Brisbane’s bars had become a minor source of frustration in recent years. While the city’s restaurants, cafes and bakeries have come on strong over the past decade, our boozers seemed stuck in gear. If you wanted a terrific cocktail, great – venues such as Death & Taxes, sister venue Dr Gimlette and Savile Row had you covered.
But there was a lack of new ideas in the scene. It didn’t help that we lost some modern classics in that period, including The Bowery, The Cloakroom Bar, Super Whatnot and, most recently, Alba Bar & Deli. But over the past 18 months, things have begun to change.
Flying Colours, Alice, Milquetoast, Club Felix and the relaunched Alliance Hotel have all added much-needed variety to the ranks. You can now add Barry Parade Public House to the list. Barry Where? Exactly — that Daniel Gregory, Brennen Eaton and Lachlan Henry have opened this sophisticated neighbourhood boozer in what many would consider a relatively unknown byway between the CBD and Fortitude Valley illustrates a confidence in what they’re peddling.
‘I don’t think we’ll be the last’: Why one of Brisbane’s best bars has closed “We feel it’s unique. That neighbourhood bar but done really well doesn’t really exist in Brisbane,” Gregory says. “We were looking at places in the CBD, but I’m glad we went off the beaten track — it’s worked out well.
” And Barry Parade Public House is drawing punters from the surrounding neighbourhood, not just the Spring Hill apa.
