Internationally acclaimed speakeasy bar renowned for their exceptional cocktails & first-class service
November 5th, 2014
Following nearly 5 years of serving up stellar cocktails, internationally famous Sydney bar Eau de Vie has garnered an impressive assemblage of both media and industry awards under categories such as “Best New Bar”; ” World’s Best New Cocktail Bar”; “Cocktail Bar of the Year”; plus numerous others. Meticulously replicating an American Prohibition-era speakeasy bar aesthetic, Eau de Vie is discretely housed in a dimly lit space ensconced at the rear of the chic boutique hotel The Kirketon Hotel. Upon entry, guests are immersed into an atmosphere of understated sophistication, with a restrained decor of dark timbers, black leather banquettes – accented with splashes of bold colour and antique bar paraphernalia. Meanwhile, retro jazz tunes permeate the room, further channeling the by-gone Prohibition era.
Founded by acclaimed local bar industry figure Sven Almenning , under the banner of his appropriately titled The Speakeasy Group, Eau de Vie, over the years since it opened, has attracted an outstanding roster of accomplished bartenders behind the bar, both local and international, each contributing their unique creative inputs and exemplary techniques. Following the success of Eau de Vie in Sydney, a second branch in Melbourne, concealed down a gritty inner city laneway under the nomenclature of EDV, was established in 2011. Also under the ownership of The Speakeasy Group is the nearby Potts Point retro-themed bar and restaurant – The Roosevelt.
Recently compiled into an elegantly bound compendium, the impressive list of cocktails that have featured on Eau de Vie menus can be broadly categorised under Signatures, Classics refreshed with a twist, and Classics – representing the quintessential libations that are the heritage of cocktail culture. Behind the imposing solid timber bar, the talented team at Eau de Vie enthusiastically deploy their well-honed bartending techniques, adding progressive processes such as infusions; splashes of liquid nitrogen to freeze ingredients or deep chill glassware; and blowtorch flames for both smoking and theatrical effect. Cocktails, meticulously concocted and garnished, are elegantly served in vintage crystal cut glassware. And complementing the sublime drinks, the bar kitchen serves a compact menu of gourmet bar bites and sharing boards.
Eau de Vie opens daily from 6:00 pm until 1:00 am. Reservations for seats at the bar or small groups are recommended for the busy nights late in the week – functions and private parties can also be accommodated in the Whisky Room.
Eau de Vie – the cocktail bar
Eau de Vie – classic cocktails with a twist
