NOW EXPERIENCING:Smokelovers
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Smokelovers

Tuesday: 4:00 PM – 12:00 AM
244 Rundle Street, Adelaide, SA, 5000
Phone
No phone
Website
smokelovers.com.au
Instagram
@smokelovers_bar

Read time 4 Mins

Posted 01 Feb 2023

By
Alexandra Carlton

A former tobacco shop gets a breath of fresh air as a locally focused bar championing small-scale up-and-coming wine producers and slinging smart traditional-with-a-twist cocktails.

people sitting and standing at smokelovers
Why you goThe east end of Rundle Street has no shortage of pubs, shops and cafes, but it had lacked somewhere for a good glass of wine or a cocktail in the late afternoon, poured by someone who cares about what they’re putting in your glass. So long-time bartender Hamish Tregeagle – who had pulled beers at the Exeter Hotel for 10 years – decided to be the person to fill that space. When the old tobacco store next to his workplace came up for lease he signed on the dotted line and refitted it with a curved bar, a grass-green and wood-finish fit-out, and a bright-as-a-button wine list and smart cocktail menu.
Why you stayThe compact space seats 70, but Hamish never crams it to capacity, so it feels warm and shoulder-rubby without anyone feeling like a tin of the Cuca anchovies he serves as snacks. The folks spinning records – mostly deep house and disco – are generally friends of Hamish, so there’s always a you’ll-know-someone-who-knows-someone vibe, or you’ll find people are pretty up for a chat if you’ve rocked in from out of town. The couple who used to own the tobacconist still own the building – and are honoured with a pic on the menu – so there’s a real family feel. And in the warmer months, the outdoor pavement seating helps give everything a sheen of mellow street-party atmospherics.
sitting area at smokelovers
a glass of drink at smokelovers
What drink to order

Any of the tropical or traditional-with-a-twist cocktails on the list will serve you well, though Hamish and his team will happily pull any other rabbits out of their hats if you hit them up with a request. “I also do something called the Apricot Delight. You know those apricot lollies with coconut you had as a kid? It tastes like those,” he says. Just ask.

The wine list has a lot of South Australian entries, as you’d expect, with plenty of small-scale up-and-comers, much like the bar itself. Hamish tries hard to source from producers who put sustainability at the top of their business model. He has a particular soft spot for any vintages produced by Parley, an independent Adelaide Hills label from three women with CVs that read like a SA hospitality Debrett’s (between them, Jocelyn Mihalynuk, Sarah Feehan and Mel Gray have worked at Summertown Aristologist, Commune of Buttons and Gentle Folk among other fine establishments). The Parley Capitaine Chardonnay, for instance, is a lovely golden girl with plenty of acid and zing, if you can get your hands on it. The rest of the globe isn’t ignored – you’ll find interesting German and Austrian rieslings, and a scattering of soaves and chenin blancs from Italy and France, respectively.

The by-the-glass list sits at around 12 – a big call for a small bar just starting out – and includes sparkling. Beers are worth a look, with another strong SA showing, including pours from Adelaide’s Little Bang and Mismatch in the Adelaide Hills.

What to pair it withThere are plans for a proper kitchen, but they’re still on the drawing board, so the only snacks at this stage are cheese, olives and tinned-fish situations. There are plenty of good eats in the neighbourhood within a short walk, though. The titan is Africola, of course, but there’s also Soi38 with its banging Thai goat red curry, or Hey Jupiter for the world’s most obscenely gooey croque monsieur cheese toastie.
Regular’s tipDon’t be frightened of those hard-looking wooden benches that line the edges of the room. They’re much comfier than they appear at first glance, plus they have the one thing the petit-of-leg value above all else: a thoughtful metal bar upon which to rest your feet so they don’t swing wildly above the floor.
bar area at smokelovers
two glasses of drinks at smokelovers
Don’t leave without

Take something home “for the table” – that is, if you happen to be there on one of Smokelovers’ Set the Table community days, when they team up with local artists, ceramicists and other makers to sell cute curios to fill your home with delight. Check their Instagram for info.

 

Who to takeThanks to the central location, Smokelovers has fast become a buzzy little hive for city retail and hospo workers, and uni students, and the music makes it good for a little boogie (the compact space doesn’t lend itself to a big one). On a quiet weekday afternoon, it’s also good for a solo stop-in when you’re likely to get Hamish or someone else in the team all to yourself and they can talk to you about whatever interesting wines they have that week, or whiz you up a special cocktail they’ve been working on.
Authour image
Alexandra CarltonAlexandra Carlton is a freelance writer who contributes to Australia’s leading food, wine and travel publications.
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Drinks DirectoryOutdoor areaGreat tunesAdelaideAfter work drinksTop notch wine listRecently openedCasual catch-upBar
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