Which Fringe bar is best?

It’s a tough job, but someone had to test every one of the Fringe’s drinking venues so you can make a beeline to the best. Here’s our verdict.

Fringe-going is thirsty work. A night of comedy, cabaret, theatre, song and circus is sometimes better with a glass or two of the good stuff in hand.

Pop-up bars are located all over Adelaide’s East End for the duration of Fringe. Blink and you’ll miss them. The watering holes are around for a good time, not a long time. But are they worth a visit?

Here’s the verdict on what’s on and behind the bar this festival season.

SAKE BAR 

Location: Gluttony East, Rymill Park

Try: The $15 sake flight

The calm, collected eye of the storm. This bar is essentially a long, wooden, horseshoe-shaped bench around which patrons perch on 20 comfortable stools (with additional standing room). Choose from Tateyama Honjozo, Toju Junmai Omachi, Miyoshino Jozo Omachi, Mukai Shuzo Ine Mankai, and Chikuma Nishiki (ranging from $8 to $14 for 60ml or $32 to $56 for 300ml), plus Sapporo on tap and Coopers Original Pale Ale and Session Ale by the bottle.

You can bring food in from neighbouring stalls and the welcome is friendly. Alas, the rice-based beverage is served in large glass tumblers (not small sakazuki, ochoko or masu) because cheeky revellers are inclined to steal them. Shame. Regardless, it’s a great entry-level experience for the
sake curious.

4 stars

Sake Bar at Gluttony. Photo: Helen Page

WINED  BAR  

Wined Bar at the National Wine Centre.

Location: National Wine Centre, corner of Hackney Rd and Botanic Rd, city
Try: Dub Style Remix No. 11 Grenache, Shiraz ($7.50/glass, $35/bottle)

The crew behind this Fringe activation love a hashtag
(hello #twentywineteen) and dig a wine pun.

On “Winesdays” a glass of selected wines is $6.50.

The National Wine Centre of Australia’s Wined Bar is open all year round but until March 17, the venue is also home to Fringe shows and a leafy outdoor pop-up bar (enter off North Tce). Husband and wife team Marcel Blanch-de Wilt and Eleanor Stankiewicz (who previously kept The Producers Hotel cogs turning) are in charge of things and have managed to create a relaxed space with plenty of space to sit, breathe deep and imbibe.

Indoors, Wined Bar offers 120 wines dispensed from Enomatic servers and outdoors, there’s a reasonably priced selection of two sparklings, three whites, the David Franz 2017 108 Varieties Red Rosé, three reds, beer, cider, spirits and espresso martinis. The vibe is relaxed (performers play games of giant chess between shows) and Wined Bar’s bangin’ food menu is available all day.

It doesn’t have the crazy, frazzled Fringe feeling which you experienced at some other bars but it’s a breath of fresh air for exactly that reason. The loos are decent and there’s aircon, too. Win(e)ning.
Open from 5pm weeknights and matinees on weekends.

4½ stars

ESPRESSO MARTINIS

Espresso Martini bar in the garden

Location: The Garden of Unearthly Delights, Rundle Park

Try: Espresso martini ($16)

We’re up all night to drink coffee. More stall, than actual bar, this Garden drawcard does what it says on the tin.

There’s no seating as such but if you’re happy to plonk your posterior on the grass and get bombarded by performers spruiking their shows, the people watching potential is great. As for the cocktails, there’s two to choose from; the classic espresso martini or salted caramel espresso martini ($16 each or two for $30). Service is jovial and Five Senses coffee provides a quality mouthful of the good stuff but be prepared for a sugar hit (a` winner for palates that lean that way). The cocktails are served in clear plastic cups which lack the glamour of a martini glass but are a more logical option for drinking as you dash. The frothy head is spot on but don’t expect coffee bean garnishes. Already caffeinated to the gills? Nip next door to Pineapple Brothers for “The Special” – a mix of double juice and rum served in a pineapple ($24). Groovy, baby.

3½ stars

HIGH  HORSE 

Location: The Garden of Unearthly Delights, Rundle Park
Try: Pimm’s and lemonade ($10/glass or $35/pitcher)

A bit of effort on aesthetics gets you everywhere when you’ve got a constant crowd of Fringe-goers and maximum people-watching potential. This large, outdoor bar looks a bit like a giant treehouse.

Hills Hoists frame the perimeter (strung with gumleaves and vintage tea towels) and there are plenty of seating options including wooden “armchairs”, wine barrel “tables”, swing chairs suspended by ropes and large communal tables.

The queue for a bevvie can be long on busy nights but staff (wearing cork hats) move through orders swiftly (don’t expect them to chat). Coopers is king here – available in bottles, cans and on-tap (from $7 to $9.50), plus cider, basic spirits, Pimm’s on tap (served in a paper cup) and RTDs.

Wine almost seems like an afterthought – simply listed on the menu as house ($8/glass, $35/bottle) premium ($10/glass, $45/bottle) and fizz ($9/glass, $40/bottle). The selection is underwhelming but as a place to (literally) hang out, the bar has undeniable charm.

4 stars

High Horse at The Garden of Unearthly Delights. Photo: Andre Castellucci

THE GREEN ROOM 

Location: Gluttony @ Masonic, 254 North Tce, city
Try: The Chargrilled Pineapple-infused Boulerdier ($17)

In the lead-up to opening, this “small” bar promised old-school grandeur with a quirky, subversive edge. The North Tce staircase certainly evokes mystery but, once inside, the space lacks charm.

A ladder is plonked in the middle of the cavernous room on the night we enter (11pm on a Wednesday) and staff are at work dimming the lighting. The vintage decor is delightful but there’s not enough of it to fill the space between grey carpet, high ceilings and dark green walls. The focus here is on cocktails and London-based Davis Richardson (formerly of Peel St’s Chihuahua) nailed the small but impressive list.

The East 8 Hold Up, Dark Tequila Espresso Martini and Chargrilled Pineapple-infused “Boulerdier” hit the spot. The (extremely) short wine list includes Pepperjack Shiraz and 2016 Rosemount Little Berry McLaren Vale Shiraz. There’s obviously work going on to improve the ambience – let’s hope they do it quickly.

3 stars

The Green Room. Photo: Matt Turner

THE LOCAL BAR 

Location: Gluttony East.

Try: Koerner ‘Pigato’ Vermentino ($14/glass or $70/bottle).

C’mon South Aussie, c’mon, c’mon. This bar is devoted to South Australian plonk and the offering spans beer, wine and spirits from Kangaroo Island, the Hills, Clare Valley, the Fleurieu and Barossa Valley. The selection is decent and tends to left-of-centre.

Think Stoke Wines Pet Nat ($70/bottle), Ochota Barrels ‘Slint’ Chardonnay ($15/glass or $75/bottle), or random Tasmanian inclusion Domaine A Petit ‘a’ Cabernet ($90). Glasses are large and great for swirling (hooray!) and there’s plenty of shady seating.

It’s not cheap but for a large venue such as Gluttony, the selection is solid — though spelling mistakes on the menu need editing.

4 stars

Local Bar at Gluttony. Photo: Helen Page