Page 20 - Flipbook

5 Exchange
Many Victorian pubs were graced with wrought iron balconies referred to as iron lace. The majestic three
story Exchange Hotel still presides in the harbor front neighborhood of Balmain, easily reached from the city centre aboard one of Sydney’s yellow and green public ferries. As it has a pub on almost every corner, Balmain is ideal for a pub crawl, with the Exchange as its pleasant ultimate goal. The affection of generations of locals for the heritage listed edifice has not been dimmed by its latest renovation. The pub now has a chic upstairs bistro with a breezy veranda whose upholstered banquettes may be the perfect place to while away a summer evening.
94 Beattie Street exchangehotel.com.au
4 East Village
Sydney’s pub culture lost its respectability in 1916, when a riot by World War I soldiers led to laws that forced all bars to close at 6pm. In the 1920’s Sydney workers finishing at 5pm would try to drink as much beer as they could before closing time - a rite referred to as the six o’clock closing
swill. As in Prohibition era America, criminal gangs became involved in ‘sly grogging’ (bootlegging) and many pubs were frequented by thugs and prostitutes. Today the era’s shadiest pub, the Tradesman’s Arms, has been renamed the East Village Hotel, and its trendy ambiance could not be further from its wicked past. A complete renovation has revealed an airy art deco dining room and a rooftop bar. Few remember that Tilly Devine, a notorious Sydney madam, once managed her empire of 30 brothels from a bar stool here.
234 Palmer Street theeastvillage.com.au
6 Australian Heritage
Built for dockworkers high in Millers Point in 1913, this charming pub is another with an improbable gangland past. In 1956 for example, a certain John William Manners was shot dead on the doorstep before the eyes of patrons. Inside, the original salon style doors and etched signage evoke a century of memories. But these days, the young professionals thronging the outdoor seating every night are more focused on which gourmet pizza to order. The pub’s Aussie/Asian fusion selection is famous. Among the topping are kangaroo, babecued tiger prawn, and saltwater crocodile marinated in Thai herbs and a spicy coconut broth.
100 Cumberland Street australianheritagehotel.com
18 SPRING/SUMMER 2013