Friday night drinks sorted: Rooftop bar Ess opens today
The long-awaited rooftop bar at Macquarie Park will open today, offering creative cocktails and bar snacks in a luxe setting.
Ess, the top level of the new The Governor Hotel on Waterloo Rd, opens its doors to the public at 4pm.
It’s a long stair climb to the top, but worth the walk.
The curved bar and kitchen area is surrounded by tables perfect for grazing on share plates and cocktails in a lively atmosphere.
Out on the rooftop, quieter spots include bar stools dotted large round tables, booths and tables on a platform under cover.
At the bar, the best way forward is to tell the staff what you like and let them create something for you; perhaps a pink-hued concoction of gin and raspberries, or a whisky with flavours of warming ginger.
Whisky is the focus at Ess, featured in the signature cocktail The Governor, but they also have a variety of wines and craft beers.
The menu is made up of Japanese-inspired plates designed to share like gyoza, steamed bao and kingfish sashimi.
Owners Momento Hospitality — who also run the The Hillside and Bella Vista hotels — hoped to create a local hub for the Macquarie Park area.
The Governor general manager Greg Barclay described Ess as “a venue to be reckoned with, not in Sydney but in Australia”. Bringing people together to create great memories is our motto here at The Governor,” he said. “We feel that great memories are the core to good hospitality and that’s what we’re trying to achieve.”
The details: Open Wednesdays and Thursdays 4pm-11pm, Fridays noon until midnight, Saturday 4pm-11pm, and Sunday noon until late, 9-13 Waterloo Rd, Macquarie Park.
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