During one of Adelaide’s busiest seasons, you may or may not have noticed one spot on Rundle Street hosting lines down the sidewalk.
Mimmo is high on the list of one of Adelaide Fringe’s best pop-up bars and now fans are being welcomed back this Friday, this time into a permanent home.
The venue stems from the minds of Alessio Trolio, Dominic Matricciani and Daniel Vaughan. With Daniel bringing more than 17 years of industry experience and a strong track record in the city’s hospitality landscape, including Pastel Wine Bar.
What began as a temporary Fringe venture quickly proved there was an appetite for much more.
“It ended up being a roaring success. Part and parcel of the reason why we decided to do something permanent for phase two is because of the demand,” Alessio said.
After securing a longer-term agreement for the Rundle Street site, the team has spent the past six months working on Mimmo’s next chapter.
“It’s still Mimmo, feels like Mimmo, sounds like Mimmo, it is Mimmo, but it’s evolved from phase one,” Alessio said.
Adelaideans can expect Mimmo to return with a more refined and layered experience than its original Fringe pop-up, while keeping the atmosphere that made it so popular in the first place.
Downstairs will centre around a moody cocktail-lounge feel, with a relaxed early-evening atmosphere that becomes more intimate as the night goes on.
Alessio describes it as a space with a cool, sexy energy, where the lighting gradually dims and the atmosphere shifts as the evening rolls on.
Rather than launching everything at once, Mimmo’s return will unfold over the coming weeks, giving regulars something new to discover each time they walk through the doors.
Live music and quiz nights are expected to make a return, while the team has also hinted at a potential food offering and several other elements still being kept under wraps.
“We’re inspired by European culture, where you have long afternoons, late nights, music, drinks and effortless socialising,” Alessio said.
And with spring arriving at the same time as Mimmo’s return, there is plenty more to come.
While the upstairs space won’t open this Friday, Alessio hinted that “something’s blossoming upstairs”, with the second level eventually becoming a livelier, later-night offering and giving Mimmo two very different experiences under the one roof.
It’s all part of a deliberate slow reveal, with new elements expected to arrive throughout September and potentially into October.
It’s safe to say Mimmo will be bringing plenty of energy back to Rundle Street, and for those who already know the vibe, Alessio is hoping you’ll be a little surprised by what you find when you step through the doors this time around.
While Mimmo is here for the foreseeable future, it’s not a promise of always.
After all, Euro summer doesn’t last forever and neither does Mimmo.
Mimmo
When: opening Friday September 3, 5pm til late
Where: 286 Rundle street, Adelaide
For more updates, click here.
