There’s room at The Inn—Ainslie’s newest hotspot

Posted on 6 July, 2020

If you love the suburban groove of the Ainslie shops and the casual fun of a drink at Edgar’s, then your life is about to become considerably enriched.

Edgar’s has a big brother, The Inn, which will bring new eating and drinking options to the already-popular corner as well as an industrial-themed conference space with a courtyard bar and a more formal dining room upstairs.

And all of it with the most incredible views of Mount Ainslie and a vantage point above the quaint heritage rooftops that line the surrounding streets.

Frank Condi (the brains behind Mama Dough, Edgar’s, Shorty’s, Lola’s and Public) has loved seeing the transformation of his latest venture take place. The idea has been that if Edgar’s is a second living room for locals, then The Inn is a second dining room.

The Inn is more refined than Edgar’s, with a beautiful wood-lined bar, raw concrete walls and brass feature lamps giving it a bit of an art deco feel.

Even the loos are cute—lined with original Canberra bricks.

Stretching from the front of Edgar’s right to the back of the shops above Pilot and Mama Dough, the new space includes The Inn (for food and drink) that takes up the front corner, while the Wakefield Room (function space) takes up the back end of the building. They are separated by a plant-laden outdoor covered bar area. Honestly, it is quite a lot to take in.

The upshot is that there is plenty of space to stretch out for a long Friday lunch, or champagne and oysters from the balcony watching the sunset.

The food is bistro-themed, providing simple, wholesome and uncomplicated dishes cooked on a massive Asado grill.

Chef Wayne Alger promises to deliver the best steaks in Canberra—28-day dry-aged sirloin served with grilled seasonal veggies.

“The food will be very simple, no fuss, just classic well-done charred dishes that take the best advantage of the grill,” he says.

Meanwhile, the bar will serve “handles” of beers rather than schooners and snacks to enjoy with cocktails or an after-work wine, such as charcuterie platters (serving Ainslie Bakehouse bread and some of the fancier cheese options from the famed Ainslie IGA cheese aisle), or fresh oysters to wash down with bubbles.

The vibe is moody and definitely more up-market than Edgar’s, and yet it maintains a relaxed feel.

The most stunning part of the upstairs conversion is the unparalleled views of the foothills and summit of Mount Ainslie to one end, and Black Mountain to the other.

There will unlikely be a better place to catch a sunset in summer than the balcony tables.

Frank says one of the joys was peeling the paint off the massive metal-framed windows that line the entire Wakefield Room and seeing the light and views flood in.

While Ainslie residents might be protective of their favourite local, they are going to need to be prepared to share once the doors open to The Inn later this month.

Photography: Ohboi Creative Company