Bar 9 (pop-up)

The Depot – Franklin St, Adelaide

Having established themselves as THE destination in this town for anything brewed, steeped, extracted or “espressed”, the crew at Bar 9 Specialty Coffee Boutique (Glen Osmond Rd) are taking it to the streets. Their pop-up at the Franklin St Fringe-time venue, The Depot, is kitted out to satisfy all your caffeine cravings – regardless of what the weather is doing.

If the Parkside mothership is their main body, then this temporary outlet is like an extra limb grafted onto an already spectacular specimen. It’s a hand with seven fingers, offering all the standard espresso fare alongside filter, cold brewed and iced coffees – plus homemade iced teas and a few sweet eats from local patisseries. If all that choice sounds a little overwhelming for a late-night, after-show chill out with friends – take solace; Ian, Dan or Ben will happily talk you through your options, or kindly offer recommendations. Their heads house an unfathomable wealth of knowledge, their brewing skills are second to none and – possibly most importantly – all their names have 3 letters.

We headed down on a sweltering Sunday afternoon and kicked off with iced lattes, devouring the sweet brews while perusing the Damn The Man Markets housed inside the main venue space. Having taken in my fill of colourful vintage wares, plaid bowties and cute handicrafts, I headed back to Bar 9’s shack-like structure for the cold brew of Sulawesi Toarco Jaya Peaberry (courtesy of Intaelligentsia USA). Straight from the fridge and served over ice, it was weighty and syrupy, with a sweet and refreshing crispness to combat the sweltering heat. (Best enjoyed with a side of mist tent.)

The Depot is hosting a series of diverse events throughout February and March, including vintage markets, gigs, film screenings, DJs, kids events and so much more. Besides knock-out coffee, the venue’s culinary cloister “Chowtown” sees La Cantina serving-up Mexican street food, plus bars, an Argentinean grill, fish-and-chippery, gourmet popcorn… the list goes on. On top of ALL this, tread marks from Adelaide’s infamous Burger Theory truck regularly mark the curbside.

Anyone who has seen my other posts will have previously endured my prattlings-on in support of (a) progressive local or independent operators, and (b) those championing non-espresso coffee as legitimate alternatives to the standard (or all-too-often, substandard) cup. Bar 9 epitomises both of these and, hence, today’s shout out.

Thanks for stopping by. Be well, TV.