By Rebecca Harris
In a possible world-first, a bar dedicated entirely to absinthe has opened in Surry Hills, Sydney.
Called the Absinthe Salon, the bar’s co-owner Joop van Heusden said that he was unaware of any other bar that was devoted exclusively to the herbal-based spirit.
“This is quite an exclusive for Sydney,” he said. “There are bars where they have absinthe sections, but I believe this is a bit of a world-first, where the whole bar is dedicated to absinthe.”
The bar has opened under the City of Sydney’s Small Bar Licensing scheme, and has only nine tables, with a maximum capacity of 30 people.
“It is an intimate space where you can come in with friends and try a glass of absinthe or two,” said van Heusden. “We don’t want people to drink crazy amounts, but it makes for the perfect pre-dinner drink.”
Each table will feature its own specially-designed absinthe fountain to enable guests to drink absinthe in a traditional way, while the shop at the front will also have an area dedicated to the history of absinthe.
The Absinthe Salon is open Tuesday to Sunday.