GROOVE BACK IN THE CBD
Cairns humming with new bars and restaurants in hospitality resurgence
FROM a new late-night sports bar to a ritzy cocktail joint on the Cairns Pier, the city has well and truly come to life after lockdowns as new businesses prepare to burst onto the scene.
There’s been a noticable upswing in activity in Cairns’
after numerous venues opened their doors in recent months, and the reports from restaurateurs and bar owners suggest that with an influx of tourists, the city centre has got its mojo back.
FROM a new late-night sports bar to a ritzy cocktail joint on the Cairns Pier the city has well and truly come to life after Covid-19, as new businesses prepare to burst onto the scene.
One watering hole still in the works is the Bourbon Street Sports Bar, which will make use of Level 1 23-25 Shields St, Cairns City – sitting above new bar and club Dirty Laundry and next door to PJ O’Brien’s pub.
The bar’s 144sq m space will centre on an island bar with bar seats either side, bathrooms to the back, and table seating along the windows overlooking Shields St.
Its development application details plans to open until 3am every night, entertaining punters with TVs mounted on walls and around the bar, plus one wall dedicated to sports memorabilia.
Councillor for Cairns City Amy Eden said there was a noticeable uptick in people out and about.
“There’s a definite hum of activity in the CBD,” Cr Eden said.
“A problem we’re really happy to have is that locals are having to make reservations for the first time, even lunch reservations.”
Ross Stevens, the man behind Far North Queensland’s highest rated wine bar, The Conservatory, is weeks away from opening a new cocktail joint, Sunset Bar, on Cairns Pier.
He said staffing was the only snag in his booming businesses, particularly in Port Douglas, where it had been “really difficult” to find workers for wine bar The Sunroom.
“We want to be trading seven days but we haven’t been able to get enough staff to get a seven-day roster, we struggled to get five, to be honest,” Mr Stevens said.
“The traffic that comes through organically has been amazing, but we don’t have the staff to execute more. We’re running flat-out every day.”
At The Conservatory in Cairns City, Mr Stevens said the usual locals’ hangout was welcoming more and more travellers through its doors.
“In the last six months we’ve gone a lot more international than I’d imagined, which is awesome – I like hearing the different accents in the bar.
“We’re doing a great trade. It’s good to see Cairns alive again, I’d forgot what it’s like when it’s alive.”
And off the back of a resurgent hospitality market, several players in recent months and years have taken a chance on new ventures.
Here are some of the other new and upcoming players in Cairns’ nightlife scene:
Dirty Laundry Bar
This new bar and club opened in late September, offering Cairns a place to party five nights a week. After sliding through a laundry chute to enter, guests are entertained by an old-school MC host, themed nights, and bespoke Insta-worthy decor.
Yama Zaru Izakaya
Sake, Japanese beer on tap, soundproof karaoke booths and late-night dining are now an option in the heart of Cairns with this new Japanese-style pub.
Based at the corner of Sheridan and Shields streets, Yama Zaru Izakaya opened late last month for diners and its first karaoke room will open Monday.
Owner Adam Craven-Sands said that by staying open til midnight, the bar was “filling a hole” in Cairns nightlife.
“Before us, there wasn’t an option for dinner past 8-8.30pm to sit down and have a quiet drink and a chat with friends without feeling the staff are trying to kick you out and go home,” Mr CravenSands said.
“We’re getting a lot of good feedback on the quality of the food and the service.”
Little Sister
Sharing is encouraged at Little Sister restaurant, where traditional entrees and mains are swapped for dishes meant to be enjoyed by the whole table.
The Esplanade venue opened in May this year serving up delicious Asian-style share-plates seven days a week.
Copper Bar and Grill
From a businessman who once worked with the Gordon Ramsay Group in London comes Copper Bar and Grill, which opened on the Esplanade in November last year.
The multicultural menu ranges from Jamaican chicken, to tacos, to Japanese seafood – plus a hefty drinks list.
Nonna Leotta’s House
Family friendly and big serves on a budget is the business model behind this new Italian-inspired restaurant.
Nonna Leotta’s House opened on Shields St in the CBD at the start of the year, quickly making a name as the go to destination for anyone seeking two-metre pizzas or half a kilo of pasta in one dish.
Arte
Organic and biodynamic wines are at the centre of Arte, but its deli-style menu of local cheeses and charcuterie comes a close second.
The bespoke wine bar opened in July on the ground floor of the Crystalbrook Bailey hotel in Cairns City.
True to its name, Arte features a constantly changing selection of artwork on its walls.
Benson Hotel Rooftop Bar
The Benson Hotel opened its third floor terrace bar and dining room mid-last year, but with its nod to 1920s design you’d be forgiven for thinking the drink spot had been around for much longer.
Hotel general manager Ian Pirodon said they had noticed a strong pick-up in business since April.
“We had a bit of a lull, like everybody, with Covid. But since Easter things have come back to normal,” Mr Pirodon said.
“We’ve got social events booked pretty much every Friday and Saturday night for the rest of the year.”
The bar recently hired a
new head bartender and is in the process of refreshing its extensive cocktail list.
Also to come for the Benson is a swanky rooftop bar.
The new top floor will be part of a multimillion-dollar renovation, which Mr Pirodon expects to open to the public in 2023-2024.
Palooka
From the team behind Noa and Guerrilla in Edge Hill comes Stratford’s latest venue, Palooka. The restaurant opened for breakfast, lunch and dinner in September, serving up delicious modern European cuisine.
Also on the menu is a range of drinks and cocktails best enjoyed al fresco or in one of the venue’s many cosy corners.
Kingz and Queenz
Hip Hop and RnB hit the Northern Beaches when Kingz and Queenz opened in July.
The Trinity Beach bar and lounge offers a pool table, an American inspired menu, and fun wallpapers showing off icons of the RnB scene.
Code
Code is a late night bar and restaurant that opened at Holloways Beach in April.
Its menu features modern European dishes, with the motto is “sharing is caring”.
Code is the sister venue – and neighbour – to popular brunch spot Two Blocks Cafe.
Billycart Brewing
The Far North’s most recent brewery opened in the Tablelands in May.
Billycart Brewing made its home in Atherton, opening till 8pm Thursday to Sunday.
There’s no kitchen on-site but there are often food trucks, and – of course – beers aplenty.
Owner Matt Bradford is an internationally accredited beer judge and was awarded champion Australian amateur brewer before turning pro, so you can be assured of premium taste in every pour.
Jungle Fowl
Jungle Fowl is the second restaurant from Rachael Boon and Ben Wallace, the team behind Oaks Kitchen & Garden, which won both a Chefs Hat and Gourmet Traveller Award.
Jungle Fowl opened in Port Douglas in July, serving fresh tropical Thai dinners and banquets.
The Sunroom
Port Douglas’s new wine bar and lounge, the Sunroom, is the sister venue to Ross Stevens’ Conservatory Bar in Cairns City.
“It’s very wine focused … all about the pairing of the food and wine together,” Mr Stevens said.
Like the Conservatory, the Sunroom has an intimate, oldschool feel with chesterfield couches, antique dining sets and mood lighting.
It opened in June, and Mr Stevens said he “couldn’t be happier” with the business.
Sunset Bar
Also from Mr Stevens is Sunset Bar, soon to be slinging cocktails on the Cairns pier.
“It’s in a premium, premium location – between Ochre and Boatshed and right on the water,” Mr Stevens said.
The bar is fully stocked and will be welcoming the public from 2pm till late as soon as its liquor license is approved, which Mr Stevens expects in a matter of weeks.
Sunset Bar’s offering will be modern and contemporary, with a focus on specialty cocktails.
“We’ll have some beers, we’ll have some wines, but it will be very cocktail focused with about 30 to choose from,” he said.
“We can make the classics of course, but otherwise they’re all house specialties developed by us.”
“The bar would not look out of place in a trendy London or New York street, it’s gorgeous.”
Shisha Bar
A shisha bar will hit Cairns CBD within a month, promises owner Dhyaa Al-Mazkuri.
“It should be ready in three weeks, maybe four,” Mr AlMazkuri said.
He plans to open the bar right next door to his new Cairns Convenience Store and Tobacconist on Lake St, which opened just weeks ago.
“It will just be smoking at first, so no food or drinks. But I’m hoping to bring up a chef and have food later on.”
Mr Al-Mazkuri said the food would be Middle Eastern, a nod to his Iraqi background.
The shisha bar would open to midnight each night, and possibly later on weekends.