One of Sydney’s hottest young restaurant groups is on the expansion trail again, with the team behind Clam Bar set to open another new venue. The spin-off will be close to its sibling, taking the bottom bunk in the restaurant space downstairs.

The crew behind Bistro 916 in Potts Point and Pellegrino 2000 in Surry Hills, where French and Italian classics are amped-up with hi-fi vibes, opened Clam Bar on Bridge Street in the CBD in April. The recent departure of Cubby’s Kitchen, restaurateur Matt Yazbek’s Lebanese eatery, opened the door for the Clam Bar owners to extend their footprint.

Sources close to the project believe it will be a bar, but the group’s co-owner and chef, Dan Pepperell, says all options are still in the air. “We need to get in there and scope it,” he says. The opening date has yet to be confirmed.

Pressed on the future direction of the venue, Pepperell points out that the space has a kitchen. Whatever its final configuration, it will trade nicely off the instant success of Clam Bar, which scored an opening review of 16/20 from Good Food for its interpretation of a New York grill.

It’s also located at the epicentre of Sydney hospitality’s hottest openings. Recent neighbourhood newcomers include the Bentley Group’s 120-seat Brasserie 1930 in the new Capella Sydney hotel, and the Maurice Terzini-led Jacksons on George, which opens next month. New Korean restaurants Funda and Leemix, plus Club Martinez, will open in the coming weeks and months.

There’s also been no shortage of bar action at Circular Quay. Last month, chef Joel Best opened Bar Besuto, touted as having Sydney’s largest collection of Japanese whisky.

The city blocks between Circular Quay and Bridge Street have long been teased as a destination for bar chasers, but it’s now a bona fide bar precinct. Bar Messenger and Caffe Q’s – which operates as an aperitivo bar at night – are among the arrivals at the Phillip Street end of the Quay, while Bar 1880 has joined the action on Bulletin Place.

And the team from Re, the Eveleigh bar previously named on The World’s 50 Best Bar list, will open a new bar in September next to Jacksons on George.