Libertine makes the most of its tree. Photo / Doug Sherring
Address: 37 Drake St, Freemans Bay
Ph: (09) 929 2790
Open: Monday to Thursday, 4pm to late, Friday to Sunday, noon to late.
It's hard not to be a little awed when you walk into Libertine - if only because the first thing you notice is that there is a tree growing in the middle of the bar area.
Walking in from Drake St, there is a real sense of making an entrance
as you sweep down the stairs into the bar, to be confronted by a tree. And not a small tree, either; it's a big, leafy thing sprouting incomprehensibly through the floorboards.
It's the latest offering from Pack & Co, the company which owns bars that include Matterhorn, Foxglove, Snapdragon and Smith, so it was never going to be a modest undertaking. The fit-out is superb, making the most of the building, which is a part of Victoria Market.
Exposed brick, wrought-iron, dimly lit booths and plenty of dark wood give it a fantastic feel, echoing the New Orleans vibe it was inspired by. I suppose that explains the name - there is certainly an "anything goes" feeling in New Orleans.
