Where to drink at this year’s Adelaide Fringe

Here’s the verdict on what’s on (and behind) the bar thisfestival season.

Roberta's Disco Bar at RCC. Photo: Tony Lewis

Fringe-going is thirsty work. These watering holes are here for a good time, not a long time.

I hit this year’s Adelaide Fringe bars to determine which ones should top your list. Go forth and imbibe.

SUGATECA

Location: Rundle St, city

Try: Aperol spritz $10

If you haven’t burnt up the dance floor at Sugar at 2am, you simply haven’t lived. This is the calmer option – a pop-up of sorts that is open during Fringe and located in the alley next to the iconic nightclub. If you’re lucky you’ll spot owner and DJ Driller Jet Armstrong
chatting to punters and fellow DJs who frequent the bar. It’s bright, airy, colourful and has bags of character (like Driller). Clothing – including oversized underwear – hangs from the makeshift clotheslines strung above the narrow space, and Pizzateca is on site to serve up the pizza goods, too. Make like the cool cats, hit the foosball table and soak up the laid-back vibes and bangin’ tunes.

Sugateca on Rundle St.

MARY’S MOJITOS

Location: The Garden of Unearthly Delights, Rundle Park

Try: Mojito $16 or two for $30

This cute-as-a-button caravan wins points for being adorable (and its prime location next to the DJ and open-air dance floor), but the real winner is the Bloody Mary. Ye gods, it’s good. Fresh, chilled, plenty of tang and great spice. It may challenge some but that’s the point of a Bloody Mary – it’s meant to smack you around the gills. It’s served in a plastic tumbler with big ol’ stalks of fresh celery. Hello, second wind. Blink and you’ll miss it on a busy Garden day but this little treasure is well worth seeking out.

HIGH HORSE

Location: The Garden of Unearthly Delights, Rundle Park

Try: P imm’s and lemonade $12/glass or $40/pitcher

As aesthetics go, this quirky bar looks a bit like a giant treehouse. Hills hoists frame the perimeter (strung with gum leaves and vintage tea towels) and there are plenty of seating options, including swing chairs suspended by ropes and large communal tables. The Garden folk moved it this year (it’s now to the rear of the Garden, rather than to the left of the main entrance) but is more relaxed for it, and is still a great spot for people watching). Coopers is king here, plus cider, basic spirits, Pimm’s on tap, RTDs for the sugar fiends, and wine by the glass or bottle (though you’ll have to ask for a wine list as the menus behind the bar tell you nothing).

High Horse at The Garden of Unearthly Delights.

SAKE BAR

Location: Gluttony East,

Rymill Park

Try: Sake flight, $15

For the second year in a row this is a calm oasis in the eye of the Saturday night storm. The large, wooden, horseshoe-shaped bench lined with comfy stools is a top spot to hide from the world and disappear in a gentle sake haze. It’s all about the Japanese beverage here. Choose from Tateyama Honjozo, Toju Junmai Daiginjo, Miyoshino Jozo Omachi, Mukai Shuzo Ine Mankai and Chikuma Nishiki (ranging from $8 to $14 for 60ml and from $32 to $56 for a carafe), plus Sapporo on tap and Coopers Original Pale Ale and Session Ale by the bottle. A great entry-level experience for the sake curious.

MAHO Magic Bar, The Garden of Unearthly Delights. Photo: Broad Encounters

THE LOCAL BAR

Location: Gluttony East.

Try: Ochota Barrels Grenache $15/glass, $24/large glass, $80/bottle

Once again, this South Australia-devoted bar’s menu lets it down (in a
literal sense – not the
booze). Last year it was spelling mistakes, this
year there’s a bunch of beverages scrubbed out (maybe they ran out?) and vintages on some wines but omitted for others. Despite this, what’s available is good, and this year the list focuses on (though not exclusively) brands affected by the SA bushfires. Think Tomich Wines, Islander Estate,
Geoff Weaver and The Stoke Wines. There’s also plenty of Coopers for beer guzzlers, KI Spirits gin and RTDs.

Unlike last year you can’t get proper glassware but the plastic vessels are easy to hold, recyclable, and won’t slice feet if you drop them.

C’mon, South Aussie,
c’mon, c’mon.

JOHNNIE WALKER HIGHBALL BAR

Location: Gluttony East.

Try: The Johnnie & Crisp Apple Highball $10

Let’s get one thing straight:
If you don’t dig Johnnie Walker, you won’t get a kick out of this two-storey bar. it’s devoted to the stuff. The menu is small but focused.
A Johnnie Walker Highball will set you back a tenner, as will combinations such as lemon and ginger ale. The rooftop view is a doozy, as is the Johnnie Walker x Africola Popcorn Combo ($12), which includes the good stuff from Duncan Welgemoed and the team at the East Tce restaurant. As for the bar, you can’t miss it: it’s a brighter shade of yellow than those crazy giant bananas B1 and B2.

Highball Bar, Gluttony.

ROBERTA’S
DISCO BAR

Location: RCC (University of Adelaide)

Try: 2018 La Mura Nero d’Avola $12/glass, $58/bottle

Sometimes you just want Champagne, you know? You’ll find it here at this disco ball-endowed bar located next to the pop-up Italian restaurant of the same name. The service is stellar (on a relaxed Sunday arvo, that is) and offerings range from spirits to Louis Roederer NV Champagne ($18/glass, $99/bottle), a selection of Cake Wines and, unsurprisingly, Italian varieties. The Nero is a treat. Aperol spritz ($14) brings all the bright young things to the D-floor, negroni ($18) adds fuel to their dance moves, and digestivi (limoncello, motenegro, and Campari) are best enjoyed while relaxing on the restaurant seating.

A class act.

Roberta's Disco Bar at RCC. Photo: Tony Lewis