NOW EXPERIENCING:NOLA
Drinks Directory|Specialty Bar|A+ spirits list|Great tunes

NOLA

Friday: 12:00 PM – 2:00 AM
28 Vardon Avenue, Adelaide, SA, 5000
Phone
No phone
Website
nolaadelaide.com
Instagram
@nolaadelaide

Read time 3 Mins

Posted 06 Jun 2023

By
Daniela Frangos

This spirited bar is inspired by the Big Easy, aka New Orleans, with an on-theme menu served alongside whiskeys, moonshine and cocktails with names like French Quarter.

Entrance to Nola
Why you goNo prizes for guessing the muse behind NOLA. The whiskey and craft beer bar takes its cues from the Big Easy, aka New Orleans, Louisiana, with regular blues and jazz gigs, Sazerac rye whiskey on pour, and very good Cajun and Creole cuisine. The fit-out includes feature archways and bright neon signs, one of which declares “Laissez les bons temps rouler!” (Cajun-French for “let the good times roll”). And roll they do, helped along by an extensive list of bourbon, beers and what must be Adelaide’s only beignets, Louisiana’s doughnut-like fried pastries.
Why you stayNOLA occupies the former stables beside The Stag Public House, from the same owners, The Big Easy Group, who also own and operate Adelaide favourites Anchovy Bandit, Bottega Bandito, Bowden Brewing and Yiasou George, so you’re in some very capable hands. The historic site, with its exposed stone walls, adds to the charm of the venue, which channels the energy of the blues and whiskey bars found along New Orleans’ famous Frenchmen Street (get the tourist trap and bachelor-party destination Bourbon Street out of your mind quick-smart). At Adelaide’s NOLA, you might have Maker’s Mark Kentucky bourbon, Westward whiskey from Portland, Oregon, or Kings County moonshine from New York while snacking on cornbread with maple-bourbon butter, corn chips swiped through “hot shrimp dip” or the quintessential Creole dish, jambalaya, a rice dish packed with smoked ham and chicken, prawns and okra. Or maybe it’s a craft beer alongside spicy corn ribs, fried and rolled in garlic butter and parmesan, and a smoked-brisket or pulled-pork po’boy baguette.  
Outdoor seating at Nola

The original cocktails have names like Lafayette Square (Basil Hayden bourbon with cherry liqueur, lemon and honey), French Quarter (Cognac with mandarin liqueur, citrus and bitters) and Bywater-Melon (Maker’s Mark bourbon with house watermelon shrub syrup, honey and citrus), Classics, meanwhile, include the Boulevardier (a blend of bourbon, sweet vermouth and Italy’s bittersweet Campari liqueur) and Whiskey Sour made with Buffalo Trace bourbon. No- and low-alcohol drinks are also available.

More than 200 whiskeys and whiskies have a strong showing from the rest of the world, including Australia, Scotland and Japan. And  the 16 rotating tap beers (scrawled on a chalkboard above the bar) might be supplemented by a Moon Dog sour, a Little Bang Hazy IPA, and Denmark Wild Ale with white peach.

Drinks served at Nola
What drink to orderDo like the regulars do and order a Lady NOLA, a mix of moonshine with bittersweet amaro liqueur, triple sec liqueur, bitters, passionfruit and citrus, or an Espresso du Biscoff (vanilla-infused Starward whisky, espresso and Biscoff spread served with a biscuit).
What to pair it withOrder the signature fried chicken, served with garlicky aioli, or get the fiery version rolled in spicy butter, then turn up the heat by asking for the house-made hot sauce to drizzle over it for an extra kick.
Why we love itWhile the New Orleans – and wider Americana – inspiration is front and centre, NOLA still has plenty of local flavour. The bar is very much tethered to Adelaide’s brewing and distilling scenes, regularly propping them up through brewers’ battles, whisky collaborations, beer festivals, masterclasses and whisky tastings, as well as the occasional mini music festival (the bar is inspired by Louisiana’s party town, after all.)
Live band at Nola
Drinks served at Nola
Regular’s tipGet in early to grab a booth where you can read the latest beers scrawled on the chalkboard, or, failing that, take a picture of it before heading upstairs to catch some live music.
Authour image
Daniela FrangosDaniela Frangos is a food, drink, arts and travel writer, and Broadsheet Adelaide’s editor-at-large, currently roaming between Kaurna Country and Naarm.
Tags
Drinks DirectoryMeal and a bevSpecialty BarDate nightOutdoor areaAfter work drinksCasual catch-upKiller cocktailsBrilliant beer listBarA+ spirits listGreat tunesWheelchair accessibleRestaurantAdelaide
REPORT A VENUE CLOSURE/REPORT AN ERROR
Related Articles