OPENINGS

Redfern Surf Club

Redfern Surf Club has officially opened its doors, offering a slice of sunny surf club culture on a bustling intersection in Alexandria. The new venue is the brainchild of Yannick Maslard – former GM of The Cliff Dive and Oxford Art Factory – and pairs a classic and fun drinks list with an inclusive, unpretentious approach to service. The drinks selection is headlined by ‘Can Cocktails’, described as a “soft drink can that has taken a stroll through the mini bar”. Grifter Pale Ale features centre-stage as RSC’s house beer, while the rest of the taps will champion local breweries like Batch, Wayward and Akasha – with an eye to one-off collaborations and limited release beers sometime in the future. Rounding out the list is a selection of natural wines curated by Sam Fitzsimmons of Melbourne’s Act of Wine, focusing on the team’s favourite Aussie producers – from fun and easy-drinking varieties to more complex styles.

Redfern Surf Club - Address: 60 Botany Rd, Alexandria NSW

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Capitano

The team behind Bar Liberty have breathed new life into Carlton institution The Beaufort, opening an Italian-American focused bar and restaurant called Capitano in mid-August. Owners Michael Bascetta, Banjo Harris Plane, Manu Potoi and Casey Wall boast some serious pedigree and can lay claim to some of Melbourne’s most-loved venues, including Above Board and Rockwell and Sons, in addition to the award-winning Bar Liberty. While food is a focus, the Capitano bar is set to become a destination in its own right – presenting a unique take on classic Italian cocktails and an impressive selection of Amari – while sommelier and co-owner Harris Plane will curate a wine list full of fun, juicy Italian varietals sourced locally and internationally. The space itself has also undergone a makeover, with terrazzo tile flooring and a gentle nod to old-world Italy in its muted green and red colour scheme and art deco light fittings.

Capitano - Address: 421 Rathdowne St, Carlton VIC

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Cry Baby

Solomon Street in Adelaide is quickly becoming a hotbed for new bars, with another venue opening recently. Cry Baby – which opened in early July – is owned and operated by Jon Di Pinto, a longtime member of the Adelaide hospitality community. Di Pinto describes the bar as a “good times/rock and roll bar”, reflected in the bar’s focus on beer (12 taps pouring local craft brews) and spirits over cocktails, with a short list of seven riffs on the classics – though the team did recently collaborate with Never Never to create a house take on a Hanky Panky. Unique features of the bar include a 1972 jukebox playing classic rock and roll and an eye-catching ‘Cry Baby’ neon sign which dominates an internal wall. Guests are encouraged to enjoy a pizza from Sunny’s next door, and they’d be wise to line their stomachs – the party kicks on until 2am most nights.

Cry Baby - Address: 11 Solomon St, Adelaide SA

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Bistecca

Liquid & Larder, the team behind The Wild Rover and Grandma’s, recently opened a new multi-concept restaurant and bar in the heart of the Sydney CBD. Bistecca’s focal point is the eponymous bistecca alla Fiorentina, made famous in Florence centuries ago and celebrated worldwide. The cut and weighed steak is cooked fireside over charcoal, wood and olive branches to a perfect medium-rare, before being left to rest and served in traditional Italian fashion: well-seasoned with salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Washing down the steak is an extensive list of Italian and Australian wines and classic cocktails; an exclusive Four Pillars Negroni is on tap, and the bar team pumps out Aperol Spritz, Bellinis and Garibaldis by the dozen. Designed by Australian architectural firm Tom Mark Henry, this heritagefronted former hair salon – with its terrazzo floors, heaving shelves of amari, and dark timber – now transports guests straight to Italy.

Bistecca - Address: 3 Dalley St, Sydney NSW