Surry Hills Favourite Maybe Frank Brings Its Pizzas and Cocktails to Randwick

Serving up more than 20 pizzas in a flowery beer garden minutes from the beach.
Jonathan Ford
November 13, 2017

Just in time for summer, Surry Hills mainstay Maybe Frank has opened a sister cocktail bar and pizzeria in Randwick.

Owner Stefano Catino says the plan is to put a little bit of the inner city in the east. Seeing the need for a good-quality cocktail bar in the area, he and business partner Vince Lombardo have essentially opened up a twin: the menus are virtually the same across both venues and the outfit is similar. However, there are a few surprises. Patrons will find a weekly rotating menu that helps you decipher the drinks and pizza list, with a theme every week and a matching hashtag, along with an emoji scale to indicate the flavour strength of each item.

Menu highlights include more than 20 pizzas, four different calzones (all with lashings of fior di latte), antipasti and insalata. There's also homemade pasta dishes, including the incredibly indulgent pesto lasagne, plus 'Frank's planks': cheese, charcuterie and veggie boards, ideal for after work snacks and a spritz.

The new space occupies an exposed-brick double frontage on Perouse Road with large sharing tables in the front and a flowery beer garden out back — which also grows herbs for the food and cocktails. Walls are adorned with local illustrator Jamie Preisz' works and there's a vibe that can only really be described as contemporary-Australian-meets-Italian-chic.

Maybe Frank has pulled in a few respectable names for their new venture. Andrea Gualdi has resumed his position as creative director of the bar (but with a shiny, new trophy that reads '2017 World Class Bartender of the Year') and Balasz Molnar, previously of Hong Kong's luxurious Lobster Bar, has been snapped up as bar manager. "These people are serious and come from world-class backgrounds. I'm super humbled that they're all on board with us," Catino says. "But mainly we want to have fun."

Maybe Frank is open Tuesday to Thursday 5:30pm–10:30, Friday and Saturday 5:30pm–11 and Sunday 5pm–10. 69 Perouse Road, Randwick.

Images: Daniele Massacci

Published on November 13, 2017 by Jonathan Ford
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