The Prince Bottle Shop

Attached to the Prince of Wales Hotel — a Merewether landmark since 1876, bought and renovated by local owners Ty and Julianne from 2018 — this bottle shop has built its reputation on an eight-tap growler station that fills takeaway containers with rotating beer straight from the source. The handpicked wine list runs alongside what is reckoned to be Newcastle's largest craft beer range, assembled by a team that clearly drinks what it sells rather than simply stocking what is easy to distribute. Locals voted it the city's best independent bottle shop, a title that tracks with a pub rebuilt by its own owners rather than franchised out after the change of hands. Set on Morgan Street a short walk from Merewether Beach, it is a natural stop for anyone provisioning a beach house or after-swim drinks, open late most nights of the week.