Sydney’s Sammy Junior, the sister venue to Australia’s Best Bar Maybe Sammy, closes

Removalists were seen clearing out the King Street venue which has now ceased trading. The Daily Telegraph can reveal the new restaurant that’s opened at the location.

Sydney’s Sammy Junior has suddenly closed. Picture: Supplied

What happened to coffee and cocktail bar Sammy Junior in the CBD?

The sister venue of Australia’s Best Bar, Maybe Sammy, has disappeared from social media and it’s website doesn’t exist.

While earlier this week removalists were spotted cleaning the King St venue.

Sammy Junior — a glamorous coffee shop by day and chic cocktail bar at night — opened in 2021 by the owners of Maybe Sammy, Stefano Catino and Vince Lombardo.

In a statement, owner Lombardo confirmed Sammy Junior had closed and said they made the decision so they could “concentrate on other venues within the group”.

Removalists were seen overnight at Sydney’s Sammy Junior overnight. Picture: Supplied.

That includes Maybe Sammy, which in 2023 was voted the World’s Most Influential Bar in a ceremony in Paris.

Potts Point sandwich shop Salumerie, who tested the Sammy Junior space in May with a pop-up sandwich offering, has taken over the lease and are trading immediately.

“Sammy Junior was a fun venture, and we’re really proud it led to a surge in venues that offer just as good coffee as cocktails, but we’ve decided to concentrate our attentions elsewhere. We’re big fans of what Salumerie do and wish them the best of luck,” Lombardo said.

The Maybe Group is part of the embattled Public Hospitality, which is run by former KPMG investment banker Jon Adgemis.

Sammy Junior was a cafe by day and cocktail bar by night. Picture: Supplied

Maybe Sammy, sister venue to Sammy Junior, was voted the World’s Most Influential Bar

At the start of June Adgemis secured $400m in debt funding for the hospitality group.

It’s understood the decision to close Sammy Junior has nothing to do with Public’s financial woes.

Sammy Junior was opened before Public acquired the Maybe Group and all decisions about Maybe Group venues are made independently by Lombardo and Catino.

However CBD restaurant Alpha has become a casualty.

Public Hospitality took over operations of the Hellenic Club funded venue six months ago, however it’s now being run by Con Dedes of the Dedes Group which has venues like Flying Fish and Sala.