L'Avant Cave

4.7 (20)

$41 to $100

French

268 Oxford St, Paddington, AU-NSW 2021

Make a booking

L'Avant Cave

4.7

$41 to $100

French

Paddington

Make a booking

2 people

12 Nov 2026

19:00

Booked 5 times today

Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

Neighbourhood gem
Good for groups
Great for fine wines

The "Front Cellar" for the acclaimed Porcine Restaurant. L'Avant Cave is a buzzy French inspired wine bar with a relaxed yet refined vibe, intimate setting and outdoor courtyard.
A thoughtfully curated wine list showcasing natural-leaning French, European & Australian wines, Aperitifs and Digestifs. The Menu leans into small, snack style bites and sharable dishes that pair beautifully with wine.
Ideal for a leisurely afternoon drink, a relaxed aperitif or a cozy date night. Enjoyed a bottle from the menu?
Takeaway wine sales available.

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$41 to $100
Cuisines
French, Wine Bar
Hours of Operation
Thu 16:00–22:00 Fri, Sat 12:00–23:00 Sun 12:00–19:00
Phone number
0423 015 032
Website
https://www.porcine.com.au/lavant-cave
Payment Options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Dress Code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Nicholas Hill

Location
268 Oxford St, Paddington, AU-NSW 2021
Area
Paddington
Parking Details
None
Additional
Beer, Beer Garden, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Wine

Experiences

Premium Set Menu $55pp
A$55.00 per person
2 - 50 people
Multiple dates available
Pigeon Liver Parfait “Melba” Toast "Oeufs Caesar" Panisse, Quince & Mimolette Terrine du Jour, Duck Fat Toast “Plat Provençal” Goats Cheese, Peppers, Tapenade Garlic Mussels on Toast Rice Pudding, Vanilla & Fig
Standard Set Menu $35pp
A$35.00 per person
1 - 8 people
Multiple dates available
Bread & Butter Pigeon Liver “Melba” Toast Dory Roe & Crisps Panisse, Quince & Mimolette “Plat Provençal” Goats Cheese, Peppers, Tapenade "Terrine du Jour" Duck Fat Toast

Concierge
AI Beta

Our AI assistant, Concierge, is here to answer your questions about this restaurant.

Bread & ButterA$6.00
Rock Oyster, Smoked Eel VinegarA$6.00
Baked Oyster "Charentaise"A$8.00
Fruits de MerA$14.00
"Oeufs Caesar"A$12.00
Panisse, Quince & MimoletteA$14.00
Pigeon Liver Parfait “Melba” ToastA$20.00
“Plat Provençal” Goats Cheese, Peppers, TapenadeA$28.00
Terrine Du JourA$30.00
Garlic Mussels on ToastA$26.00
Swordfish "Schnitzel". Aioli & LemonA$34.00
Minute Steak "Au Poivre"A$40.00
Petit FritesA$12.00
SaladeA$12.00
Toasted Vanilla Rice PuddingA$18.00
Fromage du Jour
- 20A$20.00
- 30A$30.00
- 40A$40.00

Reviews

OpenTable reviews from verified diners

Reviews from people who have dined at L'Avant Cave.

4.7

(20)

4.8Food
4.7Service
4.6Ambience
4.5Value

Noise • Energetic

20 Reviews

OT
OpenTable Diner
Brisbane1 review
5.0
Dined on 9 October 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Amazing service and happy hour was an absolute treat!
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E
Emma
Gold Coast5 reviews
2.0
Dined on 3 October 2026
1. Overall 2
2. Food 4
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 3
Nice atmosphere and great drinks selection but eating in the bar downstairs I think you are a bit forgotten. Service very slow - we had to get up from table and ask the barman to be served drinks. And get up again for our meal and then get up again to ask for more service. It is table service so needs to improve. We had an early session and the staff member was very abrupt when it was time to leave - really felt like we were pushed out of there - they started warning us 30 mins before and it was unnecessary pressure. There was nobody waiting. The other guests hadn't arrived. They said they had to reset the table which would have taken about 30 seconds to wipe it down. There was ample room for guests to wait 1 minute if they had to. We just felt that could have been handled better. My first drink was incorrect and there as no apology just a sigh. Also had we had better service we would have been finished much earlier but nobody was coming to our table.
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J
Jane
Sydney3 reviews
5.0
Dined on 8 August 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great place to catch up with friends over a nice wine and a bite - lovely staff and vibe
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J
Jacqueline
Sydney4 reviews
4.0
Dined on 6 August 2026
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 3
More French wines Please maybe some background music Great staff. Nice to be looked after by people Who listen and are informative. Sydney really lacks this. Well done
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V
Valerie
Sydney1 review
5.0
Dined on 5 July 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
A relaxed, fun wine bar with a thoughfully curated menu of delicious treats. We had a very lovely Sunday lunch sitting at the window watching the world go by, enjoying amazing food and tasty cocktails. The staff were attentive and friendly, the music was great and the ambience was perfect!
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P
Paul
Sydney1 review
4.0
Dined on 4 July 2026
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
This is a fabulous little bar, with a great vibe and fun food. Get there!!
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K
Karen
Sydney1 review
5.0
Dined on 26 June 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Lovely warm welcoming vibe on a winters night. Excellent gin martini. Knowledgeable advice on wines. Delicious food,loved everything. Garlic mussels lived up to the hype
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N
Natalie
Tasmania1 review
5.0
Dined on 4 June 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Delicious food from a concise menu; excellent wine list. Fairly expensive but you are getting quality produce.
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P
Paul
Sydney8 reviews
5.0
Dined on 26 April 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
All the French technique and nose to tail philosophy of upstairs bisto Porcine in a more casual, accessible downstairs wine bar. Friendly staff, a leafy courtyard and delicious food. Early Sunday evening was quiet and relaxed. Recommended heartily.
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E
Ellese
Sydney3 reviews
5.0
Dined on 17 April 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great vibe! Cute wine bar and yummy food. Will be back
Is this helpful?

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$41 to $100
Cuisines
French, Wine Bar
Hours of Operation
Thu 16:00–22:00 Fri, Sat 12:00–23:00 Sun 12:00–19:00
Phone number
0423 015 032
Website
https://www.porcine.com.au/lavant-cave
Payment Options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Dress Code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Nicholas Hill

Location
268 Oxford St, Paddington, AU-NSW 2021
Area
Paddington
Parking Details
None
Additional
Beer, Beer Garden, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Wine

Featured in

FAQs

Sunday is a lovely choice, guests describe a very lovely Sunday lunch and note early Sunday evenings are quiet and relaxed.

Yes, L'Avant Cave is described by the owners as ideal for a cozy date night, and guests specifically recommend it for date-night visits.

L'Avant Cave often hums with a buzzy, busy atmosphere at peak visits, while early Sunday evenings tend to be quiet and relaxed.

Yes, L'Avant Cave features an outdoor courtyard, a leafy garden spot guests enjoy for nibbles and wine.

L'Avant Cave feels like a buzzy, intimate French‑inspired wine bar, relaxed yet refined, with attentive, knowledgeable staff and a leafy courtyard that adds charm.

Casual dress is the guide, comfortable, neat clothing is perfectly appropriate for a visit to L'Avant Cave.

L'Avant Cave shines on Sundays, guests note a very lovely Sunday lunch and that early Sunday evening was quiet and relaxed, making it perfect for a leisurely drink or a relaxed meal.

Yes, guests report set-menu experiences (reviewers mention enjoying a $35 and a $55 set menu), and the venue also offers takeaway wine sales from its curated list.

L'Avant Cave pairs an intimate indoor wine-bar cellar with an outdoor courtyard, guests also mention window seating for a relaxed view of the street.

Yes, staff have been notably welcoming to families; a recent reviewer described the team cuddling their baby so the parents could sit together, which guests found incredibly kind.

Yes, L'Avant Cave is a wine bar with a thoughtfully curated list of French, European and Australian wines plus aperitifs and digestifs, and guests also praise cocktails like the gin martini and spritzers.

How FAQ content is generated

Make a booking

L'Avant Cave

4.7

$41 to $100

French

Paddington

Make a booking

2 people

12 Nov 2026

19:00

Booked 5 times today

Experiences are available.

L'Avant Cave

Make a booking

L'Avant Cave

Make a booking

About this restaurant

Dining areas

Additional information

Premium Set Menu $55pp

Standard Set Menu $35pp

Uncategorised

Bread & ButterA$6.00

Rock Oyster, Smoked Eel VinegarA$6.00

Baked Oyster "Charentaise"A$8.00

Fruits de MerA$14.00

"Oeufs Caesar"A$12.00

Panisse, Quince & MimoletteA$14.00

Pigeon Liver Parfait “Melba” ToastA$20.00

“Plat Provençal” Goats Cheese, Peppers, TapenadeA$28.00

Terrine Du JourA$30.00

Garlic Mussels on ToastA$26.00

Swordfish "Schnitzel". Aioli & LemonA$34.00

Minute Steak "Au Poivre"A$40.00

Petit FritesA$12.00

SaladeA$12.00

Toasted Vanilla Rice PuddingA$18.00

Fromage du Jour

Dining areas

Additional information

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FAQs

What is the best day to go to L'Avant Cave?

Is this a good pick for date night?

When is this restaurant busiest and quietest?

Does this restaurant have outdoor seating?

What's the ambience/atmosphere like in this restaurant?

What is the dress code for L'Avant Cave?

When is the best time to go to L'Avant Cave?

Does this restaurant have any specials deals or experiences?

What seating arrangements/rooms does this restaurant have?

Is this restaurant kid-friendly?

Does this restaurant serve alcohol?

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L'Avant Cave

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