Enmore Country Club
Natural wines, local beers and nostalgic cocktails are at the heart of this retro 70s-style bar in Cottonmouth Records' former digs.
Overview
If you find yourself in the centre of the natural wine, Australiana-kitsch, retro-inspired cocktail Venn diagram, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better Sydney spot to wile away a few hours than Enmore Country Club. The good-times neighbourhood bar brings throwback 70s nostalgia and an accomplished crew of hospitality mainstays to the former digs of Cottonmouth Records at 182 Enmore Road.
At the helm you'll find hospo duo Dan McBride and Dynn Szmulewicz, who've embedded beloved Sydney venues like Redfern's The Sunshine Inn or Glebe's The Little Guy into the ever-growing scene of character-filled Inner West boozers.
Adding to the firepower behind Enmore Country Club is natty winemaker DOOM JUICE's Creative Director Zachary Godbolt. The mastermind behind the wine brand's unmistakably manic visuals has come on board as the head designer for the new Enmore spot, leading the charge with its retro dive-bar aesthetic. The space has undergone a full revamp featuring fresh wood cladding, brass finishes, custom tablecloths from Defy Designs and a custom resin bar top.
All of the little touches harken back to a bygone era of bowling shirts and cigarette commercials. On entry, you'll be greeted by a brown checked floor mat, and once inside you'll find retro posters on the walls, old motor magazines on the bench tops and a guest book to sign.
As you would expect from a venue associated with The Sunshine Inn, you'll find plenty of low-intervention vino on the drinks list. The ever-evolving lineup of wines is projected onto the walls in order to facilitate quick changes for any exciting new drops that the team may get in.
There's also a selection of local beers and a seasonal cocktail list, the latest of which features the El Bruiser, a twist on a classic championing quality tequila, fresh citrus and house-made stout syrup; The Don which is a nod to the old-school fluffy duck, using Australian gin, Campari and Imbroglio Marrickville's own Poor Toms, topped with some DOOM JUICE pét-nat; and The Melon Dew, a bright tropical slushie inspired by a classic Midori illusion.
Images: Angus Bell Young