Photography courtesy of Catharine Kariana

There’s now another reason to pop into Newcastle West’s cocktail and wine bar, Bar Mellow with three carb-loaded pasta dishes added to their food menu, making for the perfect spot for a cosy date night out over the cooler months.

With the shackles officially off and the scaffolding down, Bar Mellow has been restored to its former glory. To continue enticing you in to enjoy their unique atmosphere and bar vibes, owners Prudence and Byron have crafted their food menu to hit those winter hearty food cravings.

“Byron has been working on expanding our food menu, we’ve been wanting to do this for some time. Handmade pasta that’s really modest and really tasty, and plenty of delicious snacks to accompany, great for sharing,” Prudence shared.

As a dedicated cocktail and wine bar, the duo noticed an opportunity to fill in that void of dinner service where diners would usually go elsewhere for a meal, by expanding their original snack offering into a sizeable, filling, and palatable menu.

“We’ve got the three kinds of pasta; the Tommy’s, the Roman’s, and the Basil’s. We’re keeping it really straightforward with the first menu a tomato base, the second a four cheese, with Romano, Fontina, Gorgonzola & Parmesan (already a crowd favourite), and the third a vegan green pesto base. We will eventually have add-ons and look at where we can go further.”

At just $15 a bowl, Bar Mellow is making your next night out affordable (and tasty).

Not ones to do things by halves, the pair have also been looking at how they can repurpose some of their products used in the bar area. Byron has created Bar Mellow’s very own crispbread that you’ll get to sample on their cheeseboards using chickpea flour (yay it’s gluten free) and adding olive oil and herbs.

Other additions to the menu include their in-house Coconut Labneh, which will also be featured alongside the Green Pea & Za’atar Mezze Dip.

“We’ve made a coconut labneh. I thought that making pasta just wasn’t enough (jokes) so figured I’d go all out and make everything else from scratch too! It’s turned out really amazing,” Byron shared.

The whole menu has been designed to share, with a focus on casual and deli-styled dishes, now with a more substantial offering. Diners are encouraged to order a few snacks, a bowl or two of pasta, and a drink of your choosing; making for a cheap, cheerful, and charming night out.

Speaking of drinks, alongside the seasonal revamp of their food menu, Prudence and Eamon (venue manager) have worked together with their team to create a brand-spanking new cocktail offering, and this time around they’ve continued to hit the nail on the head when it comes to unique flavours and quirky combinations.

Some standouts in the new cocktail menu is the Matcha Martini made with vodka, white chocolate, matcha tea, and oat milk; Tea & Biscuit made with bourbon whiskey, brandy, chamomile & marzipan cordial, and lemon served on a saucer with a tasty biscuit; Nutty Bliss with rye whiskey, green walnut aperitif, and maple; and the Winter Bramble with dry gin, coconut, blackberry & red wine reduction, and lemon.

“We’ve already received a five-star review about our Matcha Martini. The idea was a green espresso martini, and it works really well.”

The winter months at Bar Mellow are looking cosy yet lively with Trivia Tuesdays starting on the 30th of May, complete with a $25 dinner deal (inclusive of a bowl of pasta, a slice of focaccia, and a glass of wine, beer, or soft drink) and their late-night jazz sessions happening on the third Friday of every month.

See you at Bar Mellow!