All images: @winedinephotography
The team behind acclaimed wine, amaro and cocktail bar, Leigh Street Luggage, has unveiled its sister venue Nevermind, bringing together the finest cocktails and tastiest gourmet toasties in the heart of Adelaide’s bustling small bar scene.
Shahin Chegini and his business partners have now publicly launched the hidden bar tucked behind Leigh Street Luggage, with a new drinks and food offering and a revamped line-up of DJs and special events.
Nevermind is the brainchild of Mr Chegini, who has modelled the bar on similar venues in Melbourne where he spent more than a decade working in some of the city’s trendiest cocktail bars and restaurants including Morris Jones, Frederic and L’Hotel Gitan. He returned to his home city last year to open his first bar Leigh Street Luggage last December.
“Nevermind is my love letter to the industry – a bar that doesn’t take itself seriously, anything goes and everyone is welcome, but still holding a high standard in the liquids we serve,” Mr Chegini said.
“I’ve always worked in high-end establishments and I have major respect for that polished service and attention to detail. But after a long night’s work or on my nights off I kept finding myself frequenting bars like Leonards House of Love (South Yarra), Jungle Boy (Windsor) and Bar Margaux (Melbourne CBD).
“I loved certain aspects of those bars and wanted to mix certain aspects into one space – polished, well-made cocktails, good banter over the bar and that familiar house party vibe.
“The cherry on top was rumours we heard about Julie Barnes (previous owner of Leigh Street Luggage retail store) having exclusive parties after hours in what used to be her storage space. It just made too much sense to convert it to what it is today.”
Nevermind retains an industrial-style design inspired by the grunge scene that emerged in the 1990s.
Whiskey specialist and “pickleback queen” Olivia Freear has been brought in from Suzie Wong Bar to lead the team and add the finishing touch to the menu. Expect a well balanced quirky cocktail list, the best picklebacks in Adelaide and seasonal tinnies from craft brewers across South Australia.
Toasties will be available well past midnight, made in-house with gourmet ingredients such as freshly sliced capocollo, provolone dolce and hot piquillo peppers, and served with a side of house-made pickles.
Resident DJ will spin underground party jams until late on weekends, and “Hospo Love Wednesdays” will continue to look after industry peers with a range of mid-week drink specials.
Mr Chegini said “Thursday 808’s” would soon launch, with drink specials and rotating guest DJs playing old school hip hop and RnB, and further activation of the alley next to Alec’s is also planned.
“We’re working with local breweries and distilleries to hold alleyway parties to promote everything that’s good in our great state,” Mr Chegini said.
Last month Leigh Street Luggage was named a finalist in the South Australian bar of the year category in this year’s Bartender Magazine Australian Bar Awards which will take place in Sydney on September 7.
Nevermind can be entered via Leigh Street Luggage or down the alley next to Alec’s.
Where: 22A Leigh St, Adelaide SA 5000
Instagram: @nevermind.adl
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