24°C | Wednesday December 4, 2024 
1 November 2024
By Hannah Wilcox
Sit down and strap yourself in to experience Artarmon’s newest bistro-meets-cafe and distillery, Buckle.
The 150-seat venue, situated in Home HQ where Glasshouse formerly operated, has something for everyone with their ‘Pause or Play’ philosophy.
It opened its doors earlier this month before a grand opening on October 22.
“We wanted to create a venue that seamlessly connects cafe and cocktail culture, where anyone can come to pause or play” General Manager James Peters said.
“This is something we’ve injected into every aspect of the venue from the interiors to the menu.”
“We really wanted a transformative space – something that offered one thing by day, another by
night and a bit of both in between, depending on the experience customers want.”
Buckle also operates as a craft distillery, making their own Vodka, Gin and Whisky on site.
The second half of the venue, Depot Brewery, is set to open in late November.
The Sun decided to give the extensive cocktail and food menus a try.
This review must include a nod to the design and decor. All inside a glass atrium, Buckle has created a serene and lush oasis with an elegant nod to the industrial history of the site.
Extensive foliage runs throughout the dining area into the courtyard – sporting outdoor seating, fans, fairy lights, a spot for live music and entertainment and a kids area.
We ordered a taster of multiple menu items to see how it fared across dishes, and were pleasantly surprised with the serving sizes and affordability. Most meals cost between $20-22, with a great selection of dietary friendly options.
First, and definitely foremost, the Tomato Penne Pasta was the favourite of the night.
Cooked to perfection, the penne was dressed with creamy tomato sauce, garlic, parmesan cheese, chives and croutons.
With a hint of heat, it was very moreish and the plate was scraped clean.
It was accompanied by a serving of the Roast Pumpkin Salad. Filling but not too heavy, this dish is a great summer meal. The pumpkin, almonds, avocado, rocket leaves and dressing all complimented each other in texture and taste.
Only suggestion would be to have smaller pieces of the pumpkin and avocado mixed throughout the salad to have more in each bite.
The Chicken Schnitzel Panini was also quite good. The chicken was tender and well cooked, in a crumby batter and was well complemented by the soft, spring ciabatta bread, fermented chilli mayo, lettuce and tomato.
One menu item that could use some fine tuning is Buckle’s pizza offerings. The supreme pizza, although gaining bonus points for being vegetarian-friendly, was pretty basic.
A family-owned and operated venue, Buckle’s hospitality was warm and inviting. The staff were friendly, knowledgeable and attentive, eager to share recommendations.
Everything was presented well, simple yet classy.
To accompany, the Sun tried four of the unique cocktails – an Espresso Martini, a Spiced Honey Daiquiri, a Sabot and a Gimlet.
All were quite alcoholic with flavours otherwise quite muted.
Overall, Buckle Cafe & Distillery breathes exciting new life into Artarmon Home HQ and offers workers and families alike a new dining destination for any occasion.