Summer is here, which already gives you a solid reason to head out for a frosty one in the sunshine. With Australia’s reopening in full force, however, navigating the country’s sheer amount of new openings can be intimidating.
Near, far, or wherever you are, these are the best bar openings in Australia for 2022.
Arbory Afloat
CBD
After its deep hibernation through Melbourne’s frosty period, Arbory Afloat has readied the ship to welcome crowds back on board. This year’s iteration is bringing some serious Hot-Euro-Summer to Melbourne with an Ibiza-inspired beach club. The entire pontoon has been transformed into a homage to the indulgent Spanish Balearic isles with a menu loaded with specialties from across the region, including Ibiza, Mallorca and more.
Summer 2022 also sees the Arbory Afloat pool reopening for the warmer months. This year leaning into the Balaeric beach club themed and adorned by day beds, palm trees and cabanas, the infinity pool will be open for business (and swimming) from now throughout the season. Hit up the Arbory Afloat Instagram for swimming times.
March
Collingwood/Melbourne
Since opening in 2016, Peter Gunn’s Ides has sat in the upper echelon of Melbourne’s fine dining scene, serving up a degustation menu that’s at least several years ahead of its time with every update. While Gunn is a true chef’s chef, the only thing that could be considered inaccessible about his cooking is locking down a booking at the Smith Street fine diner, though the just-opened sibling venue next door, March, is about to change that. Those familiar with the Ides brand of dining will relish in the shared sensibilities between the two. The ambient lighting signature to the fine diner is emulated in March, the playlists remain the same between the two, while the kitchen, connecting March and Ides, plates up Gunn’s work with equal amounts of precision we’ve come to expect over the years.
Full Moon Fever (Lulie Tavern)
Abbotsford/Melbourne
Taking the Abbotsford favourite to new heights, Lulie Tavern on Johnston Street has added a extra rooftop bar for its loyal revellers. Opening this Friday 18 November just in time for the summer period, Full Moon Fever is the upstairs counterpart to the cult-favourite saloon, a moniker decided upon by the team due to their love affair with the late-great Tom Petty. Founders Jon-Lee Farrell and Brendan Kennedy are harnessing the 'every person's bar' aesthetic with a mix of margs, cocktails, and frosty tins all on the cards. On the menu front, it's a burger-centric affair with various hefty combinations from a house-made interpretation of Hungry Jack's Whopper to a vegan fried-chicken creation. The venue follows suit to Lulie's by celebrating the vintage of the building, a 70s California desert-inspired motley collection of prints, cacti and light fittings. The entire space is decked out with the original factory roof, the absolutely stunning bar comprised of Northcote factory bricks and stained glass windows.
Bar Planet
Newtown
Called Bar Planet, here the team is shifting its focus from margaritas to martinis, expanding out from their original city and Surry Hills haunts into the beating heart of the Inner West. Behind the new bar is Jeremy Blackmore and Alex Dowd, along with the group's marketing director Daisy Tulley. At Bar Planet, you can expect your martinis to be nothing short of intergalactic. To craft their signature concoction, the team collaborated with Marrickville distillery Poor Tom's to create an ever-evolving "living" base spirit that Blackmore has called "Infinite Spirit".
As for the bar's look and feel, the brief was "twisted bistro"—combining the mood of classic bistros and psychedelics. On the design, Tulley explains, "we wanted to tweak and twist every little bit of the venue to have that transportive power—to flip reality a little bit and really give people the chance to have that once-in-a-lifetime experience."
Gildas
Surry Hills/Sydney
It's been a minute since Lennox Hastie made a huge splash on the Netflix series Chef's Table: BBQ. But the acclaimed Firedoor chef has opened something new in Sydney. Gildas is a Firedoor spinoff in the form of a Spanish wine bar, following a neat collection of other Spanish-influenced openings in the last 12 months (Parlar and La Salut among them).
Dishes include the likes of tartare with rock oyster cream and sorrel, spanner crab churros, charred leeks with lado, traditional Jamon Iberico from Spain, and ham made in NSW from Bundarra Berkshires but in a Spanish style. As for the space, the sleek Albion Street bar boasts a soft gum tree-like palette, with pale timbers, brass accents, and sage green banquettes, while still echoing a European sentiment. A warm not overly designed space where you could drop in for a pre-dinner drink or settle in for a while.
Tom’s Providore And Wine Bar
Perth
From the sweeping high ceilings, European-style open window frames, rustic furnishings and sky high walls of wine, this brand spanking new space is your one-stop destination for catch ups—whether it be for a morning post-jog coffee with the pooch, or a cheeky afternoon chianti with your besties, this cosy unassuming neighbourhood nook tucked between Beaufort and Brisbane Street makes you feel like you’ve stumbled on a little Melbournian neighborhood bar in the heart of Fitzroy or some other trendy little suburb.
If you’re keen for a graze, you can’t go past their fluffy chorizo and potato croquettes, crispy rosemary twice-cooked potatoes, or their massive charcuterie board for four overflowing with some of the world’s most delicious cheeses, prosciuttos, pickles and chutneys. And if you can’t be bothered heading to the shops to pick up dinner, their massive range of salads and homely ready-made meals have you sorted, along with a carefully curated selection of take home bottles to kick the night off right.
Soko Rooftop
Fortitude Valley/Brisbane
Hot off the heels of opening Lina’s Rooftop, the crew behind the glam pool bar—as well as the Valley’s Evita Restaurant & Bar and Bulimba’s Mina—have brought yet another rooftop destination to Brisbane’s inner city, with Soko Rooftop landing in Fortitude Valley. Taking over the very top level of Jubilee Place, the stunning glass building that has risen up above the Jubilee Hotel on St Paul’s Terrace (the one you always eyeball as you drive past), Soko is a lavish, greenery-adorned space full of unexpected surprises.
With a food menu that combines Peruvian and Japanese influences, bites on offer include everything from ceviche to yakitori, while the cocktail list features no less than 40 different variations of pisco sours, an iconic South American cocktail.
BrewDog
Murarrie/Brisbane
Taking over the heritage listed Tranberg House on Brunswick Street, right across from the Valley Metro train station, the new bar is truly jaw-dropping. While it might appear to be just a small but cosy taphouse from the street, head inside and you’ll find a multitude of spaces to choose from. There’s the street level bar, which features long high tables, pinball machines and a dog-friendly outdoor area to the rear, and an upstairs bar and function space with a mix of seating, two shuffleboard tables and a small verandah. But that’s not all—head downstairs and you’ll find another massive bar area the size of both upstairs bars combined, this one featuring a bright yellow wall of taps, comfy booths and leather lounges and a kitchen slinging scrumptious bar food day and night.
Now, check out Australia’s best restaurant openings for 2022 here.
Image credit: supplied by venues