Before James Street became, well, James Street, Cru Bar & Cellar was there.

For more than two decades, the restaurant, wine bar and bottle shop hybrid has acted as James Street’s front door – the first port of call for discerning oenophiles and a cherished nosh spot for gourmands.

Even as the promenade has flourished and high-end restaurants opened around it, Cru’s popularity has never wavered. In fact, one might say it’s as good as its ever been – in 2022 the venue earned the top gong at the Australia’s Wine List of the Year awards, a testament to the team’s steadfast upkeep of Cru’s gargantuan cellar.

That said, after 20 years of tireless operation, Cru Bar + Cellar was more than deserving of a makeover. When Cru’s long-running neighbour Spoon Deli Cafe closed, the Cru team saw an opportunity to give the venue a significant refurb – one that would modernise all aspects and elevate it to a standard more closely in line with James Street’s newer additions, but also maintain the elements intrinsic to Cru’s longstanding appeal.

“Since the venue has been a landmark on James Street for over two decades, the design was challenged to upgrade and modernise the space without disregarding or losing the connection with the essence of Cru,” says Cru’s Matt Lapish. “I think all of our customers have beautiful memories and stories that they’ve shared with Cru, so the renovation had to reference the old, but also be modern and evolve with the bespoke offerings in James Street.”

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James Forbes of Blueprint Architects spearheaded the redesign of Cru’s interior, charged with opening up the space, creating more dining options, improving connectivity between the restaurant and cellar, and adding new elements to the cellar itself to allow the team to source and showcase more regions of wine.

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The walls of the venue have been lined in solid Victorian ash timber panelling, while the floors are now covered in terracotta-coloured herringbone tiles. A strip of green-velvet banquet booths (each wrapping around its own onyx stone table) have been added to the heart of the venue, positioned beneath a custom-built refrigerated wine wall filled with magnum and large-format bottles.

The existing courtyard space and cocktail lounge elements were also refreshed, ensuring there’s no bad seat in the house.

“Every item designed at Cru is custom-made, bespoke and the best quality you can source,” says Matt. “We’ve worked with some of Brisbane’s finest artisans, and the uniqueness of materials and craftsmanship has really elevated our offering. It’s a fresh, bespoke and luxe design, but the most important thing is that the establishment still maintains Cru’s original soul.”

Connectivity between bar and cellar has been vastly improved, allowing for folks to wander in more freely before or after their meal to browse the floor-to-ceiling shelves. Cru has expanded a portion of the cellar into the old Spoon Deli Cafe space, adding a new onyx table near the entrance (which will be utilised every Saturday for Cru’s weekly wine tastings) and opening up the wine room at the rear, which previously felt disconnected from the rest of the venue.

Cru Bar & Cellar’s culinary offering, fondly regarded by many for its championing of Queensland farmers and produce suppliers, continues to showcase the state’s bounty. While the menu itself still leans towards a European-inspired wine bar format, additions to the kitchen have allowed for the creation of a new set-menu option.

“We wanted to enlarge the restaurant kitchen so it has the latest equipment, enabling the team to offer a chef’s menu, which wasn’t possible when Cru was built 20 years ago,” explains Matt.

“The new tasting menu allows us to design a journey of five courses that are now paired with an extensive wine list, matched with knowledge of some of the most experienced sommeliers that we have.”

If sticking to the a la carte offering, guests can enjoy everything from light snacks (including sourdough crostini with steak tartare and preserved-truffle cream, tuna tartlet and fromage-stuffed fried olives) and shared entrees (Mooloolaba prawns with lobster bisque, pork rillette croquettes and tempura whiting with pea and fetta salad) to mains (char-grilled spatchcock with roasted eggplant, seafood pasta, roasted-onion risotto and steak frites). There’s also a selection of desserts and artisan cheeses to finish.

On the beverage front, Cru’s cocktail list has been given a punch up, with classic concoctions elevated with innovative mixes. The wine list, already substantial, has been expanded further – cementing its status as the most comprehensive trove of vino in Brisbane.

“Everything from the cocktails to the wine was completely refined,” says Matt. “Our wine list, including our Coravin list, now has more than 2000 selections, and we’re changing the by-the-glass wine menu weekly.”

While guests will no doubt gawk at Cru Bar & Cellar’s new elements, for the team it’s business as usual. Committed to not dropping a step when it comes to its standard of service and hospitality, long-time fans of Cru will still feel at home, like no time was missed.

“I think nothing really changes,” says Matt. “It’s us still – we’re just welcoming back a timeless institution, reborn in every facet.”

Cru Bar & Cellar is once again open to the public seven days a week. Head to the Stumble Guide for operating hours, menu details and booking info.