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Before Pete’s Distilling Co has even opened the doors to its much-anticipated Kent Town speakeasy, it has gone and added a new venue to the mix.
The spirits brand has rebranded the old Silver Brewing Co site on Gouger Street, transforming it into a lively new home for cocktails, connection, tastings, functions and plenty of Pete’s own spirits.
Picture big communal tables, punchy Thai and Mexican-inspired bites, an onsite distillery behind glass, colourful murals and a cocktail list designed to put Pete’s range front and centre.
The city and Kent Town venues will simply play different roles. Kent Town is being developed as the moodier, more intimate bar and distillery, while Gouger Street will be the bigger, louder sibling, with food and functions and at its heart.
For owner Pete Vujic, the idea is less about simply redesigning the bar and more about recreating the generous, lively hospitality he grew up around, with his family having worked in hospitality for more than 30 years.
“We want them to feel like they’re part of the home but also give them that food experience that they’re not going to get anywhere else,” Pete said.
That sense of Serbian family hospitality will run through the venue, particularly in the way people eat. The menu will focus on share platters from Viking Fire, Pete’s charcoal restaurant opening alongside the distillery. There will also be smaller, bite-sized plates made for passing around the table. It is the kind of menu designed for groups who want a bit of everything, allowing them to order a stack of plates, pour a few spirits and let the night roll on.
The spirits, though, are the real stars of the show.
Pete’s Distilling Co will use the venue to shine a spotlight on its own range, pairing dishes with its spirits and building cocktails around what is produced in-house. Pete is keeping some of the drinks under wraps for now, but a few early favourites are already taking shape.
“We’re working on a very special espresso martini and some sours as well using only our spirits, and our Limoncello Sour is amazing.”
Another major focus will be rakija, the traditional spirit Pete is hoping to introduce to a much wider Adelaide audience.
Visually, the venue is also taking a turn away from the expected.
What began as an industrial Art Deco concept has evolved into something more eclectic, with mural artists set to work across the walls, designing something that Pete says will have the feel of a New York transit line. A huge glass window will separate the distilling area from the bar, essentially creating two worlds within the one space.
“So from the bar area looking into the distilling area it looks like a New York transit line, but from the distilling area looking in it looks like it’s a really high-end bar.”
The size of the venue also allows for three dedicated function areas. There is the main restaurant, a garden space with booths and the distilling warehouse itself, which will cater for events of up to around 100 people.
The working distillery will become part of the experience rather than something hidden out the back, with guests able to see how the spirits are made and learn more about the process. Monthly masterclasses, regular tastings and cellar door experiences will become part of the location’s repertoire.
The Gouger Street venue has already had a soft opening, with the official launch now only a couple of weeks away.
Pete’s Distilling Co
Where: 206 Gouger Street , Adelaide, SA, Australia, 5000
When: Opening September 2026
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