Overview
Neutral Bay is getting a solid dose of Sydney's undying G&T obsession with the official launch of new venue Tonic Lane this Saturday, June 11. Part cafe, part 'ginoteria', the restaurant is kicking it with the locals, boasting a menu of all-Australian gins and tonics.
This shiny new North Shore small bar is a co-creation of Lain Tapsall (ex-Bourke Street Bakery) and Julian Brenchley (Channel 9's The Block). They're serving up all-day cafe fare and some pretty stellar sounding gin cocktails.
The cocktail list, titled 'The Dirty Seven', is gin focused, of course — the G.E.M Martini uses Fourty Spotted gin, vermouth and elderflower, while the the Purple Rain tribute cocktail combines West Winds' Sabre gin with orange bitters, cucumber and lemon. They're also doing a requisite Negroni, but their version adds a good helping of Melbourne Gin Company to the classic mix.
Their expansive spirits menu includes over 25 Aussie-made gins, from VIC's Four Pillars Gin and Tasmania's Hobart No 4 to local legends like Archie Rose, Poor Toms Gin and Young Henrys Noble Cut. You can get any of these made into an 'a la carte' gin and tonic — served with Australian Tonic ($13), truly Aussie as.
If you can pull your eyes away from the gin list, the cafe fare sounds pretty standard, though does look pretty tasty and well-priced — think a manchego cheese frittata for brekkie ($6) and a pulled pork burger topped with sriracha butter for lunch or dinner ($10). The night-time small bar atmosphere is clearly the main draw for Tonic Lane, though.
The Tonic Lane launch is set to coincide with World Gin Day. This Saturday's opening party will include eight complimentary gin samples, one offered every half-hour from noon.
Tonic Lane opens at noon this Saturday, June 11 at Shop 6, 8 Young Lane, Neutral Bay. Opening hours are Sunday to Wednesday from 7am to 10pm and Thursday to Saturday from 7am to midnight.
Image: Jez Timms.