Shaman

No cuisine$$$$

The theme at Peter Hollands’ (Frog’s Hollow, Alice Bar) Shaman is rum and tequila – there’s about 150 of them combined on the back bar – with a little bit of Carlos Santana thrown in for good measure. The bar occupies a basement space beneath the heritage-listed former Metro Arts building on Edward Street (home to both Exhibition and Dr Gimlette).

Behind the bar, seasoned vets Tim Pope (ex-Par Bar in Melbourne) and Ed Quatermass (Maker, Death & Taxes et al) are in charge of a tight drinks list that features three house-takes on the staples – a daiquiri, a margarita prepped with house-made triple sec, and an old-fashioned; a rotating list of old-school, more obscure classics; and a third section that’s designed to celebrate forgotten retro gems (a bracing pina colada currently features).

There’s a short list of mostly South American wines, and just one beer, Estrella, bottles of which sit iced up behind the bar in specially imported crates.

Good to know: Enter down the old carriageway on the left of the building before descending downstairs and entering through a heavy timber door.

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