First Look: Balmain Has Plenty of Pubs – but It Needed a Bar Like Nacara

Balmain is known for its heritage pubs, harbourside parks, and abundance of prams. But the suburb has long needed a sophisticated little bar where the lights are low and the cocktails can be customised. Nacara Bar & Cellar is fast earning a reputation as that missing piece of the peninsula.

“People are saying ‘thank you’ to us for being here,” says bar manager Miguel Lemos. “When, really, we should be thanking them.”

The name Nacara, a riff on the Portuguese expression na cara dura (to tackle something head-on), is a nod to the area’s working-class roots. The bar is the work of old friends – owner Ivan Rangel Leandro and chef Andre Hirata previously worked together at Chica Bonita and The Newport. Meanwhile, Mitch Hunter, who was a sommelier at Aria and Chiswick, met Leandro and Lemos at Bistro Mosman.

“We have all worked together for years,” says Hunter, “so when your friend opens a wine bar, it feels really natural to come along.”

The team has taken over a space in the Institute Arcade building on Darling Street, a heritage-listed landmark built in 1896 that has been home to the Working Men’s Institute, a dole office, and various retailers and hospitality businesses over the years.

The space’s maroon tones, arched windows, and ornate ceilings make the place feel nostalgic and romantic enough to swap out the Birks for. It also creates a beautiful backdrop for Nacara’s continental dishes: Gildas; plates of Cantabrian boquerones and anchovies; and a whole section of crostini with toppings such as coppa and guindillas, and roast pork with provolone and salsa verde. A pacoca pudding dessert is a gentle nod to Leandro’s Brazilian heritage.

But it’s Nacara’s bar offering that sets it apart in one of the city’s strongest pub scenes. An extensive wine list takes in the best of Old and New World styles. On the cocktail front, choose from the list of house concoctions and classic drinks, or build one yourself – right down to the choice of glassware. The $15 mini Negroni and tinnie combo is a no-brainer at aperitivo hour. As is the complimentary half-dozen oysters with any bottle of champagne. 

“We want to bring aperitivo hour to the area; it’s something we have always loved and don’t see much around here,” says marketing manager Emma Wiseman.

Another boon for the suburb: Nacara is open late Thursday through Sunday, which means if you’re visiting the area, a stint here might be worth missing the last ferry home for.

Nacara Bar & Cellar
Shop 3-4, 332 Darling Street, Balmain 
No phone

Hours: 
Thu 5pm–10pm
Fri 5pm–11pm
Sat 12pm–4pm, 5pm–11pm
Sun 12pm–4pm, 5pm–10pm 

nacarabar.com.au
@nacarabalmain