HIDDEN on Hunter Street in Newcastle’s CBD is a prohibition-era speakeasy known as Coal & Cedar. Those cunning enough to come across the bluesy bar will find themselves at an otherwise unmarked door with a code upon it, which must be sent to a mysterious phone number in order to gain entry.
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The concept of a revitalised speakeasy in Newcastle came to Sydney natives Ethan Ortlipp and his business partner, Ryan Hawthorne, in November 2012.
‘‘We wanted to go with a speakeasy to keep it really low key. We wanted the bar to be a bit of a rumour mill,’’ Ortlipp says.
Upon entry, you are immediately welcomed into a warm, turn-of-the-century-inspired space with nostalgic blues music crooning in the background. With heavy, dark drapes cutting off all natural light, it is easy to gravitate towards the impressive 14-metre bar, the wooden top of which was sourced from a factory at Wickham. Simple wooden stools are tucked beneath the long bar, providing ample seating for those who wish to be inquisitive about their drink.
There is a strong emphasis on customer service, with just a handful of knowledgeable and charming bartenders providing intimate customer service, including former Bacchus head barman Christopher Woodger.
‘‘The idea was to have minimum staff and maximum personality for the most interaction possible,’’ Ortlipp says.
The shelves that line the walls behind the bar were refurbished from the former bank vault that once occupied the site, groaning under the weight of a meticulous selection of top-shelf spirits, including 65 whiskies. The bar only features two tap beers: Trumer Pils, a German-style pilsner from Austria, and BridgePort IPA, an indian pale ale from Oregon. The wine list features a carefully selected array of bespoke vintages from wineries dating back ‘‘at least a couple of hundred years each’’, Ortlipp says.
Up the end of the speakeasy lies an open kitchen, which serves customisable antipasto plates. Drinkers are afforded the choice of a variety of cured meats including pancetta and jamon, and cheese including manchego and pecorino. Warmed Sicilian olives are provided complimentary.
‘‘The appeal with a speakeasy is that it becomes a place to go and forget about everything else, like going down the rabbit hole,’’ Ortlipp says.
‘‘We wanted people to walk outside shocked and think, ‘what just happened? I want to keep that a secret!’’’
Coal & Cedar is open from Tuesday to Sunday, 4pm until late.
