EPIC EPILOGUE
Many visitors to Mparntwe/Alice Springs might not know there's a bubbling brunch scene to discover, and Epilogue Lounge & Rooftop Bar has been a cornerstone of the town's café culture for many years.
WORDS JENNA HOARE
EPILOGUE'S OUTDOOR SEATING area, featuring cozy heaters in winter, draws in a lively crowd – perched at the end of Todd Street Mall, next to Gregory Terrace.
Venue Manager Stefanie Prechtl, known as Stef, has worked at Epilogue for eight years, witnessing the venue's natural evolution since its opening in 2013.
“The owner Chris had the idea of a live music venue to have a cool place to hang out. His main focus being on the atmosphere, good music, great drinks and food,” she says.
While the venue buzzes with activity from morning until late evening, Wednesday through to Sunday, it’s the brunch menu that draws in a loyal stream of locals and travellers six days a week.
Featuring locally sourced ingredients and classic brekkie dishes alongside a few vegetarian twists, the mushroom medley is a favourite and the classic smashed avo – both available as vegan options.
“We use Milner Meats & Seafood, we source our fruit and veg from Central Fruit and Vegetable Wholesalers, and we’re trying to get all the eggs locally sourced,” Prechtl says.
“The herbs are also grown locally.”
As for the dinner menu, Epilogue has always been known for its tasty tapas and gastro pub dishes, which has seen a few changes over the past few months.
“We’ve started smoking our meat in-house … 12 hours on the smoker by one of our chefs. That kicked off a month ago and it’s been going great,” Prechtl says.
While downstairs the food takes centre stage, head on upstairs via the laneway to find a funky rooftop bar with live music gigs for those ready to kick on.
“We have Indigenous reggae bands, heavy metal gigs, rock nights with a local band Sneaky Train … and local bands like King Marong, which is a high energy African 10-piece band.”
If it’s not live music, Epilogue’s rooftop bar has themed DJ nights, and interactive music trivia once a month.
“It’s the atmosphere, really. People message us to say they had such a memorable night and everything together, the entertainment, together with the cocktails and the food to complement, is such a positive experience,” Prechtl says.
“We want people to remember Alice Springs for that.”
Epilogue Lounge & Rooftop Bar
WHEN DAILY (EXC. MON) | VARIOUS HOURS
INFO epiloguelounge.com.au
