The mood at the opening of Nearly, an intimate wine bar at Hindley Street’s western end, was surprisingly different to the events that launch most new venues.
There were no intricately plated canapes or extravagant cocktails. Instead, the owners of Adelaide's newest small bar opened the doors, started pouring drinks and fired up a barbecue for a kerbside sausage sizzle.
“It felt more like a house party than an opening party, but it was just great to be able to show off to our friends and family what we’ve managed to achieve in such a short amount of time,” co-owner Alex Glastonbury tells Broadsheet.
Glastonbury, a long-time bartender at Leigh Street’s Udaberri, joined forces with Stem co-owners Lachlan Farmer and Tom Paxton, illustrator Cécile Gariépy and designer Stephen Roy to open Nearly, directly opposite Stem, its sister venue.
It’s been an all-hands-on-deck effort for the past six months. Roy took three months off from his work as a nurse at the Royal Adelaide Hospital to build furniture for the venue, while Gariépy undertook the rendering and created the branding.
The result is a cosy bar fitted out with small curved, irregularly shaped tables, stools and communal long-table seating that shares the space with the curved bar that runs the length of the venue.
There’s more seating along the bay windows at the front of the bar and outside at street level. While the interior seems snug, the high ceilings bathe the space in afternoon sunlight and make it feel roomy in the evening.
The chequerboard flooring, a holdover from the spot’s previous life as a vape shop, was given a freshen-up, and the walls were given a sand-rendered finish.
“We wanted it to feel as if you were just going around to someone’s really nice house and having some great South Australian wines,” Glastonbury says.
Glastonbury has curated a South Australian-focused drinks list that includes reds, whites, and rosés from Travis Tausend, Gentle Folk and Ochota Barrels. While the list will largely stay the same, Glastonbury tells us they plan to rotate the by-the-glass options.
“We’ve got such good wines to offer here in South Australia and we really want to show off what’s being produced in our own backyard,” he says.
Pints of Coopers Pale and Pacific Ale are on tap, while Martinis, Negronis and Old Fashioneds round out a compact cocktail list. Bottomless coffee and soft drinks are available for teetotallers.
On the food front, the bar is serving cured meats and cheeses alongside some homemade snacks, including white beans in oil with burnt lemon and spice.
“This area was really lacking or missing a little wine bar,” Glastonbury says.
“I think the street now has something unique. It’s not a restaurant and it’s not a pub – it’s a cosy spot you can come and feel right at home.”
Nearly
179 Hindley Street, Adelaide
Hours:
Wed to Sat 3pm-late
