Bombay Sapphire x MCA Pop-Up Bar

Overview

What's better than gazing at the Vivid lights from the Museum of Contemporary Art's rooftop Sculpture Terrace? Doing so with a glowing, gin-infused cocktail in your hand, that's what. To that end, Bombay Sapphire is taking over the space this festival, with a pop-up dedicated to boozy and warming concoctions.

If you're one to feel the cold easily, order the Winter Warmer in Laverstoke. Served in a comforting tea and saucer, this creation is a blend of ginger, chocolate butter and vermouth. Yep, it's your post-dinner cocktail and dessert sorted in one hit. Another sweet, sweet option is the Chocolate & Roses.

For die-hard G&T drinkers, there are a few twists on the classic and they all feature native ingredients. Choose from lemon myrtle and thyme, karkalla (a native coastal succulent) and orange or finger lime and sage. Meanwhile, The Barber Shop Bombay Sapphire Negroni comes with picture-ready glow-in-the-dark glasses.

Aussie artist Jonny Niesche will be lighting up the MCA facade this year. His installation Virtual Vibration, created exclusively for Vivid Sydney, will turn the building into a shifting, mesmerising image — combining the formality of high modernism with wild psychedelia — set to a soundtrack by composer Mark Pritchard.

While the bar will be free to enter throughout Vivid (from Friday, May 25 till Saturday, June 16) it will be closed to the public on the opening night — as it's hosting the sold out Artbar: Vivid edition — and closed for private events on June 1 and 6.

The Bombay Sapphire x MCA Pop-Up Bar will be open throughout Vivid Sydney on most Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights, from 5–9pm. For the full schedule, check the website.

Top image: Sam Whiteside