Fresh from opening Sammy Junior, an all-day espresso and cocktail bar in the heart of the city, the cocktail geniuses behind Maybe Sammy have yet another cocktail concept for Sydney.
Opening today, Dean and Nancy on 22 is delivering a slick spin on the Maybe Sammy brand of award-winning cocktail drama from within the brand new A by Adina hotel. Yes, a fancy hotel lobby bar—which feels downright perfect for Maybe Sammy and their Rat Pack aesthetic and signature Sinatra-esque dinner jackets.
Striking a chord between elegant and stuffy (so hard to do), Dean and Nancy will be equal parts playful and polished, under the slogan “you’ve got to know the rules to break the rules”.
From the upstairs lobby of the new luxury apartment hotel on Hunter Street in the CBD, a gleaming brass staircase ascends to the 120-seater bar, which has been designed by George Livissianis (Sammy Junior, Chin Chin, The Apollo). Expect a black and gold palette, a baby grand piano, low leather banquettes, intimate lamplit tables for two, and a view of the twinkling city skyline that, come nighttime, feels a little Lost in Translation.
If you’ve been hanging out for more Maybe Sammy magic of late, the sort that earned these guys that spot on the World’s 50 Best list, you’ll be happy to know Dean and Nancy is going there.
Maybe Sammy's creative director Andrea Gualdi has crafted 15 new signature concoctions written into a journey of a menu, including some high roller cocktails made with super-premium spirits and non-alcoholic cocktails too. We can’t wait to try the Coffee Champagne cocktail, where—magically—your hands become the garnish. The cocktail comes with a personal pot of house-made vanilla and coffee-infused hand cream.
"Apply the cream to your hands and every time you sip the cocktail, you’ll be treated to a waft of the scent,” says Gualdi. “After we take the glass away the essence will remain and every time you use the cream, we hope you’ll remember your time at Dean & Nancy and smile.”
The “Rolling A Double” cocktail comes with a pair of dice; roll a double and you’ll win a cocktail upgrade.
To eat, legendary Sydney chef Jane Strode has wielded her decades of experience in some of the country’s best restaurants to create a menu of bold, but simple snacks.
Forget arancini, the “Fireball,” as its name might imply, is a real knockout bar snack—a ball of whipped cream cheese, nduja, marjoram, and lemon that’s wrapped in a nest of Kataifi pastry, baked until almost molten, and served on a dab of tomato jam with pickles. Other snacks include crackle, croquettes, toasties, Sydney Rock Oysters, and some more mysterious items like a "mean guac" described simply as "it's delicious", and a gluten-free "improbable burger" with the tagline "you don't need to know, just order it."
For something heftier, try the saucy gluten-free prawn and harissa risotto or gnocchi with lamb, anchovies, and lemon. Finally, for dessert, it's crispy chocolate profiteroles, and maple syrup and lime tarts.
For more info on and Dean and Nancy, including opening hours, head over here.
Now, check out some more of Sydney's great new restaurant and bar openings.
Image credit: Steven Woodburn