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Hinchcliff House

5-7 Young Street, Sydney, NSW, 2000
Phone
(02) 7228 1400
Website
hinchcliffhouse.com
Instagram
@hinchcliffhouse

Read time 4 Mins

Posted 25 Aug 2022

By
Alexandra Carlton

With four levels of drinking and eating venues in a converted woolshed just a quick skip from Circular Quay, you can enjoy a big night out while barely having to shuffle your feet.

image of food counter at Hinchcliff house bar
Why you goWhy plonk yourself into a one-note venue for the night when you can whirlwind yourself across several moods and experiences in one location? The concept of the multi-venue eating-and-drinking space seems to be something of a trend in Sydney at the moment (see also Shell House and Coogee Pavilion, among others) and it makes sense in our increasingly work-from-home world, where dolling up and heading out is a bigger deal than it used to be. At Hinchcliff House, you can kick things off with a brisk Americano cocktail and a platter of cured meats in the last rays of the fading day outdoors at Bar Mammoni before heading inside for a plate of pasta at Grana or a full-scale dégustation at Lana, then wrap things up within the sandstone walls of broody underground bar Apollonia. A big night out and you barely have to shuffle your feet.
Why you stayIt’s the last on that list, Apollonia, that is probably the one that will make you stay around till the wee hours. This subterranean “Sicilian drinking den” is named for the Italian beauty who steals the heart of mob boss Michael Corleone in The Godfather. The folks here truly lean into the theme: the drinks have names like Hills of Savoca (which is where Corleone sees Apollonia for the first time), a milk-pale cocktail made with gin, olive oil and lavender; or the Luca Brasi (named for the tough guy who did much of Corleones’ dirty work), made with rum, sweet vermouth, bitters and wattleseed. The soundtrack is also on brand: plenty of ’50s and ’60s rock and roll, plus French and Italian crooners. And at 11:00pm on Friday and Saturday nights the team closes the doors, gives everyone a nip of something and raises a toast to “love, life and Apollonia”.
a cocktail served on table at hinchcliff house
image of bar counter at hinchcliff house, Sydney
What drink to orderAs you’d expect from bars that look to the boot for their inspiration, both Mammoni and Apollonia do a fine Negroni. Less expectedly is that they use their own custom-blended sweet vermouth created by Maidenii in Victoria, which is heavy on the cardamom and orange. They also substitute the usual orange twist with an orange wedge dusted with paprika. It’s also worth trying the house-made Italian-style bittersweet liqueur, created with offcut citrus peel from the upstairs restaurants’ food prep.
What to pair it withThe food offerings vary across the different venues. If you’re after a full meal, then one of Hinchcliff House’s two full-service restaurants, Grana or Lana, are where you want to put your money. At Mammoni, the pizza bread crisped in olive oil and smothered in mild whipped ricotta is a good bar snack, and you can also build a platter of LP’s Quality Meats’ mortadella and San Daniele prosciutto around an army of fat little arancini rice balls of the day. The food selection at Apollonia is more modest, but the all-you-can-eat pizza slices ($20 a person) at Friday lunches are a good reason to knock off work early. 
snacks pairing at hinchcliff house
an olive dipped cocktail at Hinchcliff house bar sydney
Regular’s tipAt Apollonia, some say the best seat is on the raised platform the staff call the “dais” (yes, as in wedding dais – there’s the Sicilian wedding theme again), but the bar is pretty neat, too. It’s set with colourful tiles that look like little gems and presents, meant to represent the fawning gifts presented to Corleone and his bride by their mob mates on the day of their marriage.
Don’t leave withoutTuning your nose in to the fragrance of the custom candles at Apollonia, infused with rosemary, citrus and olives, designed to evoke the scents of the Sicilian countryside. Oh, and you may also pick up a hint of gunpowder and leather – they’re supposed to symbolise Apollonia’s fiery end in a car bombing.
snacks served at Hinchcliff house bar sydney
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image credits: Steven Woodburn & Jiwon Kim
Authour image
Alexandra CarltonAlexandra Carlton is a freelance writer who contributes to Australia’s leading food, wine and travel publications.
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Drinks DirectoryDate nightNon-alc OptionsFancy occasionAfter work drinksKiller cocktailsCasual catch-upSydney – CBDSydneyBarRestaurant
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