Get yourself down to Bonny for a new pop-up collaboration with chef Teage Ezard. Bonny is a bar that magically combines quality food and drinks with a casual-chic aesthetic. The result is a place we could happily while away the hours sitting at the bar or sharing plates with friends and lovers. And chef Teage Ezard’s pan-Asian hawker style street food menu fits right in.
We reviewed Bonny’s sustainability focused bar when it first opened in February 2020. Now, 3 lockdowns later, it’s still one of our favourite Fitzroy places. The venue is founded by hospitality pros and it shows. There’s a commitment to quality products and interesting flavours combinations that will leave you excited to try more, rather than overwhelmed. Ex. One of their most popular drinks is a negroni on tap. But the recipe is regularly tweaked with additions like hop infusions or dark cacao. 
Chef Teage Ezard of Gingerboy fame is the latest in a line-up of celebrated chefs to pop up in Bonny’s kitchen. Ezard’s menu is thoughtfully considered for Bonny’s bar atmosphere and offers affordable snacks and sharing plates priced between $4-$22. Vegetarians, gluten-free, and meat eaters alike will all find a number of tasty options on the menu.
The flavourful (but not too spicy) cashews are a steal at $4 — sweet, crunchy and with a hint of spice. The steamed rice noodles with shitake XO and mushroom floss were also a hit. (My plus one complimented their savoury, chewy texture as ‘calamari for vegetarians’.) My plus one was also all about the wagyu beef sliders with chilli Korean sauce, describing them as ‘awesome’ between mouthfuls. The colourful Thai vegetable salad was refreshingly spicy and paired well with the Edge Native Lime beer. Featuring four different native limes the sour, dry beer cut through the salad’s heat and left our tongues tingling. Although the surprise highlight of the night came at the very end. The coconut cake with caramel palm sugar and coconut ice-cream can best be summed up as, ‘oh my god’. Rich, moist, and melt-in-your mouth, this treat is a must for anyone with the slightest sweet tooth. 
When it comes to the drinks menu, you’ll be spoilt for choice. With the team from Edge Brewing and BeerMash behind Bonny, you can guarantee a quality craft beer list. However, beer is only a fraction of the 27 taps at the bar. In addition to golden ales, farmhouse ferments, and fruited sours you’ll also find natural wines, house-made sodas, sake, signature cocktails, and nitro cold brew coffee. (Pouring the majority of their drinks from kegs is all part of Bonny’s low waste, low packaging sustainability mission.)
For an end of the night treat, I’ll definitely be coming back for a Revised Motivation cocktail. Made with coffee liqueur, cold brew coffee, dark cacao, rye whiskey, stout and Campari, this vegan beverage was a chocoatly treat that wasn’t too sweet. And perfect for cosying up to in the cold weather. Equally as impressive was the sake on tap. Finding kegged sake was a labour of love for founder Adam Betts. (So much so that he was prepared to start brewing his own.) However, he managed to score a keg of premium Momokawa sake from Japan. Seeing as I won’t be traveling to Japan in the near future, I’m happily raising a glass to Bonny bringing a taste of Japan to me. 
The Gingergirl pop-up is only running for a couple months and the drinks on tap rotate regularly. So pull up a seat for a night relaxing with friends or chatting to the knowledgeable staff. Your taste buds will thank you.
– Jenny
Jenny Schmidt is an event adventurer. When she’s not attending live shows, you can find her sampling the latest craft beer or sipping a creative cocktail.
Bonny Bar & Kitchen
177 Brunswick Street Fitzroy
Melbourne, VIC 3065
www.bonnybar.com.au
