Mary's New Circular Quay Restaurant Is Opening This Week — and It Has a Vegan Menu
As well as all of Mary's meat-filled classics, you'll find fried cauliflower and vegan burgers.
Earlier this year, it was announced that Sydney hospitality legends Kenny Graham and Jake Smyth (of Mary's, The Lansdowne, The Unicorn, P&V Wine and Liquor, Mary's Pizzeria) were taking over historic jazz venue The Basement and transforming it into a live gig space, a wine bar and a new harbourside Mary's — and the latter is opening tomorrow.
Yep, on Wednesday, May 1, when you knock off work, you'll be able to stroll on down to Circular Quay and dig into a juicy Mary's burger and fried cauliflower. Wait, what? Yep, this new Mary's will, for the first time ever, have a vegan menu. Plant-based peeps, rejoice — you'll now be able to get your fill of the famed burgers and fried 'chicken'. The 'chicken' will be fried cauliflower and the burgers made with vegan patty, cheese, bun and a vegan take on Mary's sauce. As an added bonus, there'll also be no chance of contamination with the kitchen having its own vegan-only cool room, grills and fryers.
If you were lucky enough to head along to Mary's Newtown's one-off all-vegan collab with Shannon Martinez (of Melbourne's Smith & Daughters and Smith & Deli), you'll know that the boys do vegan well. Very well. As co-owner Smyth said in a statement, "it's fucking delicious plant based food, designed to make your carnivorous mates jealous."
Those carnivorous mates who do prefer their burgers and fried chicken the traditional Mary's way — made with juicy beef and poultry — fear not, you'll find all the meat-filled classic here, too. As well as Mary's classic loud tunes, natural wines, local beers and raucous service. And, if there's not already graffiti in the bathrooms when the 100-seat venue opens, we're sure it won't be long till there is.
In a change of direction for the duo, though, you'll also be able to eat your burgers outdoors (in the sun) at the 30-seat Mary's Alfresco.
And there's more to come from the new Mary's digs, too. While the upstairs restaurant — fittingly called Mary's Circular Quay — is opening tomorrow, Mary's Underground, the live music venue and full-service restaurant, is slated to open by the end of the month. We'll let you know when it does.
Find Mary's CQ at 7 Macquarie Place, Sydney from Wednesday, May 1. It's open from midday–12am Monday–Wednesday, midday–1am Thursday–Saturday, and midday–10pm on Sunday.
Top image: Mary's Newtown.