Comments from Co-owner of Antico Bar Brisbane, Belinda Ward
Brisbane hospitality group – The Cuatro Group – prepares to open new venue, Antico.
Six years on from our interview at Cobbler with Brisbane hospitality icon, Martin Lange – when he was gearing up to open Savile Row in Fortitude Valley – the success of his work has attracted a powerful team and evolved into a partnership with three more members: Wiebke Lange, Blake Ward, and Belinda Ward.
Calling themselves, the Cuatro Group, the team have come to be known for the transformations of heritage sites into cocktail bars with Death & Taxes and Dr Gimlette.
Anticipation is now building for their third endeavour, Antico – an Italian-inspired, sleek cocktail bar in Brisbane’s Burnett Lane. Familiar leather chairs, tiling work and black marble bar from the other two venues are all set to feature, while food appears on the menu for the first time and Campari and soda is available on tap.
Belinda Ward shared that the group intends to offer a house negroni using their signature vermouth blend, Campari and a collaboration gin with local distillery, Nosferatu. There’s a view to bottle and sell this cocktail as an RTD for imbibers at home.
This opportunity echoes a similar growth trajectory to that of Melbourne’s Made In The Shade group with Everleigh Bottling Co. in 2015. Made In The Shade also own Navy Strength Ice Co. and have recently expanded into Brisbane.
More From the Interview
Focus on Simplicity
Ward shares that Antico intends to strip cocktails down to their essence, offering a tightly curated menu of just ten classic drinks. Inspired by Italian elegance and simplicity, the venue aims to highlight premium ingredients and expert craftsmanship. Italian hospitality, with its charm and warmth, is central to the Antico experience, from personal service to complimentary aperitivo-style snacks.
Signature Gin and Sustainability
Cuatro Group is developing a custom gin with Nosferatu Distillery, designed specifically for their signature Negroni. The gin’s Mediterranean profile embodies their innovative yet grounded approach to cocktails. Sustainability also takes centre stage as the group explores ways to reduce waste, particularly with citrus ingredients, while ensuring operational efficiency.
Creative Growth and Venue Selection
Aiming to balance growth with intuition, Ward explains that Cuatro Group carefully selects venues that resonate with their heritage-inspired aesthetic. The Antico project involves transforming an existing hospitality space, maintaining their brand identity while adapting to new challenges.
The Art of Craft
Ward’s fascination with distilling was revealed by a story of her interaction with Jim McEwan, a world-renowned distiller – who shared his journey from working with iconic brands like Bowmore and Bruichladdich to creating something uniquely Australian in an earlier interview of ours. She articulated an admiration of industry pioneers who respect tradition while pushing boundaries.
Hospitality, too, thrives on this balance, evolving from confident experimentation into refined simplicity. For Ward, the stories behind the craft are as important as the products themselves.
This interview has been edited for clarity and consistency. Feature image by Markus Ravik.
