Take a tour of 15 of Adelaide’s best small bars
KATIE SPAIN presents 15 of our favourite small bars, most of them newcomers and one of which will be named Best Small Bar in next week’s Food Awards.
KATIE SPAIN presents 15 of our favourite small bars, most of them newcomers and one of which will be named Best Small Bar in next week’s Food Awards.
BADDOG
63 Hyde St, city
The entry to this dark and dreamy blues bar is so discreet most walk right on by oblivious to the wonderful vibes within. A sign next to the heavy wooden door simply says ‘if the light is on we’re home’. Inside there’s a wall flanked by booths, a piano, plenty of room to breathe and a bar with classic cocktails (no juice mixers here). The music is great — Bob Dylan anyone? An understated, classy joint.
DRINK & NIBBLE: Hudson Manhattan Rye, Amaro Averna, Amaro Montenegro (variation on the Manhattan). They don’t do food but a food truck is sometimes parked out front.
HAINS & CO
23 Gilbert Place, city
The dogleg that is Gilbert Place is the place to be baby, especially if you’re a sailor. The nautical themed bar opened in late January and is the brainchild of Marcus Motteram who runs a trio of venues in Melbourne. He knows his stuff.
DRINK & NIBBLE: The “Negroni del professore” is a particular Negroni made with West Wind Cutlass, Vermouth del Professore Rosso and Campari. It is aged in a port cask, bottled and served with a dehydrated orange slice on a hand cut ice cube. The house-made sausage rolls with black pepper and shiraz chutney are delicious too.
BAR TORINO
158 Hutt St, city
A heavenly Hutt St haunt with a long, sweeping black marble bar overlooking shelves packed with spirits. The Spanish-Italian tapas bar is run by siblings Jess and Nick Favaro whose parents Frank and Maria run Italian restaurant Chianti Classico right next door, and some of the antiques and one-off pieces have sentimental, family history at heart. While the Italian influence is obvious, Bar Torino is also inspired by the Spanish tapas tradition and, with Korean-born Soon Young Kwon in the kitchen, sneaks in some Asian flavours and dude-food quirks you won’t find in Barcelona or Bologna.
DRINK & NIBBLE: Charcoal-grilled meats and seafood on Friday and Saturday nights, and paella for Sunday night. Wash it down with one of many curious cocktails (such as the Hemingway daiquiri’s mix of fresh grapefruit, a touch of Pama pomegranate liqueur and rum).
LA BUVETTE DRINKERY
27 Gresham St, city
Fabulous folk imbibe French aperitifs and nibble degustation platters at this new addition to the small bar scene. Staff members are particularly amicable and happy to share their knowledge about the wine list and selection of pungent cheeses. The cocktail list has French-based spirits at its core and they change seasonally so visit frequently. Et voila!
DRINK & NIBBLE: Escargot all the way. The delicious, buttery, garlic doused gems are a treat. The French and South Australian natural wines are a highlight too.
BANK STREET SOCIAL
27 Bank St, city
An understated door and stairwell leads past heavy wooden doors toward this underground abyss. Get in early to secure a spot at the plush booths and a sweeping bar, especially on Friday and Saturday nights. Security is friendly and the transformed space below impressive, as is the local craft beer, South Australian wine list and classic cocktails made using Australian spirits. A new in-house pizza bar serves up regionally-inspired pizza too. Burn it off on the small dance floor.
DRINK & NIBBLE: Keep your eyes and tastebuds peeled for newly launched Bank Street Cocktail Co. A barrel-aged Negroni leads the charge (Australian gin, sweet vermouth from Victoria and Campari). The cocktail is aged for two months in Barossa-made oak barrels. Barrel-aged Manhattan and Martinez are also worth a sip.
CANTINA SOCIALE
108 Sturt St, city
This small but charming city cellar door and wine bar is all wooden wine barrels, exposed brick walls, heavy wooden benches and an ever-changing selection of sought-after varietals served in a carafe. An olive skinned crowd with exotic accents match the rustic, Italian cantina vibes. There’s no labels, bottles or Adelaide Oval crowd overspill here folks, just smashing tasting plates, truffle oil-topped popcorn and a small but beautiful list of cocktails, too. Close your eyes and dream of Europe.
DRINK & NIBBLE: Wine straight from the barrel. For the belly you can’t go past the 36-hour cooked beef brisket burgers.
THRIFT SHOP BAR
Waymouth Place, city
There’s a lot to love about this secluded bar … too cool for school second-hand decor, an all-Australian drinks menu and barmen who personify the meaning of ‘gentlemen’. Located behind The Ambassador’s Hotel, it’s a challenge to find but worth the hunt and boasts an intimate room (hidden behind a wardrobe) which can be hired out for private group events. They make their own gin and do cocktail degustations too.
DRINK & NIBBLE: G & T (made with Thrift Shop Bar’s Quandong Gin) or the or the Quandong Negroni.
MAYBE MAE
15 Peel St, city
Finding this elusive lass can be a challenge if you’ve never been before. Enter the walkway adjacent to Bread & Bone Wood Grill, say hi to the friendly bouncer and if you’re lucky they’ll show you through the discreet wooden door. Inside it’s an intimate mix of lush booths (a coveted perch), ambient lighting and classic vibes. Mae is a great place to hide from the world, classic cocktail or top shelf spirit in hand.
DRINK & NIBBLE: Small bowls of ‘nuts n bolts’ is all they do for nibbles but the signature Mae Tai (Blanco rum, anejo rum, Dry Curacao, pineapple syrup, Orgeat, tiki bitters, citrus, and Angostura Bitters with an eye-catching mint and pineapple garnish) is worth the hunt.
MOTHER VINE
22-26 Vardon Lane, city
East End Cellars’ main men Michael Andrewartha and Pablo Theodoros, Master of Wine David LeMire from Shaw + Smith and Amalfi restaurant’s Frank Hannon-Tan are behind this small East End gem. The decor is clinical by day but when the space is full it finds its charm. Open seven days from late afternoon until 11pm (midnight on Friday and Saturday) so you can sip the good stuff midweek as well. Their wine flights are fantastic and despite the quality of what’s in the glass, prices don’t hit too hard.
DRINK & NIBBLE: Rare drops from local and faraway lands in 50ml pours. Duck rillettes with orange and onion marmalade or go large and order confit duck on braised lentils.
CHIHUAHUA BAR
20 Peel St, city
Rosco Stanley’s Peel St hangout is a vibrant affair — all two levels of it. From the Mexican foliage above to the sugar skulls and multi-colour murals … it’s like Day of the Dead all year long. Mexican themed cocktails and South American, Spanish and local South Australian wines feature on the menu and there’s Mex-inspired snacks to match the beverages. They recently started live jazz on Thursdays and Sunday lunch clubs featuring local chefs and winemakers.
DRINK & NIBBLE: Mezcal sourced from different regions and producers shows off the diversity of Mexico’s favourite tipple — enjoy straight or mixed (hello Mexpresso Martini). Salmon and lime tostadas to match.
PROOF
9a Anster St, city
A small glowing street light marks the way to this little laneway hole-in-the-wall (behind Press Food and Wine). The smell of gourmet toasties hits as you enter the narrow two-storey haunt. They recently rejuvenated the first floor space with a deck extension and interior refit so it’s looking spiffy for summer too. The vibe is urban cool, the tipples top notch and a renewed focus on wines means an ever-expanding list.
DRINK & NIBBLE: Señor Sam — a cucumber flavoured gin collins. For the more adventurous they’ll happily add fish sauce. Mushroom toasties are a hit too.
UDABERRI
11 Leigh St, city,
The first of the small, boutique bars on Peel St is still going strong. Top shelf spirits, cocktails and quality wine flow over a long wooden bar and a DJ spins tunes at the far end. The mural emblazoned outdoor area provides room to breathe (there’s a bar back there too). It’s a sexy little spot and one of the “places to be seen”. There’s limited seating out front too if you like to watch pedestrians pass by as you sip and chew on “pintxos”, or small Basque-style snacks.
DRINK & NIBBLE: Freshly shucked Coffin Bay oysters paired with unfiltered Manzanilla sherry.
2KW BAR AND
Level 8, 2 King William St, city
You can’t go past the view at this rooftop bar. It looks out over North Tce, Adelaide Oval and the parklands beyond. The lofty heights attract the type of men and ladies who like to primp, preen and be seen so grab a booth and let the open-air ogling unfold.
DRINK & NIBBLE: Order the self-titled 2KW cocktail for a hit of gin, peach liquor, spiced honey apple syrup, lemon, pear juice and egg white in a chilled martini glass. On the plate, the Meat Locker is all about charcuterie from Franz Knoll at Barossa Fine Foods.
LA RAMBLA
28 Peel St, city
A quartet of next-gen entrepreneurs have fulfilled their dream of turning a 140-year-old, bluestone warehouse in the CBD into a three-level tapas bar with the charm of the ones they visited in Spain. Sit at the long downstairs bar, admire the building’s original beams and stonework, order a glass of sherry and dish of green olives and you could almost be in the backstreets of Barcelona. Jose Miguel Lontoc, a Madrid tapas veteran, keeps the cooking authentic, a line-up of classics such as tortilla, patatas bravas, garlic prawns, chorizo are reproduced faithfully. Over to you senors and señoritas.
DRINK & NIBBLE: You can’t go past the traditional Tinto Sangria, a recipe given to the team in a small bar in Barcelona and the Jamon Iberico (36-month aged acorn fed Iberian ham). Try it on the upstairs deck when the weather is kind.
CLEVER LITTLE TAILOR
19 Peel St, city
There’s a reason why this hole in the Peel St wall haunt is packed with dapper dames and chaps. Gentrified staff, friendly security, attention to detail and handcrafted fittings are a winning combination. Expect top-shelf labels, a decent wine list and bar staff who know their stuff. Popularity comes at a price so expect to wait your turn to be served. If you bag a booth or stool on the upstairs mezzanine don’t move … they’re prime people-watching positions.
DRINK & NIBBLE: A Negroni or a Greenpoint (a variation on the Manhattan). Match it with duck rillettes and you’ll be smiling all the way home.
