Last month, pioneering zero-waste bar Re closed up shop in South Eveleigh. Now, it’s been announced that cocktail gun Matt Whiley has found a new home for his cocktail prodigy – which is currently sitting at number 46 on the World’s Best Bars List – and that’s inside Redfern’s Norfolk Hotel in the former home of La Salut, and where Ricos Tacos now is. The game-changing bar is set to reopen in April. We’ll cheers to that.
Whiley has teamed up with Public Hospitality – the Sydney group who have more than 15 venues under their rapidly going belt, including Maybe Sammy, El Primo Sanchez, Busby’s, Ricos Tacos, Derrel’s, Lady Hampshire and Dean & Nancy on 22 – to make this happen.
While Re will have a new address, its commitment to being a zero-waste bar will remain – Whiley has already begun to develop cocktails using waste from all of Public’s venues, and if they are anything like his cocktail with chicken feet caramel, prepare to be wowed. The green moves don’t stop there – Whiley will also oversee Public’s waste management to reduce its environmental impact.
Whiley says: “Bringing Re to Redfern at The Norfolk feels like the right move for the bar. We never want to stop being creative in our practice so finding this location energises us and gives us more opportunity for us to stretch into new material and work with new people.”
“It’s also great to help Public reduce their impact across their award-winning pubs, hotels and bars, as I believe this process of minimising waste is something we should be embracing across the industry.”
It’s been a busy few weeks for Whiley, who has also been shaking drinks over at Odd Culture’s new Pleasure Club.