A major renovation has transformed the Beachfront Hotel into a prized local with much to like, from adventurous cocktails and standout craft brews to a crowd-pleasing menu for all comers.
It’s easy to get comfy in the Beachfront Hotel. The place used to be known for all the wrong reasons, but few among Darwin’s transient population remember – or care – what it was like in the bad old days. All they know is that a multimillion-dollar renovation has turned the Beachy, as it is inevitably known, into a northern suburbs local with much to like: a good wine list, great cocktails, a raft of craft beers, and a menu with a few twists. It’s a big pub-restaurant, but cleverly divided into several bars, which helps retain an intimate atmosphere.
Nearly all types are catered for here. The main bar is a traditional affair, the sort of place where you’re bound to bump into at least one person you know. A pool room with three tables is tucked around the corner, and the few pokies – loved by some, loathed by others – are so unobtrusive that it’s easy to miss them. The large outdoor deck is shaded – essential in the tropics. And the menu at the US-style kitchen known as Smokey J’s, while largely classic Aussie, includes a few surprises, while vegetarians and vegans aren’t forgotten. The Beachy strives to be all things to all people, and comes pretty close to achieving that goal.
The Beachfront Hotel has an appealingly original suite of cocktails. Classics like the Bloody Mary are here, but the fun comes with the Territory twists. The Smart and Stunning is a good place to start – a tropical mix of vodka, lemongrass, passion fruit, and prosecco. The Fifty Shades of Grey, meanwhile, is a Territory take on the Piña Colada: coconut-washed rum with pineapple and yoghurt, and the addition of activated charcoal rendering it pitch-black. “It’s very popular,” says co-owner Guy Dunne. “And doesn’t taste anything like it looks.”
Alcohol naysayers are sorted with four mocktails, including the Afternoon Delight, a fruity concoction of orange and cranberry spiked with house-made ginger syrup.
The tight wine list – six whites, one rosé and seven reds – are all available by the glass or bottle and nearly all Australian (a couple from New Zealand’s Marlborough buck the trend). Similarly, the addition of Asahi is the only foreigner on an otherwise uniformly Aussie list that covers standout craft brews – hello, Green Beacon Wayfarer Tropical Pale Ale – along with classics like Carlton.
The popular Texas-style brisket, smoked and cooked low and slow, is a worthy match for any of the eight craft beers on offer, such as South Australia’s Pirate Life, as is the chargrilled Portuguese-spiced chicken with mango raita.
While Territorians like to boast that their fish is the best in the world, you won’t find the Territory’s signature barramundi on the menu at the Beachfront Hotel; as Territorians say, if you want wild barra, catch it yourself. But you won’t be disappointed with the grilled locally caught jewfish or the crisp-battered threadfin salmon with green salad, fries and aïoli, perhaps paired with a glass of the benchmark Shaw + Smith Sauvignon Blanc from the Adelaide Hills or the La Maschera Pinot Grigio from South Australia’s Limestone Coast. Fried local lemon-pepper squid, meanwhile, remains a crowd-pleaser, and it joins the jewfish and threadfin salmon on the seafood platter along with Skull Island tiger prawns and smoked salmon – ideal if you’re with a group.
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