House Made Hospitality has welcomed the first guests to its new neighbourhood bar Baptist Street Rec. Club, where the décor screams ‘80s and ‘90s Australiana and Midori is making a comeback.
The bar is the second venue to be opened by the hospitality group in Redfern’s new Wunderlich Lane precinct, sitting above Southeast Asian-style restaurant Island Radio. Brimming with nostalgia, the bar is scattered with relics of years gone by – think gig flyers, movie posters and iconic Australian advertisements.
Warm wood panelling and exposed brick set the backdrop for an understated, yet character-filled space that pays homage to Aussie pub aesthetics of the ‘80s. Running alongside the bar is a DJ booth complete with a display of vinyl records, while hundreds of vintage trophies line the ceilings of the Trophy Room.
Bar Leader Dan Cramsie (ex-Clam Bar, Pepito’s Double Deuce Lounge) says: “We don’t want to overcomplicate the bar experience. It’s about balancing comfort and familiarity with a touch of creativity, so there’s something for everyone.
“The nostalgia of the space is part of that – it’s somewhere you can let your guard down, whether you’re popping in for a quiet drink earlier in the week or cutting loose on the weekend.”
Adding to the sense of familiarity, Dan and group Beverage Director Jason Williams have curated a classic cocktail menu with a twist, featuring retro gems like the Japanese Slipper (Midori Melon, native finger lime and yuzucello, Cointreau, lime, rosemary and finger lime) and the White Russian (Burnt Butter Skyy Vodka, Tia Maria and maple cream).
Other familiar favourites include Penicillin (Morris 36 South Whisky, ginger, honey, fresh lemon, Laphroaig and malt vinegar) and a Strawberry Daiquiri crafted with local spirits (Strawberry Archie Rose White Cane, strawberry cordial, strawberry and lime).
In addition to the bar’s signature take on staple cocktails, seasonal flavours are reflected in a playful selection of rotating monthly specials, which, in the opening weeks includes a Beetroot Negroni and Earl Grey Fizz.
Jason says: “We’ve created a venue that’s for the people, not the bartenders. These drinks are fresh, well-made and approachable – designed to bring longevity and fun, not pretension.”
Dan added: “In a time when we’re all feeling the squeeze, we want this bar to be an escape from the rat race. You’re at Baptist Street Rec. Club for a good time, and the great drinks are an added bonus.”
In accompaniment to the cocktail menu, patrons can expect to find a house-made Reccy Lager alongside popular brews like Guinness, and a wine list that prioritises small-batch producers and flavour-forward styles, curated by Group Head of Wine Ahmad Fahda.
Finally, a Thai-inspired snack menu is available for dine-in or takeaway featuring smaller dishes like crab betel leaf, barramundi fish cake and money bags, a choice of two share platters, and mango sticky rice.
Baptist Street Rec. Club is the latest in a flurry of venue openings by House Made Hospitality, following the unveiling of a four-venue precinct at the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth in October last year, including lobby bar and restaurant Tilda and Bar Tilda and rooftop bar and Vietnamese-French restaurant Wentworth Bar and Delta Rue.