Taking Over The Old Swallow Bar In Maylands, Volare Is Bringing Aperitivo To The ‘Burbs

The closure of Maylands’ Swallow Bar left a huge hole in our hearts, but our heartbreak is finally coming to an end this week.

Opening tomorrow in Swallow’s former site, Volare (Latin for “to fly, and a sentimental wink to the former bar) will be bringing the Euro-holiday, aperitivo vibes to Maylands, while keeping all the Art Deco delightfulness that helped make Swallow such a neighbourhood favourite. Don’t worry – the hand stitched ’20s train seats and pressed tin bar is still there, with the addition of a fresh coat of paint and some extra plant life.

Coming from a team with pretty prodigious CVs, we’ve got high hopes. Also behind Northbridge tropical party joint Neon Palms, Hayden Carter, Sasha Fagan, Jesse Tang and Chris Tilley have a combined 50 years of experience across venues in Perth and internationally – as well as Neon Palms, that includes stints at Wildflower, Clarences, Besk, The Ritz-Carlton and Vancouver’s Botanist.

From tropical parties to old-world Europe: you can expect to find a hefty collection of aperitivo and digestivo, amaro and of course, plenty of vino.

On the food front, the starting menu from Piemontese Head Chef Luca Minetti features plenty of drink-friendly plates that have us dreaming of afternoon drinks that drift into dinner – particularly decadent bites like a chicken liver pâté cannoli or negroni-glazed octopus.

“We’re passionate about bringing dining and drinking culture together as a symbiotic relationship,” owner Chris told us. “We’ve scoured the globe for the best amaros, wines and digestifs to create a truly unique experience to Perth. I can’t wait to show people the world of aperitivo beyond the iconic Aperol Spritz!”

“Aperitivo bars in Europe are all about connecting people,” Hayden added. “We want to create a sense of community and a ‘third place’ for people to unwind, socialise and indulge in all the finer things of life with their friends and neighbours. La dolce vita!”

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Volare is located at 198 Whatley Crescent, Maylands, and is opening tomorrow, August 17. The bar will be open Wednesday to Sunday, 3:00PM to 11:00PM.