By Ian Neubauer
Sydney’s high-stakes bar scene received a breath of fresh air this week following the opening of a new licensed premise that takes its inspiration from Melbourne’s small bar culture.
Pocket Bar is a café by day and restaurant-bar by night with an on-premise license for 60 persons. It is accessible through a garage door and features a large wall mural, vintage lounges and displays artworks for sale.
“We’ve been in the industry for quite a while now and basically think Sydney just lacks those small spaces,” said licensee Karl Schlothauer, who previously worked at Favela and Blue Bar in Melbourne.
Schlothauer added the venue has already seen a good level of patronage from the fashionista crowd he said were “well and truly over” the city’s big haunts.
“The reaction has been surprisingly good considering we don’t have a budget for advertising,” he said. “Basically I sent a text message to my friends and said come down, and it caught on. We were really busy on Wednesday and Thursday night. The cafe has been a bit slower but the crepes have been flying out the door.”
Pocket Bar is found at 13 Burton Street, Darlinghurst. It trades from 7:00am till midnight seven days a week.