NEW VENUES OPENING AROUND THE COUNTRY

Locura

The Three Blue Ducks team has launched their fifth venue, opening Locura – a late night bar offering – in Byron Bay. The six-man team of chefs and co-owners recently visited LA and Mexico for inspiration on vibrant and flavoursome Latin American cuisine, informing the dining menu. On the drinks front, award-winning bartender Tim Philips (Dead Ringer and Bulletin Place) has joined forces with Locura to create an ecletcitc cocktail list to complement the food offering, described as “simple, fun, fresh and flavoursome”. Drinks included mezcal-based mules with kombucha, a take on the classic Mexican favourite michelada, and homemade tepache – a fermented pineapple beverage made using the leftover pineapple skins. The wine list features a compact selection of international organic and natural wines, with a smattering of South American options. A combination of local and international beers are available by the bottle, while the tap list rotates regularly to showcase a selection of some of Australia’s best craft beers and ciders.

Locura - Address: 6 Lawson St, Byron Bay NSW

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Matteo Downtown

Matteo Downtown, the brainchild of hospitality team The Adored Group, is inspired by the all-day dining restaurants of Milan and Rome and has a foot firmly planted in Italian aperitivo culture. Made up of Adam Abrams, Orazio D’Elia and Eddie Levy, the trio – which, individually, have launched some of Sydney’s top drinking and dining destinations (Kittyhawk, Lobo Plantation) – joined forces to open Matteo Double Bay in 2017. In addition to the all-day dining options offered by the restaurant, significant attention has been paid to building the bar as a destination in its own right, with its own menu and experience. Bar manager Maurizio Furiani serves up an innovative drinks list, focused on uncomplicated, classic Italian flavours built around spritzes, negronis and Italian classics. Also, five days a week from 4pm-6pm, guests can gather at the bar and sip on a selection of wine, beer, and cocktails – accompanied by complimentary snacks, as per the Italian evening tradition.

Matteo Downtown - Address: 20 Bond St, Sydney NSW

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Beirne Lane

Fortitude Valley’s newest drinking hole, Beirne Lane, threw open its doors in early November. Located inside the heritage-listed T.C. Beirne Building, the new venue offers an all-day, all-night drinking, dining and dancing hub for Brisbane’s punters. The gastropub-style space – developed by Brisbane hospitality group Celissa – bridges the gap between bar and restaurant, with quality drinks and affordable dining options in abundance. The food offering is an interesting blend of Irish and Japanese, with the ‘katsu sando’ menu said to be a crowd pleaser. The bar menu is similarly offbeat; a signature cocktail is the ’Oh Boys! We Must Have Another!’, Beirne Lane’s take on a fog cutter, while the beer selection includes a few old favourites as well as a constantly-rotating selection of craft. With design work completed by AZB Creative, the space includes a mix of indoor and outdoor, upper and lower dining spaces, and casual bar-style seating areas.

Bernie Lane - Address: T11-14/315 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley QLD

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Bopp & Tone

Sydney hospitality group Applejack opened its first Sydney CBD location in mid-November, adding to a growing portfolio of restaurants and bars. Its latest venue Bopp & Tone is a tribute to the Applejack founders’ grandfathers, Keith ‘Bopp’ Evans and Anthony ‘Tone’ Adams. The venue reflects the nostalgic and post WWII era they lived in; design features include heavy marbles, classic tiles and textures, dark and moody timber furnishings, along with an alfresco dining terrace, private dining room and Applejack’s signature love of greenery. The food menu centers around generous share food with Mediterranean influences and is predominantly cooked on the in-house wood grill or charcoal oven. Following the same ethos as the food, the concise cocktail list has been developed by group bars manager Lachy Sturrock and bar manager Craig Kerrison, featuring popular classic cocktails tailored with Australian ingredients and Mediterranean charm.

Bopp & Tone - Address: 60 Carrington St, Sydney NSW

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