Introducing Sol bread and wine, a neighbourhood bakery that serves breakfast favourites by morning and then transforms into a cosy, local wine bar from afternoon through ‘til late. Opening in the Walker Street precinct, North Sydney’s newest culinary neighbourhood, on Tuesday 9 July.

Mornings are a sensory experience at Sol bread and wine where the aroma of freshly baked artisan breads, pastries, cakes, and tarts fills the air of this neighbourhood bakery. Pick up a selection to take home or settle in for a casual breakfast in the 40-seater indoor and outdoor space. Sol’s head baker Brendon Woodward, who also oversees sister venue Loulou Boulangerie, has around seven different artisan breads on offer midweek and expands on this over weekends. Unlike Loulou’s dedicated French approach, at Sol, Woodward can flex across a variety of baking styles.

“There are the classics - rustic sourdough, country rye, and spelt sourdough - but we’re also experimenting with pumpkin breads in different shapes, ciabatta, and Sol’s signature focaccia by the slab – the ultimate sandwich bread.

You can smell the breads and pastries before seeing them as we bake it all fresh on site daily in our bakery upstairs.” Woodward’s pastries include the Maple Pecan: cross laminated croissant dough filled with a pecan and banana centre and finished with a maple syrup glaze and touch of sea salt; vibrant Baklava Croissant which layers croissant dough with an almond and walnut mixture and is topped with pistachio and orange blossom once baked. For something a little sweeter, the Italian classic maritozzi- a brioche bun filled with house-made jam and diplomat cream; or the sliced

brioche coated in whipped honey butter and baked until caramelised. All are available take away and dine-in. Walker Street precinct’s head of pastry Rhiann Mead, who also oversees pastry at The Charles Brasserie & Bar, has a moreish selection of around nine stunning cakes, tarts, and cookies on offer in the bakery. The picture-perfect Louise Cake layers bright pink plum meringue and roasted plum compote on an elegant sponge and is available by the slice or whole cake. Semolina and olive oil individual cakes topped with a basil cream are the perfect accompaniment to a coffee, and the oversized miso caramelised white chocolate and macadamia cookies are too good to resist.

Sol’s head chef Christian Potter (ex-Loulou Bistro, Cirrus, Rare Hare at Jackalope Hotel) has curated distinct bread (morning and midday) and wine (from 2pm until late) menus. Wake up to soft boiled dippy eggs with fried polenta soldiers and smoked salmon; potato and piquillo pepper tortilla topped with hollandaise; Sol’s take on a sausage

McMuffin with pork sausage, fried egg, cheese and pickles on a sourdough muffin; and a super fresh chopped green salad on gribiche.

For lunch, the morning menu favourites remain or opt for a rotating selection of deli sandwiches available to eat in or take away. Think combos like herbed falafel and salad on focaccia; chicken salad on spelt; and the EBLT – crumbed eggplant, bacon, lettuce, and tomato sugo on focaccia.

Once 2pm hits, the scene transforms to wine bar as glasses clink and tables fill with shared plates well into the evening. Tinned seafood and sliced-to-order cured meats from Una providore next door are served with thick sliced bread; spatchcock, rice pilaf, and tarragon is braised together with preserved lemon; and the meltingly tender braised wagyu beef cheek with white onion cream and radicchio has you wanting more.

“We designed the menu so that you can order a couple of plates and graze or cover the table and have a feast,” explains Potter. “It’s the kind of food you want to mop up with a thick slice of fresh bread - the seared bonito with shiso dressing and the squid that we gently cook in mustard leaf curry butter are both perfect examples of that.”

Curated by precinct sommelier, Thomas Craig (ex-Loulou Bistro, Catalina), the wine list heroes low-fi and minimal intervention with a focus on approachable, easy-drinking wines that work just as well for lunch through to late night.

The largely Australian, French, Italian and Spanish wines are available by the glass, carafe, or bottle with a sommelier on hand to help guide you.

Cocktails are by head of bars Pasquale Scarpiello (ex-Tetsuya’s; Merivale; Kolture) and designed with day to night in mind, starting with a Bloody Mary and a Garibaldi that’s made using freshly squeeze OJ – ideal for brunch. As the afternoon progresses, move to a delicious twist on a gin sour with the Queen of Hearts that combines gin, green apple liqueur, and a pistachio and rhubarb syrup.

Interiors take inspiration from Italian and Spanish streetscapes with bold combinations of stone, timber, and tonal colours. Inside, the kitchen bar and bakery display face out to a mix of dining with several tables creating an outdoor terrace meeting place. A stunning curved staircase leads upstairs to the busy bakery and sister venue, Soluna. Like a traditional paninoteca, Sol effortlessly flips from bakery and breakfast to evening wines and cicchetti.

Sol bread and wine joins artisanal providore, Una; LA-inspired, relaxed dining, bar and lounge Soluna; and contemporary Japanese dining with a little edge at Genzo in North Sydney’s new culinary neighbourhood, Walker Street precinct, opening 9 July.