Kings Cross institution Cafe Hernandez, which served freshly roasted coffee to Sydneysiders 24 hours a day for 50 years until its closure in 2022, has been rebooted as Vermuteria: an old-school, Spanish-style aperitif bar specialising in vermouth and sherry.

“It’s a beautiful, historical building,” new owner Dave Spanton tells Broadsheet. He also recently revived nearby Piccolo Bar, another legendary Kings Cross haunt. “We wanted to keep the Spanish spirit of the cafe going, but with a liquor licence – bring it to life for today.”

The place to start is Vermuteria’s 100-litre barrels. They contain two unique blends of vermouth. The first is the Euro Sweet, a mix of Casa Mariol Vermut Negre, Cinzano Rosso and Cocchi Vermouth di Torino. The second is the Aussie Pinot Noir. It combines wine from Melbourne’s Noisy Ritual with The Gospel rye whiskey. Once it’s polished off, a new blend will take its place.

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“A lot of people have had vermouth in a Martini or Negroni, but not on its own,” says Spanton. “There are so many amazing styles and flavours.”

The adventure continues at the taps. They offer two semi-dry vermouths: Noilly Prat Original Dry and Carpano Bianco. A dash of Bradley’s Kina Tonic syrup is added to snatch away any bitterness.

Beyond the vermouth is a selection of Spanish sherries sold by the glass and the carafe, as well as Spanish and Australian wines. The 10-strong classic cocktail list stars vermouth- and sherry-based concoctions. They include the White Sangria (wine, vermouth, fino sherry, bitters, sugar, soda and fruit) and the House 50:50 Martini (Hickson Rd Australian Dry Gin, Noilly Prat dry vermouth and bitters).

Equally Spanish-inspired is the tapas menu, sorted into cold and hot share plates. Travel to the Spanish seaside with Pollastrini sardines in olive oil and tomato, or Real Conservera mussels in escabeche (a herby, vinegary sauce). Among the warmer dishes are various pickings from LP’s Quality Meats, a mortadella sandwich and a four-cheese toastie. Fromagerie Penny’s Cheese Shop, which is just up the road, has also put together a cheese plate.

Looking to modernise the space while honouring its history, Spanton worked with Michael Delany, an artist and designer who, in the past, has helped revive tired pubs such as The Duke of Enmore and The Oxford Tavern.

“I couldn’t have done it without him,” says Spanton. “We kept the old photos of the Hernandez family and former customers – from celebrities such as Kerry Packer and Paul Keating, to old-school sporting stars of Europe.”

Another focal point is a giant painting of Gaspar de Guzmán y Pimentel, which has dominated the wall for decades. He was prime minister of Spain from 1621 to 1643.

The photos and artwork maintain the space’s famously cosy, inviting atmosphere. So, too, do the warm timbers and Latin soundtrack, spotlighting tunes of the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s – from Argentine singer Leonardo Favio to Spanish singer-songwriter Julio Iglesias.

“A lot of people have been coming in and saying they still feel very connected with Hernandez when they’re here,” says Spanton. “Our very first guests were the former owners, and they loved it.”

Vermuteria
60 Kings Cross Road, Darlinghurst

Hours:
Wed & Thu 4pm–11pm
Fri & Sat 4pm–midnight

vermuteria.com.au
@vermuteriasydney