Canberra's food and wine scene just keeps getting bigger and better – but it seems the bars keep getting smaller.
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Black Market is Canberra's newest bar, holding only 60 people. But while the area is small, the bar packs a serious punch when it comes to the detail.
It is the latest venture from Antony Arena, Lorenzo Focarile and Dean Brown, who also own Molly and Highball Express, and have quickly gathered a swag of successful ventures.
Hidden beneath A. Baker in New Acton, Black Market has taken over the space which previously housed A. Baker's speakeasy.
As the name suggests, the bar is all about things you can't find elsewhere.
"Because of how much of the mid- and higher-ends spirits that we sell at Molly and Highball, we get access to some pretty cool stuff that we can import directly – lots of limited edition and rare spirits," said Arena.
"And then we'll be creating really high-end, over the top modern cocktails with lots of really interesting practices."
Think fire, dry ice, exaggerated garnishes and theatrics – everything an Instagram shot is made of.
"It's kind of a place you can go to, you can have a conversation. It's the experience of going there and engaging with the bartenders," Arena said.
"The bar top is polished brass, and there's a tiled mirrored ceiling so you can kind of watch the bartenders from all different angles."
The inventive menu combines unusual flavour combinations – bacon fiends will particularly love the bacon fat bourbon cocktail. Plus there's a butter vodka, caramel popcorn and salt cocktail, which is a nod to Palace Electric across the road.
They've also teamed up with A. Baker upstairs, and you can order bar snacks which will be delivered to your table.
The trio has given the space a significant makeover, with marble walls, green leather bench seating, low lighting and mirrored surfaces.
Special attention has been paid to creating comfortable seating, and lower bar stools, and with table service, you never have to leave your seat.
And like all of the trio's bars, the entrance is slightly hidden. Enter via a door on the Nishi side of the building, that leads to a lift which delivers you underground to the bar – keep an eye out for the Black Market sign.
Black Market opens from 7pm Thursday, June 23. It will be open 7 days from 5pm.
