Renders: Endeavour Group (supplied)
If you’ve wandered down Ebenezer Place recently and noticed the Belgian Beer Cafe closed, the mystery’s now solved – and the East End hotspot is getting far more than a new lick of paint. Come the end of the month, and after a $1.45 million transformation, it’ll be reborn as The Laneway Social. As the name suggests, it’s designed for everything social – long lunches, late nights, Friday knock-offs, and the like will find their home here.
“It’s about creating a place where everyone feels like they belong – whether you’re popping in for a quick after-work drink or celebrating a milestone with friends,” says publican Daniel Mercorella.
Tucked away on Synagogue Place, with a deck that spills into the bustling Ebenezer precinct, The Laneway Social aims to match the energy of its popular neighbours – Mother Vine, East End Cellars, Exchange and the new NY-Italo Tarantino’s – while carving out an identity of its own.
Gone are the heavy timbers and beer steins of its past. In their place will be exposed red brick, polished finishes, reconfigured bars and intimate booths that bring warmth and modernity in equal measure.
“Ebenezer Place already has such a unique charm, and we want to add to that by delivering a vibrant, premium pub experience that feels fresh, stylish, and unapologetically social,” adds Mercorella.
Under the direction of Chef Paul Baker – formerly of the award-winning Botanic Gardens Restaurant and now ALH’s State Executive Chef – the food offering takes familiar pub comfort and elevates it with finesse. Expect mortadella buns, wagyu steak baguettes with pomme frites, and seafood spaghetti alongside a standout bone-in schnitzel made from free-range chicken.
Behind the bar, cocktails such as the Burnt Pineapple & Jalapeño Margarita bring playful heat to the classics, while the drinks list leans local. South Australian wines like Coopers, West End and Pirate Life are main features, joined by a rotating roster of craft brews.
The redesign, led by Stallard Meek Flightpath Architects with construction by Structural Concepts Australia, marks the first major overhaul since the building’s debut two decades ago. Much of the work focused on stripping the venue back to its heritage bones and improving flow between the bar and dining spaces, a thoughtful nod to the site’s past while setting it firmly in the now.
While it feels like only yesterday we farewelled that little slice of Belgium – the imperial pints, the beer glasses with handles (something about it), the dark timber charm – there’s no time to mope. The Laneway Social is just around the corner, with doors set to open on October 20.
A new spot with a lively spirit, afternoons in the sun, a Negroni with a twist, and pub grub you don’t feel guilty about. A welcome new addition, I’ll say. If we needed another reason to venture East, here it is.
Doors slated to open October 20. Bookings already open.
What: The Laneway Social
Where: 27-29 Ebenezer Place, Adelaide
When: From October 20, 11am – late daily (all day dining on weekends, lunch and dinner through the week)
For more info and to book, click here.
More News
