Spice Trader bar to open on the top floor of Porter House

The only record that might compete with Sydney's rainfall in 2022 is the sheer number of hospitality venue openings. And they aren't letting up, with a backlog of restaurants and bars set to open before Christmas.

Spice Trader will join them in mid-November when the bar slides into the top floor of the heritage-listed Porter House at Castlereagh Street in the CBD.

The Angelo Candelapas-designed venue mixes a 14-metre green marble bar with dark timber, brass detailing, emerald banquettes and antique mirrors.

Bar manager Bastien Rossi conducts a swizzle stick over a cocktail list of 12 signature drinks, with the ingredients a cute nod to the food products (ginger, coconut, cassia bark and coffee) traded at different eras at Porter House, which was constructed in the 1870s.

Three house-spiced spirits are available on the rocks. Rum infused with banana, vanilla, dried orange, clove, cassia and star anise; Australian whisky infused with black tea, ginger, cinnamon, clove and green cardamom; and cognac infused with dried apricot, peach, fig, nutmeg and clove.

The house snacks jump from rosemary milk buns stuffed with duck and house-made rhubarb hoisin to sweet-and-sour scallop and bug toast, and Shark Bay scampi caviar.

Spice Trader is the third venue to open at Porter House, joining Henry's Bread and Wine on the ground floor and Dixson & Sons on the first floor. The 80-seater is walk-in only.

Open Thu 4pm-1pm; Fri-Sat 4pm-midnight, 203 Castlereagh Street, Sydney, 02 8236 8888