Galah

The Verdict

Strewth! Just when you thought Windsor couldn’t get any cooler, this place opens up. It’s called Galah—an Aussie gin bar and watering hole, with a bottle shop out front. The sort of place Blinky Bill would relax with a good cocktail, some melted raclette and the soothing beats of in-house DJs.

The first thing you notice in here is the fit-out. The space is massive (it used to be storage space for a panel beater), with high vaulted ceilings, big industrial windows and exposed brick rounding out the industrial aesthetic. The furniture is classic Windsor too: a hodgepodge of reclaimed furniture, mismatched chairs and mid-century sofas where you can kick back with a salumi plate and a glass of the good stuff.

Speaking of, let’s talk cocktails. As you can probably tell from the name, there’s a healthy Australiana streak running through Galah. Think Four Pillars infused with wild hibiscus and eucalyptus tea. Negronis garnished with gum leaves. Or unique mixes like the Sheila Margarita—a summery buzz, spiked with lemon myrtle, Trombo tequila and Australia finger lime.

The beer list has a local craft edge as well (try the Hawke’s Brewing Co. lager—it’s as Aussie as you’re gonna get). There’s also a massive range of Australia gins, whiskies and other spirits, and the cocktail list is set to move with the seasons.

The food is likewise a work in progress. At the moment you can pick up some stellar salumi plates, or artisan cheeseboards. They’re also slinging hand-grilled raclette at night, which (along with the DJs upstairs) gives the place a thumping good vibe. Keep an eye out for the bottle shop downstairs—you can pick up a cheeky vino or two, then bring it up to Galah for service (there’s just a small corkage fee).

It’s nice to see Australiana being done without the kitsch. Galah would work no matter where the booze came from—the local touches are just the gumnut on top.  

Image credit: Annika Kafcaloudis

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