Maybe Mae, Adelaide: Why visit this underground cocktail bar?

The Maybe Mae cocktail bar in Adelaide, South Australia, is somewhat hard to find. But the cocktails and atmosphere make it worth it when you get there.

Maybe Mae in Adelaide is a semi-hidden underground cocktail bar. This multiple award-winning Adelaide bar is one of the best places in Australia to try inventive cocktails.

Where is Maybe Mae, Adelaide?

The official address of Maybe Mae is 15 Peel Street, Adelaide. But you’ll find it in a laneway between Peel Street and Leigh Street. Look for a wooden door slid across a circular hole in the wall. Go through the circular hole, the down the stairs to some unmarked double doors. Go through those double doors and you’ll find yourself in Maybe Mae.

This underground Adelaide cocktail bar is a dark, atmospheric place with tiny strips of golden lighting and big semi-circular booths. There’s a strong American feel to the place, but the welcoming staff give it a lighter, less formal Australian touch.

Maybe Mae cocktail menu

The cocktail list at Maybe Mae is fairly short, but well considered – and the bartenders are happy to make you anything you want that’s off the list. The first section concentrates on cocktails that use fresh, seasonal local ingredients.

At time of writing, this ‘From The Market’ list included a $22 Golden Hour, made with apricot, local honey, allspice, St Agnes Bartenders Cut brandy and mezcal.

The second, ‘From The Cellar’ section of the Maybe Mae menu offers ingredients from the other half of the year that have been kept in reserve. The Clare de Lune, costing $21, is exquisite. This is made with quince eau de vie, pear, vanilla, Pucara pisco and lillet blanc.

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