Award-winning rockstar bartender to open new beachy bar

He’s served some of the biggest musicians in the world running the Splendour in the Grass VIP bar, now this award-winning Queenslander is opening a cool new beach bar.

HE’S made drinks for some of the biggest musicians in the world, while his last venue was awarded Australian bar of the year and best bar food menu. Now hospitality maestro Perry Scott is set to unveil an exciting new venture.

The internationally regarded mixologist behind Paddington’s prize-winning Lark Food & Drink, which operated from 2007-2013 claiming a cabinet full of trophies, will open Scott’s Luncheonette and Bar in Palm Beach on the Gold Coast.

After running his mobile cocktail bar The Dispense Station since 2017, which has popped up at major music events such as Falls Festival and Hot Dub Wine Machine, as well as the backstage VIP bar at music festival Splendour In The Grass, Mr Scott decided it was time for another bricks and mortar venue.

“I had wanted to do something but because of Covid it made me jump into it a little faster because I realised I couldn’t rely on the festivals (with cancellations),” he said.

And that something is a bright and beachy all-day venue specialising in sandwiches, wine and coffee.

Owner Perry Scott at his new eatery Scott's Luncheonette & Bar in Palm Beach. Picture: Nigel Hallett

Taking over a tight 50sq m site on the Gold Coast Hwy, previously home to Luka’s Fish and Chips, the 42-seat, almost all white venue will have Mr Scott head up the kitchen, making a huge range of sangas for breakfast and lunch.

“I’ve been making (sandwiches) for so long at home to the point I’ve been thinking, ‘I’m really good at this’ and I’ve always been joking I should open a sandwich bar,” he said.

Using bread from The Bread Social in Tweed Heads, the dough delights will be a gourmet affair featuring combos like chicken with coconut and ginger chilli jam, Mexican-spiced slow-cooked pork with salsa and crushed corn, eggplant parmigiana with mozzarella and passata; and grilled sausage with brown sauce and mayo.

The menu will also extend to tapas-style plates at night and charcuterie and cheese platters, alongside a signature moules et frites (steamed mussels and fries). Mr Scott is also contemplating having a seafood focus on Sundays to complement the venue being only a block from the beach.

But no doubt one of the biggest draw cards will be the eatery’s drink offering. Thirsty punters can expect a “fun and informal”, ever-changing wine list running from pet-nats to chilled reds with a large contingent of biodynamic, organic and Australian vino.

“I’m making my list a mixture of style based and grape based. We want to have something represented from the majority of the categories and we’ll keep that fluid,” Mr Scott said.

Of course there’ll be cocktails too, but these will mostly be classics like a margarita, martini, mimosa and Bloody Mary, plus his vodka-based signature Splendour cocktail, The Strummer.

Local beers will be on tap, while a highlight for caffeine enthusiasts is that the bar will serve Veneziano coffee until 5pm.

Scott’s Luncheonette is set to open August 11.