Herbs Taverne
This sixth MUCHO Group venue fuses a mishmash of influences, from Renaissance paintings to New York indie nostalgia.
Overview
Journey into an underground bitter theatre at the MUCHO Group's negroni-fronted Herbs Taverne, which showcases classic cocktails with a tightly curated menu of negronis, aperitifs and digestifs. Expect the same creative flair as seen in bustling sister venues, like Cantina OK!, Centro 86, Bar Planet and Tio's Cerveceria, with a myriad of drink and design influences blended together to create a dynamic space that borders on the psychedelic.
Centred on a small selection of core drinks that impress and surprise in equal measure, Herbs' menu spans a few riffs on the classic negroni, a small selection of house-blended digestifs, and a handful of original cocktails. The eponymous Herbs Negroni nods to tradition, with gin, Campari and an inventive mix of two red vermouths — one rich and one bright. The Gold Negroni dazzles with gin, Cocchi, Gentian, and Chinola.
As for the digestifs, highlights may include the likes of the Fuji, which blends Montenegro with meshu, or try a Seagreen cocktail with vodka, sake, rocket, lime and sugarcane. "We're honoured to open our sixth beautiful venue, Herbs Taverne," says Daisy Tulley, MUCHO Group's General Manager. "Herbs is another nugget of joy for Sydney — a warm, cosy, artistic space with delicious, surprising cocktails and an inclusive and empathic team who are ready to make memories. And the popcorn recipe is our best yet."
While the influences behind Herbs come from far and wide, the bar's philosophy also looks inward to Sydney's culinary pantry. Merging European drinking traditions with down-to-earth ingredients, the 45 amaros collected from Italy to Japan are complemented with fixings picked from Polish delis and Chinese grocers, capturing the city's multicultural makeup. "We're trying to connect flavours that sing together, without being boxed into the expectations of their origin. Delicious cocktails that step just far enough outside of frame to feel distinctively MUCHO," adds Jeremy Blackmore, Creative Director at MUCHO Group.
Herbs' design also doesn't miss a beat, ramping up the ethos further with an eclectic fusion of 1900s theatre, mid-century diners, German shoe shops and Flemish Renaissance paintings. Surreal but somehow cohesive, the venue immerses visitors through a wrap-around mirror, red velvet furnishings and vintage wood-panelled decor. Meanwhile, the soundtrack proudly leans into early 2000s New York indie nostalgia. Primed for a big night out, kick back with a ruby-red concoction, MUCHO's iconic complimentary popcorn, and the irreverent tones of LCD Soundsystem or The Strokes beneath the disco ball.
Images: Nikki To.
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