When 5:00 pm strikes, it’s not uncommon to see Eagle Street workers making tracks for Malt Traders on Market Street. The new-age bottle-shop concept doubles as a boozer in its own right, with guests free to sample their selections on site. Over the river, Malt Traders South Bank does a cracking takeaway trade, with scores of sippers popping in to pick up something nice to drink at their riverside picnics.

Nick Pinn, owner of Malt Traders (as well as eateries Malt Dining, Malt Pier, Drum and Vaquero) has seen a significant shift back to bespoke bottle shops since the easing of restrictions, with drinkers once more inclined to invest in good booze compared to buying in bulk from the big chains.

“People are probably looking for a point of difference,” says Nick. “They’re looking for a story – labels that you can’t always spot or recognise. We want people to spend time in the store. We’ve got the people in store to be able to provide support – we’re not just standing behind checkouts waiting for people to bring up a guess of what they want.”

He’s giving inner-city crowds a better chance of doing just that with Malt Traders’ new space at Heritage Lanes, the new development recently launched on Ann Street. The bottle shop is tucked away towards the Turbot Street side of the building, with a slender space (slightly smaller than its sibling sites) housing the same finely curated array of drinks.

Outside, a scattering of picnic tables offer seating for around 50, creating a cosy beer garden oasis away from the bustle of The City’s main thoroughfares.

Much like its Market Street and South Bank locations, Malt Traders Heritage Lanes is overflowing with unique, sustainable, small batch and craft beverages. Two fridges are dedicated to hyper local, independently made craft beers from the likes of Revel Brewing, Black Hops and Sea Legs, while another is filled with a hand-tailored selection of imported beers – including a solid range of Belgian brews.

A curated spirit selection focuses on single-batch Australian and global whiskies, with different skews regularly being added to the list. At Heritage Lanes, Nick and group retail manager Joe Bowles are broadening the wine offering significantly, working with small producers and importers to source a greater range of unique drops.

Vino from independent Queensland wineries share shelf and fridge space with funky Italian varieties, old-school wines from Tasmania, new-wave pet-nats and plenty of organic and biodynamic plonk. Whether you’re buying for yourself or getting something special as a gift, you’re bound to find something suitable.

“We’ve got regulars who come to us with confidence,” says Joe. “Even the ones that might buy one bottle of wine a year, for a gift, they come to us.”

Malt Traders Heritage Lanes accepts BYO food, though it does not stock smallgoods like its sister sites. Instead, the team recommends popping next door to Mumbleberry, which stocks an assortment of gourmet snacks you can nibble on alongside your chosen brew or bottle.