Bar Demo

Bar Demo is a late-night vinyl bar in Newtown, designed for lovers of a well-crafted drink without the fuss. Owners Claudia Morgan and Olly Churcher (Ex-Double Deuce Lounge) are bartenders by trade, so there’s faith to be had in their curated 60-bottle wine list and seasonally crafted cocktails. The venue itself has grown from their joint experiences working and sipping in some of Sydney’s best bars—Morgan says “we wanted somewhere open late where we could buy a bottle without sitting down for a meal, sink some martinis, listen to some interesting music or have a dance”. Bar Demo certainly checks all of the boxes: open 5pm—midnight, Wednesday—Saturday, with no full kitchen but a dedicated menu for snacks, and a soundtrack of full albums played on vinyl, with each night featuring a curated selection of tunes.

As a drinks forward venue, the wine list speaks for itself—designed to be approachable, with labels grouped by the mood and energy of the wine rather than region or style. By the glass, a dozen rotating pours, alongside limited allocation wines on special nightly. Churcher describes the venue as “a place where anyone feels welcome to try something new—even if they don’t know much”. This much is clear in their experimental cocktail selections—honourable mentions include freezing cold -15 degree martinis and ‘fun size’ two-sip cocktails like the +/- Colada: a cold rum and pineapple base topped with a hot white chocolate coconut foam. 

In terms of food, you won’t find signature dishes or fine dining at Bar Demo—their snack menu keeps things simple with high-quality, complementary bites that don’t outshine the drinks. Order  charcuterie from LP’s and Pino’s, Cantabrian anchovies, Chappy’s chips and cheese, prepped to order. Once a month, guest chefs will feature in their Sunday pop-ups, serving up half-a-dozen exclusive snacks for under $20. 

The interior is filled with dimly lit booths, low tables, and plenty of space to shake things out and have a boogie. Expect a mix of jazz, punk, rock and disco, played on vinyl through a handmade, hi-fi sound system. Laid-back and cool, Bar Demo is designed to slot naturally into a night of bar hopping or pre-dinner drinks. This spot is walk-in only, so head down, order a bottle, and see where the evening takes you.

Main image credit: Bar Demo | Instagram