Jesse A.
Yelp
Arcadia opened last Friday, and it's already apparent that these guys are pros. Pros with beards. One is quiet, one of them never stops talking. He used to run The Old Fitz in Woolloomooloo.
After several months of hammering shit together and an injury or two, these two fellas have found their Arcadia, and joined the Sydney small bar scene.
Arcadia is right near that really ugly sculpture on the corner of Redfern & Regent. When you walk in, the light is warm (maybe a little too bright?) and the place is decked out delightfully: exposed bricks, rustic metal chairs, stunning glass mirrors (from Rozelle markets), and a back patio area full of well tended plants. It's a gorgeous garden space, and yes, this does provide a spot for smokers. The bar itself is large & wooden), with the bar stools just a tiny bit too low.
Like The Dock nearby, this is a place where it's fine to linger at the bar all night, chatting with the owners. It's a spacious place, and we spotted an upstairs - though didn't venture up there on this visit.
There are 2 beers on tap (Coopers & a crisp German Larger of some description), and right now they've printed up their wine list, with the cocktail menu still in the works. Actually that's quite good because you can ask the guys for classic cocktails & they're happy to oblige (at approx $12, depending on what you order). The Old Fashioneds were excellent, and mixed with precision & humour.
You can order food from Wah Fung (across the road) and eat it in the bar, and they'd probably let you bring in a Vietnamese roll from that little place nearby. It's pretty laid back.
All in all, this place is excellent, and will most likely get rather busy on weekends. I almost wanted to give it a bad review just so we can keep it to ourselves.