In Sydney, our collective thirst for secret drinking spots makes it hard to run a speakeasy. We want somewhere hidden from plain sight — but also nothing too crowded, too pretentious or too hard to find. That’s where French-born friends Lucas Cristofle and Ben Labat (ex-Grounds of Alexandria) come in. The duo have opened up a very likeable cocktail bar in Newtown.
The drinks are listed on butchers paper next to the moody, back-lit bar. The Slim Jim is a sweet, ruby concoction of classic bitter, cherry syrup, lemon and Four Pillars ‘Bloody Shiraz gin’. The high proof spirit is made with Yarra Valley shiraz grapes and gives the drink a long, spicy finish. A Pisco Max is a tropical upgrade of Pisco sour. It tastes like summer in a glass, thanks to the triple-hit of citrus from the yuzu and passionfruit puree, lemon and orange bitters.
PGs’ entrance is creatively disguised. On the Marly Bar end of King Street, look for a facade of timber bookshelves filled with leather-bound tomes. The shopfront is a tribute to Cristofle and Labat’s book-loving mothers Pat and Gigi, after whom the bar is named. However, for those sweaty summer months they've taken down the books to let the breeze in – it'll go back up in Autumn. The pink neon signs of nude female chest and back that flank the bar? Very French references to the two women, too.
But this isn’t the Moulin Rouge. At PG’s, you’ll find chesterfield lounges, potted plants, chandeliers and long timber tables that make you feel like you’re at a house party. Upstairs is another bar area that’ll host live music down the track.
A daily 5pm to 7pm happy hour specials means $12 classic cocktails (Negroni, Old Fashioned and Margaritas) and $5 Young Henry’s Newtowner on tap are in the offing. $15 can get you a house carafe of wine, or if you aren’t interested in specials, there’s a compact list of organic, natural wines from small producers. A Sensale Grillo is a delicate drop with notes of white peach that’s typical of bright Sicilian whites.
Pair your booze with a handful of the affordable, share-friendly eats. PG’s brine their own pickles, dunk them in a Young Henry’s batter and serve those deep-fried bad boys with a tangy ranch dip. You can also get them as part of the veggie antipasti plate — a hearty spread of roasted eggplant, zucchini, a grassy pea hummus and grilled halloumi. But nothing beats the fun of a cheeseburger jaffle. The buttery, beef patty-filled sandwich is a dive-bar snack in a toastie costume — the perfect food for a camouflaged drinking spot in the middle of King Street.