First look: The Peacemaker Saloon opening on Mort Street Braddon

Posted on 20 June, 2024

Well, howdy pardner!

Welcome to a new saloon from the team who brought you award-winning speakeasy Volstead Repeal.

When Volstead Repeal opened two years ago in a hidden alley off Mort Street in Braddon, its owners, Stu Inger and Allen Chen, had a dream of expanding to open a second bar.

But saddle us up to a bucking bronco and call us Billy, it’s happening quicker than a showdown at the O.K.Corral!

Braddon has a new place for drinking, eating and soaking up some Johnny Cash tunes – The Peacemaker Saloon.

Unlike Volstead Repeal, which is quietly hidden away up the far end of the alley of shops in the new Yamaroshi Building, the Peacemaker Saloon will take a far more prominent position on Mort Street proper—where Knightsbridge Penthouse used to live.

Volstead has won numerous awards and a loyal clientele for its intimate New York speakeasy feel.

The Peacemaker Saloon will be considerably larger than Volstead, far more prominent, and a much lighter and brighter affair.

Stu and Allen are joining forces with Volstead talent Gus Burns and Paul Heylin and have created a large and relaxed location for after-work drinks, late night and weekend sessions with friends.

True to its saloon incarnation, the Peacemaker will be serving American Southwestern food, beer and margaritas, along with some old-fashioned Southern drinks including what award-winning bartender Stu promises will be Canberra’s best mint julep.

Designed by Form & Fellow based on the Gold Coast (the same team behind Blue Eyes and Fenway), the saloon boasts massive horizontal folding doors onto the street, allowing cowboys and cowgirls to enjoy the fresh air alongside their cocktails.

Also, shhhhh, there’s a hidden door to a hidden private room if patrons don’t fancy a showdown on Mort Street.

True to its South Western flavours, the saloon will be serving a menu brimming with hearty cook-out favourites such as Sloppy Joes combining cheesy beef mince on Three Mills milk buns served with pickles and potato chips, Pulled Pork South Carolina style, Frontier Chilli with spicy mince, beans and rice, High Noon Nachos, Campfire Corn, Prairie Smoked Wings, Corn Bread, Kangaroo Jerky and a number of other options for a main meal or a snack to go with drinks. There will be a late-night menu from 10 pm and all food is under the command of sherif (chef) Scott Gooch, formerly of The Duxton.

Main means are in the $20 category while snacks and share plates are mainly under the $10 mark, with Stu saying the saloon wants to provide substantial food for prices which recognise the cost-of-living squeeze.

For Stu, the new digs present an opportunity to stretch his creative muscle behind the bar after propelling Volstead to the top ranks of Canberra (and Australian) bars.

Last year, Volstead won Best Cocktail Bar (ACT) at the Australian Bartender Bar Awards, was a finalist for Best Whiskey Bar in Australia, and Stu also won a spot in DrinksWorld Top 100 Bartenders across Australia.

He is looking forward to wearing his new cowboy hat when he rustles up some cocktails—including the Desperado of Patron Silver, Mezcal, lychee, lime, vanilla and whites, or the Tombstone of Bacardi Ocho, apricot, lime and winter spices—behind his new bar. And he has 100 hats to share with the locals (first in first served).

“We didn’t think we would expand into anything else so quickly, but we are jumping at this opportunity as the location is fantastic. We also think The Peacemaker Saloon will bring something completely different to Canberra.”