The Sydney Morning Herald logo
Advertisement

Just Open: El Coco Cuban bar pops up at Exchange Hotel

Daniel Lewis

El Coco brings a taste of the Caribbean to King Street.
El Coco brings a taste of the Caribbean to King Street.Supplied

The party doesn't stop at El Coco – on Saturday mornings, anyway, when it kicks on until around 4am. King Street's Exchange Hotel has been kitted out in Caribbean colour as a vibrant Cuban pop-up bar, named after the palm tree planted at the first Bacardi distillery in Cuba in 1862.

Cuban-inspired food from the Hammer & Tong team plus a list of authentic rum cocktails put together by cocktail historian Sebastian Raeburn keep the party jumping.

Chase down a beef-rib "stackwich" (smoked ham, egg, provolone, pickles) with a rum negroni, pina colada or a lime-crammed Cuba Libre. Bedidas – shots of upmarket, subtly spiced Bacardi – cater to the daring.

Hammer & Tong are behind the Cuban-inspired bar snacks.
Hammer & Tong are behind the Cuban-inspired bar snacks.Supplied
Advertisement

The venue is staging several thumping weekend parties in the lead-up to Christmas.

Open Mon-Thurs noon-late; Fri noon-very late; Sat 4pm-late.

120 King Street, Melbourne, 0434 396 921, elcoco.com.au

Restaurant reviews, news and the hottest openings served to your inbox.

Sign up

From our partners

Advertisement
Advertisement