Operating out the back of popular European-style bar Leigh Street Luggage, Nevermind is bringing classic cocktails and gourmet toasties to Adelaide’s West End.

Nevermind is a darker, grungier continuation of Leigh Street Luggage, which co-owner Shahin Chegini describes as “a bar that doesn’t take itself seriously”.

“Anything goes and everyone is welcome, but [we still hold] a high standard in the liquids we serve,” he says.

The venue’s entrance is in the alleyway off Leigh Street next to Alec the Hairdresser and can also be accessed through Leigh Street Luggage itself.

One of Nevermind’s go-to menu items is the Pickle Back, in which a customer chooses a whisky to shoot, chased by a shot of pickle brine. It’s a popular form, but not one offered in a lot of other venues in Adelaide.

“The pickle brine is made in-house by our venue manager, Olivia Freear, who is well known in the industry for making the most interesting and tasty combos, such as ‘chilli and green mango’ and ‘persimmon, chilli ginger and mandarin’,” Shahin says.

In addition to Pickle Backs, Nevermind specialises in cocktails, offering unique spins on well-loved recipes, such as their caramelised popcorn espresso martini, as well as more classical interpretations.

Food-wise, Nevermind offers a range of toasties, made using gourmet ingredients and served with a side of house-made pickles and crisps.

“Best thing of all is that we’re serving it all night so there’s no need to get Maccas after a night on the booze or finishing a long night of work,” Shahin says.

Resident DJ Geisterrüstung supplies tunes on Fridays and Saturdays, featuring a set of underground party tracks that last until late into the night. On Thursdays, the bar hosts Thursday 808’s, a DJ night with a classic collection of old-school hip-hop, curated by Adelaide producer Inkswel. And the mid-week at the back-alley drinkery is dedicated to hospitality works, with a range of drink specials as part of its ‘Hospo Love’ Wednesdays.

Nevermind’s interior was designed with its Mediterranean sister, Leigh Street Luggage, in mind, though referencing a specific European era.

“You can see that we were inspired by the grunge scene set in the ‘90s and the worn out purposeful industrial Soviet East Berlin style,” Shahin says. “I wanted the space to feel like it’s always been there, waiting to be discovered.”

Shahin first came up with the idea for Nevermind while he was running several upscale restaurant and cocktail bars in Melbourne, such as Frederic and Morris Jones.

“I have major respect for that polished service and attention to detail, but after a long night’s work, or on my nights off, I kept finding myself frequenting bars like Leonard’s House of Love, Jungle Boy and Bar Margaux,” Shahin says.

“I loved certain aspects of those bars and wanted to mix certain aspects into one space – polished, well-made cocktails, good banter over the bar and that familiar house-party vibe.”

After taking charge at Leigh Street Luggage, Shahin was inspired by rumours of the property’s back room’s old life.

“The cherry on top was rumours we heard about Julie Barnes’ (the previous owner of Leigh Street Luggage) having exclusive parties after hours in what used to be her storage space, it just made too much sense to not convert it to what it is today,” Shahin says.

Nevermind is located at 22A Leigh Street, and is open from 6pm ‘til late on Fridays, and 8pm ’til late on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday.

Connect with the business on Instagram.