Andy Lee’s Old Mates pub in New York finally opens its doors

Hundreds of Aussie expats turned out to christen a newly opened pub in New York City and share a drink with Andy Lee and Hamish Blake. See photos, video.

OId Mates has found plenty of new friends on its first night as New York’s Australian pub.

Hundreds of expats christened Australia’s unofficial US embassy with a Coopers Pale Ale or a glass of Penfolds alongside its owners including comedy duo Andy Lee and Hamish Blake.

“It’s so weird to feel like you’re in Australia on the other side of the planet,” Lee said.

“Admittedly, when you step outside and it’s -5C, you get a realisation that you’re not at home any more. But it’s special.”

Lee co-founded Old Mates with restaurateur Eddy Buckingham and former AFL player Nick Stone, the owner of the Bluestone Lane cafe chain that has exploded across the US.

L-R: Andy Lee restaurateur Eddy Buckingham, former AFL player Nick Stone and Hamish Blake. Picture: Matt Davies

Lee and Buckingham share a laugh at the unofficial opening of Old Mates. Picture: Matt Davies

They pulled together a string of high-profile friends to invest including Blake, who didn’t take much convincing, having commiserated the closure of Manhattan’s last Australian bar where he and Lee spent many late nights while making their TV show Gap Year in 2011.

“Crazy the way the world works that a decade later you can have a chance to have a very small slice of a hand in bringing an Aussie pub back to New York,” he said.

“If you’ve been in the entertainment game for long enough, it’s almost the law that you either have to get a share in a nightclub in Prahran in Melbourne, or own a share in a bar somewhere. Enough was enough – it was time to invest.”

Hundreds of Aussie expats turned out to christen Andy Lee’s New York City pub, Old Mates, in New York. Picture: Matt Davies

The pub’s first night raised money for victims of the Los Angeles wildfire disaster. Picture: Matt Davies

The pub’s first night raised money for victims of the Los Angeles wildfire disaster, ahead of the official opening in a fortnight once its uniquely Australian draught beer taps are installed, delivering what Buckingham promised would be New York’s coldest pints.

Lee, who has been busy taste-testing the menu including its signature chicken parmigiana, said there was also a last-minute rush to decide which beers would be poured.

“Coopers will be on tap which is amazing, they’ve been a great support, Sydney Lager, I heard whispers that Lion might be getting us XXXX,” he said.

“I like the idea that it’s an arm’s race. It’s like when Russia and America were trying to get to the moon first – It should be between CUB and Lion to see who can get their beer here first.”

Buckingham promised the uniquely Australian draught beer taps would deliver New York’s coldest pints. Picture: Matt Davies

Patrons enjoy a game of pool at Old Mates, the new Aussie pub in New York. Picture: Matt Davies

Maaaaaaaate! An Aussie expat donned a VB beanie at the unofficial opening of Old Mates in New York. Picture: Matt Davies

The comedy duo joked that owning a pub in New York was the perfect excuse for tax deductible trips to the city, especially for Blake, who is also a Tourism Australia ambassador.

“I have a financial interest in the bar, I have come here to oversee operations, I’m keeping a keen eye on inventory as it goes into my mouth – these are all business terms so this is a business trip,” he said.

“For me, the cost per beer, I probably have to drink about 2000 beers tonight to balance out the airfare, or something like that … The economics of it for me will be tough for me to visit a lot, but gee, it’s fun to be here tonight.”

Originally published as Andy Lee’s Old Mates pub in New York finally opens its doors