Celebrate all Things Aussie with a Cocktail – 5 Venues to Get Your Spirit Going!

While many of us will celebrate Australia Day tomorrow with an ice-cold beer, there’s nothing better than a cheeky cocktail to lift the Aussie spirits and set the mood for a day to remember everything this country means to all of us – wherever we come from!

Here are five venues to get your cocktail on in time for the weekend:

Inspired by the hustle and bustle of Bangkok, Rock Sugar on Malvern Road in South Yarra is all about modern Thai fare with a twist. Expect a seductive vibe of moody lighting, neon signage and intimate tables ideal for a romantic rendezvous or night out with friends, as you peruse a rocking good menu with the majority of dishes being gluten-free.

 

Get things off to a great start with a Pretty Fly for a Mai Tai cocktail – white and spiced rum, macadamia, passionfruit, honey and egg white – or a Tropic Like it’s Hot with vodka, pineapple, Chambord, kaffir lime and cranberry, to go with share plates such as saltgrass lamb spring rolls, with massaman coconut cream and peanuts.

Head down hidden alleyways in the west end of the city to discover Adelaide’s iconic gin and cocktail bar Hains & Co on Gilbert Place. With a penchant for whisky and cigars, this hot spot also offers a unique alfresco which lends itself to great connections shared over delectable spirits and bar snacks…you’d never know you are in the middle of the CBD.

 

An eclectic vibe awaits with trailing greenery, softly glowing pendent lights and polished wood setting the scene for after-work catchups or pre-dinner drinks, perhaps ordering a signature sweet floral gin-based Yuzu Fancy cocktail with mandarin, lemon juice and yuzu liqueur. 

Find one of the Sunshine Coast’s most iconic beachfront dining locations at Kings Beach Bar on Levuka Avenue in Caloundra. Located in the Rolling Surf Resort, this restaurant and bar oozes an unrivalled beachside vibe of balmy alfresco dining under market umbrellas; indoors, a white and aqua tiled bar promises cheeky cocktails, beer and wine, while blond wood tables beckon for leisurely meals. 

 

Pair dishes like seared mahi mahi, watermelon, radish, watercress, fennel, dukkah and mango dressing with a Good Juju cocktail with blood orange gin, Montenegro, orange, lime, Prosecco and aquafaba; or an Elderflower Sour, with gin, elderflower, green apple, mint, lime and aquafaba.

Those seeking a hip and trendy bar to hang out with friends head down High Street in Northcote to find Francesca’s Bar. Exposed brick walls, vintage furniture and neon signage create a unique and stylish vibe, while the ping pong table attracts plenty of attention and competition.

 

With a reputation for top-shelf cocktails and drinks, settle in for a memorable session with a Byron Fizz creation – Brookie’s Slow Gin, plum bitters, lemon, egg white and soda – or a Would I Lychee Ya Baby? with lychee liqueur, vodka, apple, lime and sugar.

A modern experimental cocktail bar and exhibition space is what you’ll find at Bouvardia on Bourke Street in the heart of Melbourne’s CBD. Doubling as a gallery showcasing local artists on a rotational monthly basis, this venue nestles in an intimate second-story space and serves some of the most innovative drinks in the city in seductive surrounds of marble, leather banquettes, moody lighting and, of course, creative cocktails.

 

Some of the concoctions take days to make so are not always on the menu; think drinks like Kishibe – blackened chestnuts, Nelis pear, chrysanthemum and sake – or Not All Cucumbers Wear Capes with acidified cucumber, capers, fennel seed and gin…cheers!