The Woods Opens in Mitchelton
Words by Elliot Baker · Updated on 20 Sep 2019 · Published on 23 Jul 2019
When The Mill on Constance closed in June, the Valley lost a much-loved craft beer institution. But instead of cutting their losses, owners Gillian Letham and Gerard Hartnett put a long-time plan into motion and opened The Woods in Mitchelton.
“We had been looking to open [something] in Mitchelton for a while,” Letham says. “[The Woods] is about bringing all the good stuff we had at The Mill into the suburbs.”
If anyone knows how to run a neighbourhood bar, it’s Letham and Hartnett. Their other venue in Bulimba, The Oxford Tap House , is a standout on a busy Oxford Street. Like The Ox, The Woods has six beer taps that constantly rotate with both local and international brews – you might find East Brisbane’s Semi Pro on tap alongside Garage Project from New Zealand. There are another 60 or so beers sold by the bottle and can. For wine, Letham is keen on highlighting different drops, such as blends from the Urban Winery Project. There are 20 gins on the back bar including Letham’s favourite, Hidden World.
For food, Letham and Hartnett were wary of having a Miss Kay’s across the road and have avoided a burger-centric menu. Instead you’ll find braised lamb shanks, crispy pork belly and rib fillet alongside bar snacks such as popcorn chicken and fish cakes.
For the fit-out, the duo has stripped back a former pet store to reveal its brick walls, adding a bar and giving the space a moody black and mint-green colour scheme. Hartnett, a carpenter by trade, made all the wooden elements himself by hand, including the tables and the bar. Old regulars at The Mill will recognise bits and pieces, such as the lights and glasses. “We’ve been pretty lucky [with The Woods], it seems half of our customers [at The Mill] live out here anyway,” Letham says, laughing.
According to Letham, the key to a good neighbourhood bar is creating a space where people can linger. “We invested in comfy chairs with backs and cushions because we want people to stay all night,” she says. “You can come in at five, have a few drinks, eat dinner, and stay for a few more drinks.”
This story was originally published July 23. Menu items may have changed.
The Woods
37 Blackwood Street, Mitchelton
No Phone
Hours:
Sun to Thu 12pm–10pm
Fri & Sat 12pm–11pm
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