Bar Bridge

Overview

Sydney's CBD has a new spot for martinis, with Bar Bridge now open on Bridge Street. It's the latest from MUCHO Group, the team behind Cantina OK!, Tio's Cerveceria and Bar Planet.

If Bar Planet leans loud and late, Bar Bridge takes a more restrained approach. It's not the group's first swing at a martini-led bar, but it is the most pared-back, debuting as the slightly more demure sibling to its Enmore counterpart, with a tighter focus on classic builds, a slower pace, and a pan-Asian passport.

Bar Bridge has taken over the former home of the Double Deuce Lounge, an address long tied to late-night drinking in the CBD. For the venue's latest iteration, MUCHO Group hasn't strayed too far from that brief, stripping the former '70s porno-vibes and replacing them with moody, charcoal-black walls.

The drinks list centres on extra-dry martinis, alongside a rotating monthly special (April opens with a Passionfruit Crème Martini, which will be rapidly sketched on your menu to take home as a souvenir) and a tidy lineup of house cocktails.

The signature Bridge Martini riffs on a Vesper, swapping vermouth for a house-made, freeze-concentrated Australian brut dubbed 'Tres Sec' to keep things sharp, dry and local. The Citron Martini runs bright with yuzu gin and citrus notes, while the Kimchi Martini shifts savoury, built around oyster shell gin, kimchi seasoning and a seaweed vodka.

Yuzu cocktail at Bar Bridge, Sydney

Outside the martini list, the cocktails keep things clean but considered. Concorde blends calvados, raspberry eau de vie and sumac into a fruit-forward sour. The Highlight is lighter, built on honeydew and genmaicha soda, while Stirling brings Scotch, mirin and pineapple together under a soft foam.

The space follows suit. Low-lit and compact, it's built for the long-haul sessions with leather booths finished with carriage-style privacy screens, candlelight and flashes of red fabric skirting light sconces. Oh, and novelty-sized penguins fitted to the walls.

We know martinis hit hard, so don't forget to stock up on the group's signature complimentary popcorn, here reworked with nori for a sweet-salty hit.

Bar Bridge is open Tuesday to Saturday, with a 4–6pm happy hour pouring $13 martinis and $7 lagers. Bookings are available, but walk-ins are welcome, especially if you're just dropping in for one that turns into a few.

Images: supplied