Golden Hours, Cocktail Hours, whatever you call them — how bars are getting punters in midweek
And some of the best finds are a restaurant bars on the side.
Around the Bars is the weekly newsletter from Cara Devine, unpacking what’s happening in the best Melbourne bars (and what you can learn from them), sent every Tuesday to your inbox. Sign up here.
There’s no question that belts are tightening around Australia at the moment, but no one wants to forego fun entirely – especially with summer finally arriving! People want value, though, as they choose where to spend their hard earned cash, and savvy operators are taking notice, concocting clever ways to introduce guests to their offering in a pocket friendly way, without cheapening their brand.
Happy Hours, previously seen as the domain of tacky dive bars or pubs, have had a classy makeover to suit high-end venues. I’ve seen Golden Hours, Aperitivo Hours, Cocktail Hours – whatever you want to call them, all are a way to tempt customers in on those tricky weeknights. Once comfortably ensconced, it’s likely that guests will stay for another round or two. It's a good way to create a vibe in the venue early on, as we all know how easily an empty room can become self-perpetuating.
The Estelle in Northcote offers a very well priced three course Sunday lunch for $50. I’ve been a few times now for catch ups with friends, and given my social circle there does tend to be a Spritz on arrival, a couple of bottles of wine, maybe a post-dessert digestif. We always spend rather more than the $50 lunch itself, but leave patting ourselves on the back at our budget conscious thriftiness; we feel like we got a good deal.
Another trend I’ve noticed is the bar on the side. Several high profile fine-dining restaurants have opened entirely separate bars, well regarded in their own right but with a more accessible feel. You may feel like you have to have the Obama’s budget to enjoy a full meal at Gimlet, but you can microdose the glitz and glamour at neighbouring Apollo Inn (yes, they do caviar service). Southside institution France-Soir may be a once a year treat, but their newly opened sibling bar Le Splendide is less of a commitment, with more of a focus on wines by the glass and finger food. Despite the fact it's right down the street from me, I’ve never had quite the right occasion to visit Italian fine-diner Scopri, but have quickly become a regular at Bar Olo since they opened it a few doors along as their half-size pastas and Campari lead cocktails are just right for a treat yourself night.
A big part of this is designating these sibling venues as bars, as opposed to restaurants. I’m someone who is very comfortable dining and drinking solo, but I do feel a little awkward taking up a table in a busy restaurant when I know I’ll only have a drink or two and some snacks. A bar though – well, that’s what they’re for!
I recently visited Dessous, appropriately named for being underneath Hazel on Flinders Lane. They are both owned by the Mulberry Group and have their own identities, but feed off each other. While you can get great drinks at Hazel, it has more of a restaurant atmosphere. Dessous, while it has its own kitchen and delicious food, very much feels like a bar. The friendly bartender told me their split is heavily weighted towards beverage, and they have a cocktail hour with selected $14 classics, $16 house cocktails and $7 snacks – in this economy?!
It's a smart business move. Not only can you capitalise on pre-existing clientele – why give up pre or post dinner drinks to another venue? – but you can pull in a different, more casual crowd as well. And, if you impress with drinks and snacks, you are more likely to be at the forefront of someone’s mind the next time they are booking a special celebration meal.
There’s a reason that tiki culture boomed during the Great Depression. People might not have been able to afford a holiday, but they could afford an over the top cocktail in a room done up to look like a picture postcard. Good hospitality, and cocktails specifically, have always been about escapism. Nobody ever really needs a cocktail, but they are an everyday luxury that can bring a little joy to your week as you relax and unwind.
Long live the democratisation of good food and drinks.
Sam Bygrave
Around the Bars
- At Apollo Inn I had the Blinker, a surprisingly light concoction of rye, Cocchi Rosa, fermented raspberries and fennel. It was a perfectly balanced introduction to the capabilities of the bar team there – it was my first visit, but certainly won’t be my last. (It’s also on the Boothby Top 50 Drinks of the Year — you can vote for it and the others here).
- Over the road at Dessous, the Koji Queen was a standout. Sake is paired with Filipino calamansi, ginger, Benedictine and saline for a complex and rich Gimlet-style drink that I could have drank many more of.
- It's the last week of the Planteray Classic Clash, a super easy competition where you just have to submit your specs for a rum classic to win cash prizes. Just in time for Halloween, it’s Zombie week (a cocktail which I made for the very first time just last week and will never remember the specs for) – more details here planterayclassicclash.com.
