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Four Pillars Is Making the First Martini of the Night Even Better
The Four Pillars Martini Collective lands across 22 venues in three cities, pairing mini Olive Leaf Gin Martinis with bespoke snacks.
This article was created in partnership with Four Pillars Gin to celebrate the return of the Four Pillars Martini Collective, a month-long series bringing mini Olive Leaf Gin Martinis and bespoke snack pairings to leading venues across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
The Martini has always belonged to that delicious hour just before dinner, when the table’s still deciding, the room is warming up, and the night could really go anywhere. Cold, clean and unapologetically sharp, it’s a drink built on precision, and one very good way to set an evening in motion.
This May and June, the Four Pillars Martini Collective returns to make that first move smaller, sharper and far more snackable, with mini Olive Leaf Gin Martinis paired with bespoke bites at 22 standout venues across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. It is also a clever way into some of the country’s most sought-after dining rooms: one mini Martini, one considered snack and a premium first taste without committing to the full long lunch or big-night spend.
From oysters and finger lime to Moreton Bay bug toast and Gildas, each venue has created its own savoury counterpoint to Four Pillars Olive Leaf Gin. The result is a month-long invitation to kick off your evening with a little more intent: a chilled martini in hand, a clever bite to snack on, and a very good room to settle into.
The Four Pillars Martini Collective runs from Thursday 21st May to Sunday 21st June, crossing World Gin Day and World Martini Day. In other words, it’s the perfect moment to sip and snack your way around your city and raise a glass to the iconic Martini.
Sydney
The Martini Collective takes on Sydney with something for every appetite: oyster counters, big-ticket grills, sharp wine rooms, long lunches, late bookings, and that glittering hour when the first drink sets the tone for the rest of the night.
At Aalia Wine Room, the mini Martini is paired with raw tuna, finger lime and crisp bread, all citrus snap and cool precision. Besa answers with Today’s Gilda, one briny, acid-bright mouthful. Bar Julius brings the Mediterranean tilt with a garlic-roasted cherry tomato stuffed with olive tapenade; Barons goes coastal with a mudcrab, apple and cucumber crumpet, while Bopp & Tone takes the Gilda into aperitivo-platter territory with Ibérico and Manchego additions.
At Grill Americano Sydney, the snack is a prawn panzerotto. Letra House keeps the Martini in classic company with a Gordal olive, Cantabrian anchovy and guindilla pepper, while Bistro Grenier moves into richer territory with smoked quail mousseline, olive oil and roast almond. Flaminia brings baccalà mantecato — whipped salted cod and fried polenta; Pilu adds Sardinian brightness with tomato arancino, basil and pecorino; and The International’s The Grill pairs its mini Martini with a fried prawn sandwich.
Shell House goes full harbour mood with a Caviar tart, smoked rainbow trout, and onion, while Ester closes the Sydney set with a natural oyster, horseradish emulsion and finger lime mignonette: cold, mineral and made for the Martini’s final word.
Melbourne
Melbourne has always understood the Martini as the first move of the night. Its Martini Collective line-up moves through grand dining rooms, basement bars and beautiful wine rooms, each one built to make that first order count.
Reine & La Rue pairs its mini Martini with panisse, anchovy, cucumber and aioli, a savoury opening note made for the room’s cathedral-like grandeur. Downstairs, Dessous turns the mood saltier with an octopus Gilda, white anchovy and green olive, the bite briny enough to meet Olive Leaf Gin on equal terms. Maison Bâtard brings old-world drama with hand-cut steak tartare tart, and Bar Bellamy takes a more playful line with a Comté custard tartlette, pickled radish, grapes and gooseberries.
Nomad offers up a diamond shell clam, with olive brine and salsa verde, while Carlton Wine Room keeps things in true Melbourne form with its iconic anchovy, fried bread, ricotta and pickled cucumber. Together, they make a strong case for arriving early and letting the Martini take the lead.
Brisbane
Brisbane brings the Martini Collective into its own kind of nightlife glow, with a handpicked line-up of venues made for easing into the evening.
Milquetoast goes bold with a blue cheese tartlet, beetroot, seeds and salsa macha, where blue cheese tang, beetroot sweetness and chilli heat pull the Martini into earthier territory. Supernormal heads straight for the Queensland coast with Moreton Bay bug toast, rich, golden and just indulgent enough.
At The 203 Restaurant, things skew more decadent: pure Wagyu with crispy polenta, truffle crème and caviar. One lavish mouthful, one chilled glass, and Brisbane looking completely at home with a Martini in hand.
Why Four Pillars’ Olive Leaf Gin Works So Well in a Martini
Everyone has their own idea of the perfect Martini. Some like it icy and old-school, others a little dirtier and softer around the edges. The glass matters, the mood matters, and the person making it probably matters most. But with Olive Leaf Gin at the centre, you’re already off to a very good start.
The gin’s olive leaf tea and three types of cold-pressed olive oil bring savoury depth, while rosemary and bay leaf lend a distinctly Mediterranean edge that finds its match in briny seafood, sharp cheese, salty fried things and anything with a good squeeze of citrus.
Four Pillars Martini Collective isn’t about choosing between a serious drink and a great snack; instead, it turns the pre-dinner Martini into its own small occasion: the glass arrives cold, the bite lands crisp, and the night starts exactly where it should.
When Is Four Pillars Martini Collective On?
The Four Pillars Martini Collective runs from Thursday, 21st May to Sunday, 21st June at participating venues across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
It also spans World Gin Day on Saturday 13th June and World Martini Day on Saturday 20th June, making it a neat month-long excuse to find a bar stool, order a mini Martini, and let the snack do its work.
Participating Venues and Pairings
Sydney
Aalia Wine Room: Raw tuna, finger lime, crisp bread
Besa: Today’s Gilda with guindilla pepper, manzanilla olive, peppenillo, Olasagasti anchovy and bico pepper
Bar Julius: Garlic roasted cherry tomato stuffed with olive tapenade, olive oil and salt
Barons: Mudcrab, apple and cucumber crumpet
Bopp & Tone: Gilda with green olive, boquerón, guindilla pepper, Ibérico and Manchego
Grill Americano Sydney: Prawn panzerotto
Letra House: Gilda with Gordal olive, Cantabrian anchovy and guindilla pepper
Bistro Grenier: Smoked quail mousseline, olive oil and roast almond
Flaminia: Baccalà mantecato with whipped salt cod and fried polenta
Pilu: Tomato arancino with basil and pecorino cheese
The International’s The Grill: Fried prawn sandwich
Shell House: Caviar tart, smoked rainbow trout, onion
Ester: Natural oyster with horseradish emulsion and finger lime mignonette
Melbourne
Reine & La Rue: Panisse, anchovy, cucumber and aioli
Dessous: Octopus Gilda with white anchovy and green olive
Maison Bâtard: Hand-cut steak tartare tart with confit egg yolk and chive
Bar Bellamy: Comté custard tartlette with pickled radish, grapes and gooseberries
Nomad: Diamond shell clam, olive brine and salsa verde
Carlton Wine Room: Anchovy, fried bread, ricotta and pickled cucumber
Brisbane
Milquetoast: Blue cheese tartlet with beetroot, seeds and salsa macha
Supernormal: Moreton Bay bug toast
The 203 Restaurant: Pure Wagyu, crispy polenta, truffle crème and caviar
The Four Pillars Martini Collective runs from 21st May to 21st June, spanning World Gin Day on 13th June and World Martini Day on 20th June. Learn more via Four Pillars Gin, choose your venue and enjoy responsibly.
