A little slice of the desert is returning to the Adelaide Hills, as one of Hahndorf’s most distinctive outdoor bars enters a new era under the ownership of 23-year-old local Sophia Gerstlauer.
Formerly known as El Camino and The Wild Pony, the completely outdoor venue has been reimagined as NEVADA, combining its much-loved Tex-Mex roots with a fresh disco-inspired, Contiki summer atmosphere.
For Sophia, the Hahndorf local, the bar was a favorite spot as a customer, where she spent many summer afternoons enjoying tacos and tequila before eventually joining the team and managing the venue.
Now, while studying teaching after completing a psychology degree, she is adding business owner to the list.
“I fell in love with the venue, the family feeling it created and that genuine small-town bar atmosphere,” Sophia says.
NEVADA retains the desert oasis atmosphere regulars know and love, complete with rendered walls, cacti and a relaxed backyard-bar feel. Sophia is adding a fresh layer of personality with disco balls, tropical plants, fruity drinks and plenty of summer energy.
The venue’s famous frozen margaritas aren’t going anywhere, but the drinks offering is expanding beyond its tequila-heavy roots to include whisky, rum and vodka cocktails.
Local collaborations are also playing a role, with Nightworks Distillery behind NEVADA’s premixed canned drinks and K1 Winery joining the wine list.
The food remains grounded in authentic Tex-Mex-style street food, designed for long afternoons and balmy evenings with friends.
Entertainment will become an even bigger part of NEVADA this season, with live music at least twice a month alongside DJ parties and drink specials.
Despite the new additions, she is determined to retain the character that made her fall in love with the venue in the first place.
As a small, independently owned business, Sophia says NEVADA’s greatest strength is the community that has grown around it.
“The bar genuinely feels like you’re having catch-up drinks in the backyard with mates,” she says.
That welcoming philosophy extends across generations, with the new offering designed to appeal to young groups, families and even grandparents.
As for the future, Sophia isn’t getting too far ahead of herself.
With the previous owners continuing to provide guidance and plenty of support from those around her, she admits she is somewhat “winging it” as she tackles her first business venture.
For now, it’s about taking NEVADA season by season, although Sophia suspects the feeling of a NEVADA summer might prove difficult to give up.
