Ten of SA’s best and newest bars from around the city and suburbs
WHETHER it’s a meeting place for just two or drinks by the sea with a group of friends, Adelaide’s thriving bar scene has some new spots to check out. Here are 10 of the best new bars in the city and suburbs.
WHETHER it’s a meeting place for just two or drinks by the sea with a group of friends, Adelaide’s thriving bar scene has some new spots to check out.
Martini makers and cocktail shakers are sharpening up their repertoires for those who want a drink with more than a twist.
Reviewers: Gordon Knight, Robyn Douglass, Simon Wilkinson
SUBURBS
WEST
Back story: Oooooh, boy. This is going to be THE place to be this summer. There’s no name on the door and there’s no need for one: word has already spread that Maybe Mae co-owner and award-winning bartender Ollie Margan has opened this Studio-Gram-designed bar atop Melt Henley, just in time for balmy cocktail nights by the beach.
The vibe: Welcome to Adelaide’s first postmillennial bar. No beards and no attitude here. The young staff are clued up about cocktails and fun and are always on the ball. The music is yacht rock (Hot Chocolate, Jo Jo Zep) and some leisure-tastic dance beats.
Thirsty? Work your way through craft brews from Australia and America: Moon Dog, AleSmith ($14 a can — ouch), Bridge Road, Green Beacon. Taps are ale strong: Mismatch Pale, Mountain Goat Steam and Young Henrys Hop, as well as a Peroni lager. Wines by the glass are fresh and modern and, of course, the cocktails by Maybe Mae bartender Jameson Gregg are right on the money.
Hungry? The “Sando” (that’s Japanese for sandwich) menu offers prawn, crab, balony (sic), chicken or veg on bread with the crusts cut off, served with crisps and pickles for $12.
Level 1/269 Seaview Rd, Henley Beach, facebook.com/westathenley
ANCHOVY BANDIT
Back story:First it was NOLA. Now it is The Stag. But wedged between taking on these two neighbouring East End properties, Ollie Brown and Joshua Talbot headed out of town to the new Prospect Cinema complex to open this handsome bolthole. Anchovy Bandit — the name comes from a script written by a 14-year-old Quentin Tarantino — puts the bar in pizza bar, with superior drinks service alongside a menu of wood-fired pies.
The vibe: The fit-out from Sans-Arc Studio (Pink Moon Saloon, Gondola Gondola) mixes clubby Art Deco wood panelling, globe lamps and padded booth seating, with some potted greenery trailing overhead. The noise, like the glow of the lights, is at a welcoming level.
Thirsty? A city-standard drinks selection includes a strong pizza-friendly wine list, beers on tap and cocktails with a contemporary twist on Italian and other classics, such as Bellini and Spritz. Look out for movie references in the names.
Hungry? You can have a drink without dining but while you are here, why not … Eight pizza choices range from more traditional margherita or eggplant with chilli and anchovy to an adventurous roo tail and golden beetroot. Smaller snack and antipasto plates are also available.
96 Prospect Rd, Prospect, 0401 188 845, anchovybandit.com
THE LOCAL WINE CO
Back story: Box or glass? This is a wine club and bar. You can drop in for a sip or order from the list, which focuses on boutique and small batch wines. Owners Baz and Nina Rampal have travelled through Chile, Argentina, France and Spain to bring some gems to a wide local list.
The vibe: Seriously cool. Set in a busy cafe and shopping strip, the bar is a clean, modern design featuring light woodwork. At the back, it’s perfect for a quiet chat at comfy benches, but you can also join the happy company at bar tables upfront.
Thirsty? Are you up to a challenge? Wine by the glass is self-serve from an Enomatic machine — which keeps it in top condition. Get a tab card and glasses from the bar and choose from 24 regularly changed vintages, in a tasting, small or large glass. There are tasting notes to help you make up your mind and the staff are more than helpful on both the machine and the vintages on offer. Beer, cider, spirits and cocktails are available at the bar.
Hungry? All your favourites — dips, terrines, bruschetta — on sharing plates from $7-15. Pizza is $15 and a tart of the day is available if you need a sweet hit with a glass of port.
165 King William St, Hyde Park, 8271 1990, localwineco.com.au
CITY
CRY BABY
Back story: Finally Adelaide has itself a proper dive bar: a new darkened boozer in a back alley that looks and feels like it’s been around for years. Opened by 26-year-old hospitality veteran Jon Di Pinto, it’s a reaction to the complicated cocktail lists and beer/spirit snobbery of some small bars.
The vibe: Good times flow easily here. The staff feel like long-lost friends, the pool table acts as a matchmaker and the jukebox encourages a musical one-upmanship, as people seek out a glorious, air-guitar-inducing rock track from Sabbath, T-Rex, Creedence and more.
Thirsty? Few places have more draft beers; the 12 taps here regularly offer something new and the staff understand brews and expertly craft updated takes on classic cocktails.
Hungry? Time it right and you’ll be treated to free Cajun-spiced popcorn. If you need a proper feed there are also meat and cheese platters that work well with a group.
11 Solomon St, city, 0452 199 082, crybabybar.com.au
HELLBOUND
Back story: The life of every party, drinks guru Mark “Reggie” Reginato, has teamed with winemaker/sommelier Louis Schofield to turn a basement space in Rundle St East into the wine bar of their dreams.
The vibe: You know that mate of yours who has the comfy lounge to sink into, plays all the tracks you love to bits and is always happy to crack a bottle of something just a little special? Me neither. Well, Hellbound, despite the fearsome name, is the next best thing. Good wine, good people, good times. We like it a lot.
Thirsty? Flick through a list that opens with a page of white and red burgundies (Reggie’s passion) and proceeds through the best examples from local, interstate and international regions. The serious wine head will wish they had a spare grand and a spare liver. But you don’t have to spend the big bucks, with glasses starting at an $8 house tempranillo, as well as a $13 mystery pour. No wonder you will spot a mixed dozen of winemakers at play on most nights of the week.
Hungry? Superior wine-friendly snacks include inspired combos such as “whipped tahini, date butter, dukkah, chives” or “sardines, red capsicum, pomegranate, smoked almonds”. Then again, you might just want a packet of potato chips.
201 Rundle St, city, 0420 322 715, hellboundwinebar.com
MAYBE MAE
Back story: Ask your bartender where she’s heading after work and chances are it’s here, behind the secret wood-panelled doors beneath Peel St. The cocktails are unsurpassed, and thanks to a recent change, the deco bar is now all seated and it’s table service only.
The vibe: The well-dressed crowd divides itself between big group booths, stools at the side of the bar for first dates (watch the bar staff slice, squeeze and sling in those awkward pauses) and stools front and centre for the hospo crowd. This is the kind of bar where a woman can drink alone without being hassled. More power to Maybe Mae, we say.
Thirsty? While the wine list is superb and the beers are beaut, the raison d’etre here is a finely crafted cocktail. This isn’t a flair bar; it’s a place where cocktails are created as an expression of location, with minimal waste in mind and deliciousness guaranteed. And they can make anything.
Hungry? Bad luck. You’ll need to head upstairs for the smoky goodness of sister site Bread & Bone.
15 Peel St (underneath Bread & Bone), city, maybemae.com
NINETEEN TEN
Back story: It’s Adelaide’s first bar with a swimming pool, and patrons might even spot a mermaid, but most nights it’s all about the live tunes by in-house jazz band Blind Tiger, talented burlesque dancers and well-crafted cocktails. It is a separate entity to the strip club below.
The vibe: Licensed for 50, you’ll be hard pressed to find two people in the club who are alike. It attracts burlesque aficionados admiring the moves, young lads seeking innocent titillation, Champagne-popping suits and cosy couples. People-watching here is almost as fun as the burlesque shows.
Thirsty?Don’t overthink your choices — this is a place to be seen drinking, so opt for a smart martini, a sophisticated spirit or a tall glass of bubbles.
Hungry? While they do a basic cheese and fruit platter, it’s better to eat before you arrive.
Rooftop, 143 Hindley St, city, 0478 770 292, nineteenten.com.au
THE NOBLE GENTLEMAN
Back story: A slightly more refined partner to the pub-style atmosphere of the Lady Burra brewery next door, The Noble Gentleman aims to create a cellar door experience in the heart of the city. The same owners also have plans for a rooftop bar, to open next year.
The vibe: Newly installed at the foot of a refurbished city tower, this bar will find its niche with city workers looking for a more leisurely drink that could easily extend into dinner. With its dark bricks, polished timber and shelves of old bric-a-brac on one side and pot plants the other, the look is clubby-meets-suburban cafe.
Thirsty?It’s all about the wine, silly. A healthy-sized list favours established players over any ratbag rebels but still should have something for most tastes, with bottles priced from $45 right up to a Grange at $980 if your lottery numbers come up. Tap beers come from next door.
Hungry? The short menu builds from cellar door-style platters of cheeses and sliced meats to lunchtime toasties and more substantial carnivore-friendly plates, including lamb, steak or pork belly. Prices are reasonable but you might need to order at least one side.
41 Currie St (facing Topham Mall), city, 8212 4242, noblegentleman.com.au
THE STAG PUBLIC HOUSE
Back story: The Stag has closed its doors so many times in recent years it was said to be cursed, but in reality it just needed whip-smart owners and note-perfect interior design. Enter NOLA owners Ollie Brown and Joshua Talbot, who have turned a beer barn into a friendly small pub, complete with top-notch grub.
The vibe: Weddings, parties, anything. Thanks to its sports bar, partitioned main bar area and pool table, the vibe changes with every step. There are booths for quiet chats, tall tables and stools for boisterous 20-something groups and tables for tucker. One of the few open late Sundays.
Thirsty? Whites from the Hills and reds from McLaren Vale grab most of the wine list spots, with Coopers, Mismatch, Four Pines, Pirate Life and Uraidla Brewery on the taps; while the shelves boast Adelaide gins and some cracking Japanese whiskies.
Hungry? Schnitties, steak sandwiches, fish ’n’ chips, pie floaters … it all sounds a bit predictable until you factor in the produce suppliers: Richard Gunner for meats; king of the crops Kasim Erkok for the veg; and Fair Fish for you can guess what.
299 Rundle St, city, thestagpublichouse.com
SUZIE WONG BAR
Back story:Roman Tazhdynov and Marina Tazhdynova cut their teeth in the bars and eateries of Russia, fell in love with Australia while on holiday, then moved to Adelaide where they opened little Bibliotheca in Gresham St. Late last year they took on a much bigger challenge, turning historic Quelltaler House into the modern Russian diner Red October upstairs, and basement bar Suzie Wong.
The vibe: Play James Bond for a minute and lead your friends to the secret door that opens to a staircase heading down to Suzie Wong. The name is taken from a Moscow bar where the owners worked, but here is interpreted as dim sum house-meets-whiskey-loving speak-easy. Early in the night the bar might feel empty, but it can fill quickly at any given moment. Good fun.
Thirsty? Whether your prefer your whisk(e)y with or without the “e”, a 500-bottle collection — said to be the largest in the state — has you covered. Scotch, Irish, Japanese, American and local distillers are all given shelf space and the bar people are happy to give advice. There are plenty of other spirits and a cocktail list that includes a story of Suzie travelling through time, with a wildly inventive drink at each stop. For feudal Japan, a mix of whisky, sake, cherries, red bean and mirin is served in a glass skull.
Hungry? A food hall-style mix of Asian favourites, including Korean fried chicken, dumplings and sashimi.
Basement, 22 Gilbert Pl, city, 8212 2938, suziewong.com.au
