Thomas Olive

(Sad to see that this place is closed!)
I was having a drink at The Everleigh, as a lot of people do, and Dave the (super cute) bartender suggested that I come check out their sister bar, Thomas Olive. It’s hidden upstairs from St. Crispin.
Seeing how highly rated St. Crispin was, I enjoyed a solo dinner at the bar downstairs before asking to be taken upstairs… I spent the next several hours drinking with Alan the bartender — he was so funny and fun! And the secondary bartender (can’t remember her name!) is a graphic artist, and she takes famous paintings but puts Alan’s face in them instead. Think Frida Kahlo, but with a white, redheaded guy painted in instead. Hilarious and talented!
The owner of the bar was there too (can’t remember his name either, ah!) but we ended the night at the Black Pearl, another great bar. Let’s just say that I missed my 9am flight to Sydney the next day…

This is a hidden gem on Smith St, upstairs from Saint Crispin but a fantastic bar in its own right.
Classy, charming and bar staff with lots of charisma (maybe it’s just the beards and Irish accents but hell, I’m sold!)
A great way to start or finish a night, pop in and challenge the barmen to whip you up something special!

Well, this was unexpected. Upon the recommendation of my colleagues and the bartender at The Everleigh, we were told that Thomas Olive is a must-​visit spot while checking out the scene in Fitzroy. To find it, you must go inside a restaurant called Saint Crispin, mention Thomas Olive, and the staff will guide you behind the kitchen, up the stairs and to the bar (assuming there is space available.)
We were lucky to get 2 seats at the bar, as the Allan the bartender was a wonderful conversationalist. We learned that the paintings at the bar are indeed modeled after him (think Freida Kahlo, but with Allan’s face instead… and a naked woman posing in a martini glass, but with Allan’s face instead.) Fun fact — the paintings were made by his colleague/​right hand woman. Also, you can find her law degree displayed proudly at the bar too!
But on to the drinks — I enjoyed a «So Fresh and So Clean», which was light, refreshing, and garnished with yummy strawberries. We also sampled an amazing Tassie whiskey, which was really news to me — they make whiskey in Tasmania?!
Before finishing off a night of yummy drinks and laughter, we casually mentioned we were thinking of stopping by The Black Pearl, to which Allan gave us a small bottle filled with a mysterious beverage and a mission to deliver it to a particular bartender there. We were nonetheless amused and took him up on his offer. Love how the bars in this area support each other in such quirky ways!

You’ll want to stay here for a long time for a number of reasons:
1) You will feel like a dork walking through the downstairs restaurant (St Crispin) and won’t want to have to walk back through anytime soon.
2) You will have walked up a LOT of stairs to get there. Feel the burn!
3) It’s super smart and sexy, perfect for ladies catch ups or hot dates.
4) The cocktail list is terrific.
5) The wine list is small and changes so regularly that they don’t print the menu up. Just ask the waiter what’s open and delicious — they’re all good.
6) There’s some really great bar snacks (pork crackling! eel croquettes!) and even some more substantial mains if you want dinner.