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Friday night drinks sorted: Rooftop bar Ess opens today

The long-awaited rooftop bar at Macquarie Park will open today, offering creative cocktails and bar snacks in a luxe setting.

Signature cocktails the Governor and Governess. Picture: Kai Leishman
Signature cocktails the Governor and Governess. Picture: Kai Leishman

The long-awaited rooftop bar at Macquarie Park will open today, offering creative cocktails and bar snacks in a luxe setting.

Ess, the top level of the new The Governor Hotel on Waterloo Rd, opens its doors to the public at 4pm.

It’s a long stair climb to the top, but worth the walk.

The food menu is designed for sharing and snacking. Pictures: Stacey Roberts
The food menu is designed for sharing and snacking. Pictures: Stacey Roberts
Raspberry gin cocktail.
Raspberry gin cocktail.

The curved bar and kitchen area is surrounded by tables perfect for grazing on share plates and cocktails in a lively atmosphere.

Out on the rooftop, quieter spots include bar stools dotted large round tables, booths and tables on a platform under cover.

At the bar, the best way forward is to tell the staff what you like and let them create something for you; perhaps a pink-hued concoction of gin and raspberries, or a whisky with flavours of warming ginger.

The kitchen, located behind the bar, serves up Japanese-inspired share plates.
The kitchen, located behind the bar, serves up Japanese-inspired share plates.
Seating options include booths, tables and bar stools.
Seating options include booths, tables and bar stools.

Whisky is the focus at Ess, featured in the signature cocktail The Governor, but they also have a variety of wines and craft beers.

The menu is made up of Japanese-inspired plates designed to share like gyoza, steamed bao and kingfish sashimi.

Owners Momento Hospitality — who also run the The Hillside and Bella Vista hotels — hoped to create a local hub for the Macquarie Park area.

The Governor general manager Greg Barclay described Ess as “a venue to be reckoned with, not in Sydney but in Australia”.

The rooftop bar pictured at the top of The Governor.
The rooftop bar pictured at the top of The Governor.
Whisky is the star at Ess.
Whisky is the star at Ess.

“ … Bringing people together to create great memories is our motto here at The Governor,” he said.

“ … We feel that great memories are the core to good hospitality and that’s what we’re trying to achieve.”

The details: Open Wednesdays and Thursdays 4pm-11pm, Fridays noon until midnight, Saturday 4pm-11pm, and Sunday noon until late, 9-13 Waterloo Rd, Macquarie Park, momentohospitality.com.au/ess

Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/northern-district-times/friday-night-drinks-sorted-rooftop-bar-ess-opens-today/news-story/157d7e628aff437e469fb1d63fcf41dd