22 Darlinghurst Road, Potts Point
thebourbon.com.au
The Bourbon is arguably the grand dame of Kings Cross drinking — no other place has the name, the notoriety and the rich and colourful history that this one does. It’s now undergone another refresh thanks to new owner Chris Cheung and veteran hospitality designer Paul Kelly. And though it will never be the same as the days long gone when guys like Frank Sinatra would visit when in town, the Bourbon’s refresh has a lot going for it. They’ve drawn on the the food and drinks of the place the Bourbon supposedly originally drew its inspiration from, New Orleans. As you’d expect they’re mining the food of the deep south and dishing up eats like jambalaya, beignets and fried green tomatoes. They’re promising you’ll be able to get a bite well into the wee small hours of the morning. Not that there’s any reason why you wouldn’t get there earlier to get on to their drinks. You’ll be able to wash all that food down with a selection of great American beers too: along with a couple of beers from NOLA they’ve also got Yankee stars Sam Adams and Brooklyn Lager (though our pick would be the Anchor Steam from San Francisco). Add to that wines that come from all corners of the globe (including some great Oregon Pinot from the Willamette Valley) and great interiors; it’s good to see the grand old lady of the Cross alive and kicking after what seemed an interminably long hiatius.
