Cantina OK. Bar Planet. Centro 86. Tio’s Cerveceria. Four distinct bars that contribute significant heft to Sydney’s world-class drinking scene. The whole lot comes from Mucho, the hospitality group founded in 2011 (with the opening of Tio’s), owned by Alex Dowd, Jeremy Blackmore and Daisy Tulley. Now that team – which has grown significantly since – is going again, welcoming Herbs Taverne to the mix next month.

“We’re dipping our toe – finally – into that aperitif, digestif, bitter realm of drinks,” Blackmore, Mucho’s co-founder and creative director, tells Broadsheet. “It’s given us a whole new pantry to work with.”

Where Cantina aces Margs and Bar Planet nails Martinis, Herbs is going to be all about the Negroni. The potent, deeply orange Italian classic is typically made with Campari, gin and vermouth. But, as is the Mucho way, there’ll be twists.

Stay in the know with our free newsletter. The latest restaurants, must-see exhibitions, style trends, travel spots and more – curated by those who know.

SIGN UP

“We’re going to have three different kinds of Negronis, made with different digestifs. Some of the [ingredients] we’ll alter in-house or make ourselves. We’re still distilling our own spirits, so they’re going to feature pretty heavily as well in there.”

The incoming 12-part cocktail list is fuelled by three Negronis, a monthly spritz special, three aperitifs, three house-made digestifs – ready to pour straight from the freezer – and a couple of “classic-Mucho” cocktails (where amaro could marry parsley, or Calvados will meet Zubrowka, a Polish vodka). “It’s a nice mix. The whole idea with the drinks is that they’re toeing that line – like Bar Planet. Something really familiar but exciting.”

And as they are the cocktails-and-popcorn people, there’ll be bags of popcorn (in a new flavour) on the house too. Plus, you can order in if you don’t want to ditch when it’s time to eat.

“It’s going to feel like a classic bar,” Blackmore says. “It’s quite small. We’ve worked with a couple of new amazing local Sydney artists, one in particular that’s made the most beautiful wraparound mirrors for us. It’s going to have a bit of that Mucho almost-psychedelia to it.” We’re thinking of those magic, starry bartops at Bar Planet and Centro 86, by Sydney artist David Humphries.

“It doesn’t look anything like anywhere else we’ve done, but when you walk in you’ll know it’s a Mucho venue. Everything’s in-house [with us]. From interiors to construction management, operations, design, brand building, socials – everything. Daisy [Tulley], our [co-owner and] general manager, has really been able to create this amazing team of people that are all working towards the same goal: opening fun new places that we think Sydney’s gonna love.”

In its Clarence Street basement space, just around the corner from Cantina OK!, the Tav’s joining the CBD’s “small-bar heartland”. Open from 4pm till 2am, seven days a week, our bitter-cocktail needs are going to be more than met.

Herbs Taverne will open at 213 Clarence Street, Sydney, on Saturday May 3.

@herbs.taverne