The Sound Garden

The Sound Garden feels very different to everything else in Brunswick Street Mall. From the Mantle Group – best known for its Pig ’N’ Whistle and James Squire pubs – this two-storey giant feels like a classy cross between those middle-market venues and a one-of-a-kind boozy conservatory.

The snazzy Hogg & Lamb fit-out helps, with its brass-fronted bar, timber floors and tan-leather booths. But the key feature is a seven-metre-tall ficus hillii tree that occupies a void between the two floors, its leaves nurtured by a skylight that floods the entire space with afternoon sun.

It’s the kind of place where people can stick around and make of it what they will. Watch a band on the ground floor, if you like, or wander upstairs and order a craft beer or one of six wines on-tap, or something from the lengthy cocktail list.

There’s also a varied menu, with grilled prawn tostadas and woodfired haloumi sitting comfortably next to margherita and capricciosa pizzas, and a short burger and pita menu. It’s all designed to be punched out quickly for afternoon and evening grazing.