Who makes the Illawarra's best cocktail? Self-guided walking trail showcases some front-runners

Are you searching for “world-class” cocktails that are within walking distance of each other? Look no further.

Seven Wollongong venues are showcasing their best concoctions during a self-guided cocktail trail this weekend, hoping to give patrons the taste for more and continue to boost the local hospitality scene.

“It’s the new world of precinct building and district building that’s upon us, and as venue operators we know that working together is going to produce a better result than going it alone,” The Illawarra Hotel publican Ryan Aitchison said.

The Illawarra Hotel, along with Bar Cabrón, Halfway Bar, His Boy Elroy, Howlin’ Wolf, Scoundrel’s Rest and Uncle Bok’s, have each chosen a signature cocktail for the event, highlighting different spirits and combinations.

“You’ve got the likes of Scoundrel’s Rest who are working with rums and rum is an incredibly versatile spirit because you’ve got white and spiced as well as dark, so you can look after every demographic there,” Ryan said.

“Halfway Bar has an incredible cocktail list with lots of tequilas; His Boy do some great ones too; there’s so many around and you can go as high end as you like in Wollongong and there’s definitely something for everyone in that space.”

Some of the selections even utilise local spirits from places like Smith’s Street Distillery and Headlands Distilling Co.

“You’re going to have not just a unique cocktail recipe in most places but spirits that have just been produced around the corner or up the road,” Ryan said.

“Not only do you have the creativity of the bartender you also have the hard work of the distillers around that have created some pretty cool, unique spirits.”

For places like Bar Cabrón, it is also the perfect opportunity to be put on the map.

“It just seems like a great reason for people to go out to a venue,” Bar Cabrón director Barry Pearson said.

“And being a relatively new venue in Wollongong, one thing I hope is that a lot of people that normally wouldn’t come to Bar Cabrón come and enjoy themselves and then come back.”

The Mexican diner and tequila bar opened last year, following the success of Thirroul’s Bóveda and Cater Boy.

Barry hopes that people going on the trail will not only experience their cocktails, but everything else they have on offer.

“Our whole business model is for people to come, eat and drink and have a good time,” he said. “So cocktails are a big part of it but so is food and we like to have a great offering all around.”

That focus on the entire drinking experience is something that venue operators have seen skyrocket in popularity.

“I think there’s a lot of focus on food, drink and good service at the moment, rather than just pumping out vodka sodas,” Barry said.

“We’ve been blown away; even our wine list, you assume the majority of your wine sales would be your house, your cheapest option, but ours are mid to higher end options that are flying off the shelves as well as higher end spirits and cocktails,” Ryan said.

“People are out for an experience these days; they’re not just out to write themselves off.”

The desire for quality has also grown the local cocktail scene.

“There are some incredible cocktail bars around Wollongong that are serving world-class cocktails and if you love a well-mixed cocktail, just rocking into Wollongong and barhopping you’re guaranteed to have the most creative and best cocktails you’ve ever experienced,” Ryan said.

The Urban Cocktail Trail Wollongong runs Saturday 18 January from 1 pm with tickets available online from $75 but there could be even more opportunities to get a taste of the local scene in the future, as local operators work together to grow the Illawarra’s hospitality scene.

“We’re actually trying quite hard with a lot of the guys from the area from the local bars to get people to start moving, barhopping again and moving around and just going out more frequently,” Barry said.

“We have so many great venues and operators that are all mates and love working together,” Ryan said. “And we have other examples coming up soon as well for us to be able to band together and create an experience that will bring more people into the CBD.”

The venues and cocktails showcased at the Urban Cocktail Trail:

Bar Cabrón’s I Think I’m Turning Margarita (Yuzu Margarita): Altos Plata tequila, yuzushu, lemon and pandam oil.

Halfway Bar’s Tequila Espresso: NODO coffee tequila, cold brew and demerara syrup.

His Boy Elroy’s Illawarra Plum Spritz: Illawarra Plum infused gin, soda water and an Illawarra Plum garnish.

Howlin’ Wolf’s Red Ripper: Hoochie Mama vodka, Old Salt strawberry liqueur, Wolf Lane grapefruit aperitif, lemon juice, sugar syrup and fresh watermelon juice.

Scoundrel’s Rest’s Tell No Tales: rum, citrus, tropical fruits and spice.

The Illawarra Hotel’s The Icy Lychee: Smith St vodka, peach liqueur, lime juice, lychee and coconut syrup.

Uncle Bok’s Strawberry and Coconut Daiquiri: Spiced rum, strawberries, apple and pineapple juice, citrus and coconut syrup.

The Urban Cocktail Trail Wollongong runs Saturday 18 January from 1 pm with tickets available online.