You’ll need to be in on a few secrets to visit Coal & Cedar. This hidden speakeasy has no signage and no doorbell. Instead, you’ll need to text a special code to a number on the wall and a host will open the door and usher you inside. Rest assured, it’s worth the effort, having just won Best Regional bar in Australia 2016.Once inside, you’ll discover a moody, eclectic cocktail bar with an urban edge. Exposed brick walls and dark timber are complemented by dim lighting from vintage chandeliers. Holding fewer than 60 guests, it’s this old world ambience that sets Coal & Cedar apart from Newcastle’s bar scene.Ethan and Ryan are the team behind the venture. In 2014, they packed their bags and moved from Sydney to the state’s largest regional city to work on their new dream bar. They found the perfect site on Hunter Street, which was just dingy enough to house a Prohibition-style speakeasy. Transforming the space with taxidermy, eccentric images and many a bottle of booze.
