http://suttonshouseofmusic.com.au/
Situated opposite Federation Uni, next door to Grill’d this place has quite an irresistible charm.
Sutton’s is a delightful little cafe bar and music gig venue that is stumbled upon during flying after work visit to Ballarat when the free V/line trains were going on in early February.
The atmosphere is great, and the menu, though not extensive (or expensive) no doubt contains other gems apart from the very tasty burger that ordered just before the kitchen closed and wolfed down.
The staff, both at the bar and management alike are attentive, chatty and pleasant, and there’s none of the imperious barista or hospo snootiness that you can get at trendy establishments in the big smoke- melbourne.
On the date of my visit, I was served by Molly- a charming and witty theater performance student who provided candid and engaging banter and advice about the menu, Ballarat, and the venue’s vibe in general.
Its a big venue, that could easily seat 100 with not much trouble, with a stage in the middle for gigs, which are bluesy, jazzy and just chilled out when an event is on.
The canned playlists have the same pleasant 1920’s to 40’s flavour, and its easy to feel at home.