This quaint bar is nestled right in the heart of Canberra's bar and restaurant precinct. Drop in for a drink after work and blow off some office steam.
Amble down East Row - past the queues of idling, bright orange buses - to discover this pint-sized bar. Tucked away at the bottom of the Civic bus interchange, Bourbon Bar commands an inner-city location. It is a place where Canberra's young public servants prop themselves up at the bar, drowning their nine-to-five sorrows with schooners of cold beer.
If the idea of downing an afternoon bevvie alongside a rumbling bus doesn't do it for you, don't be disheartened - once inside, the mood changes and the warm interior seems almost reminiscent of one of Italy's charming 'barres', where good-looking men and glamorous women perch on bar stools sipping vino.
Decked out in leather upholstery and polished timber, Bourbon enjoys a laidback ambience. A bar runs through the centre of the room, with tall bar stools allowing eager sippers to take up a post right alongside the staff.
An impressive wine list, a selection of cocktails and an array of top-shelf spirits provide adequate tipple choices for the young professionals who make Bourbon their after-work haven. Beer flows from just one single tap, and the brand of ale available changes from week to week.
Victoria Brooks
