Sydney Cements Caffeine Addiction with New Espresso Martini Bar, Tuxedo

Benny Sweeten is a man with many hats — a hospitality master if you will. His resume includes Rose Bay Diner, Surry Hills' Joe Black Cafe and, more recently, Kansas City Shuffle in The Rocks. His latest venture Tuxedo is an extension of the Kansas City Shuffle space, which occupies the old Cadbury Chocolate Factory on Gloucester Street. Half cafe, half bar, Sweeten saw an opportunity to expand the space and combine two of his passions: coffee and alcohol. Thus creating Sydney's first specialised espresso martini bar.

Opening Thursday, August 18, the bar will open from midday, with an evening session running from 5-7pm. Capacity for the evening sesh will be limited to 50 punters. It will launch with seven different martinis, including the Cadbury Chocolate Martini (an ode to the original owners of the venue) as well as a traditional take on the drink, which will be on tap. Some wilder versions with extravagant garnishes include The Candy Man — a blend of amaretto, vodka, Kahlúa and espresso served in a glass rimmed with sprinkles — and the a cold drip martini, which comes topped with a mini cinnamon doughnut. Freakshake or cocktail? You decide.

For those who can't handle caffeine post 5pm, don't fret — a decaf version of the martini will be available too. And if you don't like something, you can just let the team know. Sweeten is keen to get customer feedback to help finalise the cocktail menu.

The food menu at Tuxedo takes cues from adjoining sister venue Kansas City Shuffle, offering bites of their superfood snack menu. Think house-smoked salmon and quinoa with asparagus, smoked beef brisket fortune tacos, a shrimp cocktail and — this is what we're most excited for — a tiramisu made with Mr Black coffee liqueur.

The vibe of the place is yet to be determined — its inner city location means the establishment has a strong business crowd, however the table tennis and pool tables give it a more relaxed feel amongst elements of the old chocolate factory. Word on the street is that Young Henrys will be pairing up with the venue in the near future to collaborate on a beer-based espresso martini, for those who need their beer injected with coffee too.

Tuxedo is located at 195 Gloucester Street, The Rocks. The bar will open on Thursday, August 18 at 5pm. For launch, the bar will be open noon till 7pm, but they're looking to extend operating hours as the weather warms up. For more info, visit their Instagram.