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
-
Clocking on: the bedside analogue timepieces that won’t alarm your aestheticWe track down the only tick-tocks that matter, nine traditional alarm clocks that tell the time with minimum fuss and maximum visual impact
-
Architecture, sculpture and materials: female Lithuanian artists are celebrated in NîmesThe Carré d'Art in Nîmes, France, spotlights the work of Aleksandra Kasuba and Marija Olšauskaitė, as part of a nationwide celebration of Lithuanian culture
-
‘There is more work to be done in the garden’: Dries Van Noten on deciding to grow his burgeoning beauty lineFor Dries Van Noten, 2024 has been a landmark year. After stepping down from fashion in June, the designer speaks to Wallpaper* about a new focus on nurturing the brand’s beauty line and spending more time in his beloved garden
-
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
-
St Ali & The Queen elevates Melbourne’s coffee culture with modern brews and brutalismSt Ali & The Queen is a Fiona Lynch Office-designed café and cocktail bar in Melbourne’s revitalised Queen Victoria Market
-
Kangaroo Island’s Southern Ocean Lodge returns to full splendourKangaroo Island’s Southern Ocean Lodge reopens in one of Australia’s wildest and most enchanting remote corners, following the devastating 2019 bushfires
