Five Spots for Festive Hangs to Hit This Month with Your Crew
Where to eat, drink and be very merry.
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While we all may be counting down the days till summer holidays, there's plenty of festive fun to be had in the meantime. 'Tis the season to be jolly and all that, and nothing gets you in the Christmas spirit better than gathering your finest friends for a quality hang in the city. Of course, you'll need a venue that suits your squad's vibe — whether you live for basement dives or prefer catching cool breezes from a rooftop. So, we've teamed up with Pernod Ricard, purveyors of festive tipples like Chivas, St Hugo and Mumm Champagne, to track down five top-notch spots for you and your crew to check out this month.
Round up the troops, choose your spot and start mustering up your holliest of jolliest Christmas cheer.
THE TERRACE AT THE EMPORIUM
The new (and only) rooftop bar in South Bank atop the Emporium Hotel was made for balmy summer-night hangs. Take in the views from the breezy chrome and glass balcony, Absolut cosmo in hand (they're making a comeback, people), and indulge in fresh oysters. And if you're looking for the full luxury experience, order one of the must deluxe sandwiches in the city: lobster, pancetta, potato, corn and crème fraiche on toasted ciabatta with salmon roe. Once you've finished your cosmo and realised this will be your drink of the summer, pair that lobster sandwich with a glass of Champagne — we said we were going full luxury. The Terrace also has Mumm Champagne and Perrier-Jouët on the pour, completing this ideal celebration situation of sipping bubbles while overlooking the shimmering city and river.
Adam Hunter.
LITTLE VALLEY
If sampling funky, fresh flavours gets your crew pumped, check out this little fusion spot, inspired by the 'cultural melting pot' of Hong Kong. The dim sum menu — perfect for sharing — offers dumplings as you've never had them. Think duck à l'orange steamed buns and chicken wontons with aged vinegar and chipotle oil. Australian flourishes also appear in dishes like chopped kangaroo tartare with bone marrow, pickled chilli and saltbush. With all these flavour twists, you'll want a cocktail that can keep pace; opt for the signature summer specials like the Waking Panda, with Absolut vodka, elderflower, mandarin and citrus, or the Silk Palace, with Havana Club rum, orange blossom, coconut cream, vanilla and citrus.
BROOKLYN STANDARD
In the grand tradition of NYC dive bars, this joint brings the thumping heart of Brooklyn to Brisbane, offering live funk, soul and blues every night. Within the dimly lit dive of exposed brick and wood panelling, bedecked with sports memorabilia, the kitchen serves classic American favourites like hot dogs, buffalo wings, popcorn shrimp and mozzarella sticks, which can all be washed down with Havana Club rum and root beer. Bartenders will also do you a Jameson every which way, from neat to an Old Fashioned. Want to take your celebrations up a notch? (It is the silly season after all.) Order the lobster roll with a very reasonably priced glass of Mumm Champagne($14).
GERARD'S BAR
More than a spot for excellent charcuterie, this hidden laneway little sibling of Gerard's Bistro also serves some of the finest cocktails on James Street. Gather the group for an elegant share-plate repast at this green-tiled industrial-chic Valley bar. Know you're in good hands with award-winning chef Ben Williamson in the kitchen dishing out savoury jamon and potato croquettes and flamed sobrassada with rooftop honeycomb and potato crisps, as well as a selection of terrines, preserves and sharing boards. Plus with Mumm available and a bar full of cocktail prowess, you'll easily find a drop to match all that meaty goodness.
BLACKBIRD BAR
The luxe fitout of Blackbird Bar is matched by both its magnificent 180-degree river view — we're talking unparalleled vistas of Story Bridge and Kangaroo Point — and a selection of exquisite drinks and dishes. Elevate your evening by taking advantage of the skilled team of bartenders and the extensively stocked bar. Sip a Chivas Regal whisky sour, or one of the geographically inspired cocktails from the menu, and grab a few nibbles of the bar snacks menu. There are your standard chips in the form of shoestring fries elevated with lemon myrtle aioli and saltbush, the ultra comforting fried mac 'n' cheese balls served with truffled mayo or indulgent shellfish platters packed local seafood like rock and pacific oysters, Mooloolaba king prawns, Moreton Bay bugs and Hervey Bay scallops. And if you're in need of a nightcap, there are over 50 single malts on the menu to choose from, including The Glenlivet 18-year-old.
Start planning your festive hangs pronto. And if you're entertaining at home or just looking to keep the party going, purchase any two eligible Pernod products from a Cellarbrations, The Bottle O, IGA Liquor or Big Bargain Bottleshop, and go in the draw to win a $500 travel voucher. There's one voucher to win every day until Christmas. After all, what could be better for the holiday spirit than winning an actual holiday?
