In all the photos of the legendary Private Bin, Canberra's most popular nightclub from 1973 to 1999, one stands out. Taken from the street, it shows the famous neon-lit upstairs windows, but it's what's downstairs that recently caught our eye: a giant sign saying 'Patisserie', harking back to the days when late-night dessert was a thing.
Waffles Piano Bar did waffle-based treats to complement the more debauched happenings next door at the Bin. Around the corner, the Pancake Parlour was also open doing brisk business, and was open late. Both are now long closed.
So when did late-night desserts stop being a thing? I was wondering this recently on a trip to Melbourne, having stopped by the iconic Brunetti in Carlton. The giant emporium-style dining hall has soaring ceilings and acres of glass cabinets, displaying every kind of sweet treat imaginable. We went there at 10pm on a Wednesday night and it was packed with people, just casually sitting around, eating dessert and chatting.
Actually, we do have late-night dessert options in Canberra. Anyone who's witnessed, or taken part in, those baffling late-night queues outside Messina on Lonsdale Street in the middle of winter will know that it's not that Canberrans don't crave a sugar fix after 9pm on a Friday night. Over on Bunda Street, on the corner of Garema Place, Via Dolce is doing a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to sweet treats late at night. The Italian eatery is open til late every day of the year, and owner Joe Pelle says he's often serving dessert to people late at night.
More often than not, they don't even realise they want it until they walk past and see the mounds of gelato in the cabinet at the front door, and rows of desserts inside. 'It's largely accessible to the masses,' he says. 'Dessert late at night is casual, and we can serve it spontaneously.' Via Dolce serves wine and cocktails, but Pelle says more often than not, it's a young couple sharing a sticky date pudding, or a double scoop of gelato.
That said, it's a corner of the market that Via Dolce has captured by default. The fact it's still a challenge to get a meal after 9pm is indefensible; what kind of 'Cool Little Capital' are we if late night dessert is only on offer on one single but prominent corner of the city centre?
