A Look Inside the MCA's Summer Pop-Up Bar

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It's official: the warm weather has finally returned to Sydney shores. And when you're not lounging on the beach, you should be hitting up our city's best outdoor venues — both old favourites and new additions.

Luckily, the Museum of Contemporary Art knows there's nothing better than sitting in the sun and sipping cocktails by the water. So, the museum has teamed up with top-notch tequila brand Patrón to launch a summer pop-up bar. The bar opened on Thursday, October 31 and is running from 4–10pm every Wednesday through Sunday until February 16. It'll be running alongside the gallery's retrospective exhibition of British artist Cornelia Parker, also sponsored by Patrón, as part of the MCA's 2019/2020 Sydney International Art Series. It's an all-out celebration of art, culture and fine tequila — and everyone is invited.

The ground floor terrace has been transformed into an airy, hacienda-inspired bar that looks straight out over the harbour. Expect an openair space with a polished concrete bar, colourful wall murals and heaps of leafy plants. The bar opens out onto a 'lawn' with wicker sling-back chairs surrounding tequila barrel tables. The space offers unrestricted views across to the Sydney Opera House and will surely give a few other harbourside bars a run for their money this season.

Instead of using your usual gin or whisky cocktails, the bartenders will, of course, be shaking and stirring drinks with Patrón — namely Silver, Reposado and Añejo. The 100-percent agave tequila is hand-harvested and produced in small batches in the highlands of Jalisco, Mexico, which gives it its premium edge, so expect after-work drinks to get a lot fancier.

You (and your mates) will be able to spend a balmy evening sipping negronis, highballs and old-fashioneds, all with a seasonal tequila twist. You can also opt for a Patrón, lime and soda, or the signature cocktail inspired by British artist Cornelia Parker — the Cold Dark Matter, made with Patrón Reposado, blackberry liqueur, lime and ginger ale. For the purists, there are classic margaritas and palomas on the docket, too.

Apart from the cocktails, there are plenty of Mexican eats from Simon Fox (Graze Restaurant) to keep you going. Think bar snacks like margarita-spiced popcorn ($5) and chilli lime peanuts ($5), or, the star of the show, the Nixtamal tortilla tostadas. These tortillas have been made using a special ancient Aztec method of cooking and grinding corn, and you can nab three for $20. Varieties include slow-cooked pulled pork with pickled cabbage, salt and fennel crusted salmon with sesame yoghurt and an Asian-inspired version with crispy pulled duck, shallots and crushed peanuts. Two vegetarian options are also up for grabs — the mole verde with pickled cactus and chipotle aioli and the pickled eggplant with avocado, marinated olives and feta.

And, since its the MCA, you can expect plenty of art, culture and entertainment happenings, too. There'll be interactive performances, DJ sets, art installations and VR experiences to check out throughout the pop-up. Plus, every Sunday, you can try out your own artistic hand — by painting and decorating a 200ml bottle of Patron, that is.

If all that isn't enough, you can turn your visit here into the start of a very festive bar crawl around Sydney Harbour. In addition to the MCA pop-up bar, Patrón has also teamed up with a number of other bars around Circular Quay — Bar Patrón, Quay Bar and The Argyle — to create The Art of Patrón precinct. Just keep your Patrón cocktail coaster and scan it at each venue (all in one night or across the entire summer period) to score a complimentary ceramic mug.

The Patrón Pop-up will run from Thursday, October 31 through February 16 (excluding public holidays and New Year's Eve). It is open every Wednesday through Sunday from 4–10pm. Visit Patron's website for more details.