Kittyhawk Is Finally Opening in Sydney's CBD

The Lobo Plantation crew should have no time for fun. Sydney legends and Lobo co-owners Jared Merlino, Mikey Hwang and Eddie Levy been way too busy of late. Jared's teamed up with Lewis Jaffrey (formerly of The Swillhouse Group) to create Oxford Street's hip hop cheese and wine bar Big Poppa's (opening next week), and Jared, Mikey and Eddie run one of the city's best cocktail spots, Lobo. But they've had even more on their epic to-do list of late: they're opening their highly-anticipated new cocktail bar next week.

Named Kittyhawk, the bar will take over a space on Phillip Lane in the CBD, formerly occupied by short-lived '80s richo business bar Bondy's (the one with the $20,000 cocktail and a theme inspired by Alan Bond). It's a two-level space in the heart of the city, also once housing posh pub Bull and Bear. The ground floor will be opened first as cocktail bar Kittyhawk, and then word is that work will begin on a restaurant upstairs.

Drinks-wise, their initial announcement suggested there'd be a focus on rum and rye whiskey, with super bartender Paige Aubort behind the wheel.

And the trainings begin! Team Kittyhawk absorbing all of the Rum and Rye knowledge before we swing open the doors next week. Watch this space. @kittyhawksyd @paigeaubort @dre.walters

A photo posted by Kittyhawk (@kittyhawksyd) on Jun 21, 2016 at 5:46pm PDT

So, what theme have the Lobo crew chosen this time? AZBCreative has designed the joint, celebrated for their work with Lobo as well as Pink Salt, The Island, The Goodwill Society and pop-ups like Sydney's Duff Beer bar. Neither Kittyhawk's major owner Jared or his co-captains Mikey and Eddie haven't revealed much about the bar's layout or menu, we're taking clues from the name.

Kittyhawk is an alternate name for a US World War II fighter aircraft, the Curtiss, and the bar's Instagram account seems to suggest a WWII-based theme, particularly focused around Paris during the Liberation in the 1940s. To give you more of an idea, the website looks pretty wartime:

Kittyhawk opens in the CBD next week at 16 Phillip Lane, Sydney. Details TBC.

Image: Lobo Plantation.