The Duke of Clarence has revealed their menu, filled with British-inspired bevvies and nibbles.
The drinks list sits at the heart and is meticulously researched and passionately developed. There is a 500-strong line-up of spirits (80% from the British Isles), alongside great sherries, ports and sparkling wines, like Wiston Estate Cuvee Vintage Brut. With a heavy focus on cask ale, beer will be served from English-made taps, next to bottled British beers and ciders. The team have also sourced all six vintage Pimms products from the 1960s and 70s, allowing guests the rare chance to enjoy the full range, no longer produced in its entirety.
And then there’s the cocktail list, as fresh as it is nostalgic, with each drink playfully nodding to Great Britain. Guests can expect classic cocktails, treated with Victorian-era twist – from punches and flips to fizzes and cups. Innovative cocktail machinery, such as a rotary evaporator, have been used for many of the drinks, allowing more creativity and balance of flavour. Cofounder Mikey Enright has picked The Clarence House Gibson as his favourite – a twist on the Gibson martini designed by Bar Manager Steve McDermott, with Bombay Sapphire, dry sherry, rosemary smoked sea salt, pickled onion distillate and brine.
As for the food, Chef consultant David O’Brien was brought on board to develop a cunning feast, working closely with Head Chef David Penistone to create a short and snappy shared food menu, inspired by British pub classics with an Australian taste. Think potted crab with soda bread and butter; fish finger sandwich, made with fresh blue-eyed cod, tartare sauce and salad; roast bone marrow with sourdough and parsley salad; and the classic scotch egg with hot English mustard. The pub will also open for lunch and serve Sunday roasts from early 2018.
Tucked away in a hidden CBD alleyway on Clarence Street, the entrance to the pub will be warmly lit with Victorian-tiled walls, flowers hanging from the ceiling and aged timber stairs welcoming guests into the venue. Pride of place at the entrance is a painting of the pub’s namesake and mascot, The Duke of Clarence. Inside will reveal a 12-metre-long timber bar, with oak wood panelling and stain glass, and a library nook complete with fireplace and vintage sofas.
The pub is named after the Duke of Clarence, who went on to become King William IV, monarch of England. His reign saw several powerful reforms – the poor law was updated, child labour restricted, slavery abolished in nearly all the British Empire and the British electoral system refashioned by the Reform Act 1832. Clarence Street was named after him, and now, he even has a Sydney pub in his honour.