A Sydney institution has closed its doors. While Redfern Continental (and its cocktail bar GDR) are no more, we're happy to announce that a new venue has already taken its place, with Golden Gully owners Daniel McBride and Dynn Smulewicz opening a sister venue to their Leichhardt small bar last week.

The new venue, like it's predecessor, is split in two. Out the front, you'll find casual restaurant The Sunshine Inn and, out the back in the old GDR space, is a degustation-only dining room dubbed DD's.

Gully's Executive Chef Emma Evans (Alibi) is in the kitchen serving up elevated gastropub eats up front, which is vegetarian and focused on locally sourced produce. Expect jalapeño poppers ($12) with tapioca cream cheese and smoked garlic hummus ($10), plus New South Wales cheese and olive plates ($27). For larger dishes, there's a vego 'meatball' sub ($14), vegan scallops (made with mushroom, $15) and a seasonal pasta dish going for a very reasonable $15 (or just $10 on Tuesdays).

The front bar is bright and airy with a minimalist fit-out — think white walls with navy accents and natural timber furnishings. Here, you'll also find a cocktail menu that focuses on Aussie spirits and native flavours.

The 16-strong cocktail list includes The Cure All (a tequila and mezcal take on the penicillin, made with jalapeño and ginger syrup), an amaro spritz (made using Poor Toms' Imbroglio, strawberry gum syrup and prosecco) and the Aussie Amari Sour (all $18), which McBride described as "a grown-up version of an amaretto sour".

The wine list focused almost exclusively on Aussie drops while balancing the natural with the accessible. Local winemakers Eloquesta, La Violetta and Yetti and the Kokonut all represent, and brews from Sydney's Wildflower, Akasha and Grifter are pouring as well.

Images: Cassandra Hannagan