't know how they stay in business.

It frequently surprises me how much more buying power these guys must have over Liquor Land,…read morebecause their prices are generally that much cheaper... also surprising because Liquor Land targets a budget demographic, but Vintage Cellars has more upmarket appeal. Anyhoo, this shop is vast and they've got it all. There's always a cheap deal of champagne, and my trusty Bombay Sapphire set me back a nifty $39.95 (compared to LL's $50). The boys here are always helpful, and you won't be left to your own devices for longer than a minute before very willing and able help arrives at your side. If you're on a budget, there's a range of cheap imports that are a-okay. The 2008 Bons Ventos Vinho Regional Lisboa Tinto - Red, all the way from Portugal tastes is good as red gets for $10. I'm unaware of any Aussie reds that are this acceptable for that price tag. There's usually a wine tasting set up. Help yourself though because I've never actually seen anyone manning the thing. But that's probably because the guys are too busy being helpful to indecisive drinkers like myself.

Amazing selection of fine wines and champagnes. INCREDIBLE top notch customer service. Kindly…read morehelped me (overseas customer) deliver a special birthday gift. FYI most deliveries need 5 business days' notice. Please check out and support! Will definitely be back! Thank you!!

Just taking a moment to thank Hannah and Jed for great customer service! Patience, attention to…read moredetail, nothing too much trouble. I now have my Maiden vermouth which they arranged for me to collect from Darlinghurst. I will recommend them to all, and I will be back.

I've been on a pretty intense budget for the last few weeks, but I always make an exception in…read moreorder to buy wine (mostly), beer (periodically) and cider (often) here because the staff are so knowledgeable and pleasant. The shop is big enough to offer a respectable wine range at fair prices, and there is almost always a deal on for New Zealand white wines, my favorite. They have a small section full of pre mixed spirits and cheap beer, but that's not really the target audience for this place. I'm considering moving one suburb over, but even if I do, this will still be my favorite local bottle shop.

Found this gem completely by accident and could not have been more surprised and excited by what I…read morefound. Following the suggestion of a local to explore the Newtown neighborhood I made my way into the bottle shop not knowing what to expect and was taken aback by the incredible selection at P&V of natural wines, spirits, and beers. Mim, who is INCREDIBLE, spent so much time showing me around the shop, educating me about Australian wines, and showing me the ropes. I picked up a rather funky pinot noir/pinot gris that was deliciosu as well as a nice natural grenache which was lively and perfectly juicy. Before I left Mim was too kind and wrote down a great list of wine shops and the best bars in the Sydney, THANKS!! Now all I need is for shipping to the US and everything would be perfect. Can't wait to come back!