Adelaide’s newest watering hole, Pink Moon Saloon, proves that good things really do come in small packages. Matiya Marović, of local design studio Sans Arc, was presented with a tight brief: create a bar in a disused laneway that's a mere 3.6m wide.
His response is three linked spaces, in three types of Australian timber, which draws inspiration from Tadao Ando's revered Azuma House in Osaka, and borrows the idea of its central courtyard, which lets the sun bathe the covered front and rear sections. ‘The layered approach accentuates the movement of walking through the space,’ explains Marović. ‘Crossing multiple thresholds and experiencing the different spaces.’
The name comes from Nick Drake's pastoral-influenced final album, Pink Moon, and the bar, with its natural materials and hermetical, mountain cabin design, would surely have won the singer and songwriter’s approval.
Up front is what Marović terms the ‘drinkers' hut’, where you could easily quaff your way around Australia, with the cream of the nation's wine regions and boutique breweries on offer. Treat your tastebuds to a rare brew - spelt ale by Tasmanian brewers Two Metre Tall - or the pinot gris by local vignerons The Other Wine Co.
Calypso stools by Melbourne's Beeline Design, hand-painted by Marović, welcome visitors into the courtyard. Take a perch then try the signature Pink Moon Clover Club (gin, raspberry, lemon and egg white).
Tucked at the rear is a romantic log-cabin diner – a quiet place to indulge in slow-cooked meaty treats with a glass of Barossa Valley red.
It's small but a rewarding place that satisfies all of the senses.
INFORMATION
ADDRESS
21 Leigh St
-
Miami Navigator: where to stay, eat, drink and shop in Florida's design-savvy maximalist metropolisWhat to do in Miami, where ivory beaches and umbrella-clad caipirinhas share the stage with discerning galleries and global art and design fairs
-
Fashionable Christmas baubles to accessorise this year’s tree, from Bottega Veneta to LoeweSelected by the Wallpaper* style team, a gleaming array of Christmas baubles for fashion fans featuring fantastical designs from Bottega Veneta, Loewe, Prada and more
-
Discover South Carolina’s Hilton Head Island: food, fun and beachside blissWith natural splendour and a balmy, subtropical climate, Hilton Head Island beckons beach-goers, gourmets and golf fans alike
-
The world's most enticing new hotel openingsExplore the best new hotels in the world, from Saltmoore, a chic country retreat in north England, to Palm House, a retro-inspired Florida hotel
-
Australian surf culture merges with the charm of the Mediterranean at Il DelfinoIl Delfino, designed by Sheree Commerford, is a restored 1940s seaside inn nestled on the Yamba coastline in Australia
-
Layover in style at Melbourne Airport’s new hotelIbis Styles Melbourne Airport hotel by FK brings together elegant rooms, co-working lounges and leisure facilities in a striking aircraft wing-inspired design
-
Australian heritage meets European grandeur at Copperstone, a New South Wales retreatCopperstone is New South Wales’ answer to the European country estate, and includes a five-bedroom retreat, set in 48 acres
-
Tap into local creativity at The StandardX, MelbourneThe StandardX, Melbourne is the first hotel in The Standard Group's new breed of ‘younger and rebellious’ properties
-
Discover Beau Sydney, an intimate two-part restaurant enlivening the city’s lanewaysBeau Sydney dishes up contemporary Australian cuisine, from baked goods to regional wines, amid elegant interiors by Smart Design Studio
-
Inside The Ghan train across Australia, new carriage interiors elevate a classic tripThe Ghan’s new carriage interiors designed by Woods Bagot reimagine modern rail travel for this epic trip between Darwin and Adelaide
-
Sydney’s The Darling shows off its playful and sophisticated suitesThe Darling in Sydney unveils its recently renovated suites by Fender Katsalidis, paying homage to the surrounding cityscape
