Fugo brings casual Latin American vibes to Sydney's Hotel Downing

Publican Jim Kospetas has always had a good eye for talent, placing chef Peter Conistis in his CBD hotel, The Civic, back in 2007, followed by the Howin Chui-fronted Ni Hao Bar in 2021.

Now he's nabbed the team from Marrickville's Hello Auntie for Hotel Downing, his unpretentious pub on Castlereagh Street in the legal precinct.

Stage one, casual Latin American eatery Fugo, opens on Thursday, March 16, while a Vietnamese-inspired late-night casual diner, Hey Chu, will follow on Monday, April 3.

Hello Auntie owner-chef Cuong Nguyen has teamed up with his childhood best friend, Luis Gil, on Fugo, which draws on Gil's Argentinian background. Fugo takes its name from a common mispronunciation of the Spanish word fuego, which means both fire and passion.

"Sydney is known as the epicentre for multicultural food yet Latin American cuisine seems to be under-represented," says Gil. "Every Latin culture has so much to offer in terms of food and flavour, so we want to share our passion for the culture in Sydney."

Menu items include linguine al tequila, a beef and tomato gnocchi dish, and the "Little Sandwich", filled with a 200-gram rump steak, chimichurri, a fried egg, ham, mayo, lettuce and cheese.

When the ambitious Hey Chu opens next month, Cuong says Sydneysiders will get a taste of Vietnam's drink and snack culture.

Patrick Harrowsmith (ex Love, Tilly Devine) will join as sommelier, and head chef Bremmy Setiyoko (ex Spice Temple, Sepia) will knock out dishes such as pappardelle with pork braised in coconut water with fermented anchovy and spices.

Fugo will open Mon-Sat noon-2pm, 5pm-9pm from Thursday, March 16.

Hotel Downing, 249 Castlereagh Street, Sydney, instagram.com/fugo.com.au