Dave & Amy Spanton, the team behind Australian Bartender magazine, have announced plans to open The Hook, their third venue in Sydney’s Kings Cross. This brand-new oyster bar will join Piccolo Bar (which opened in 2021) and Vermuteria (which opened in 2023), all within walking distance of each other.
The Hook is slated to open in May 2024 at 13-15 Bayswater Road, which was formerly Izgara Restaurant. The team is delighted to be bringing oysters back to Bayswater Road, recalling the heyday of Bayswater Brasserie and its iconic freshly shucked oysters.
What else to expect? Dave can’t wait to overhaul the site which has amazing bones and “the only horseshoe bar” that he knows of in town. Expect retro vibes and a rejig of the classic oyster bars of New Orleans and San Francisco. “There will be lots of oyster twists, nautical design elements, coastal whiskies, beer, Champagne and of course, classic cocktails,” says Dave.
It’s a bigger undertaking than Piccolo and Vermuteria, with some 250 square metres of floor space. To help get it off the ground, Dave has once again assembled an esteemed team of hospitality professionals. He is again the creative driving force behind the venue (as he was with Piccolo and Vermuteria), driving the concept and look of the bar from the ground up.
Dave had his eye on the site for a while. “It’s a great location right in the heart of Kings Cross with both inside and outside seating,” he says. “It will be the perfect place to sit and enjoy some oysters freshly shucked for you right at the bar, a few ice-cold martinis and live jazz piano tunes.”
“It will be the perfect place to sit and enjoy some oysters freshly shucked for you right at the bar, a few ice-cold martinis and live jazz piano tunes.” – Dave Spanton, Owner, Spanton Hospitality
Once again, expert design and build will be in the hands of Michael Delany (who worked on both Piccolo and Vermuteria and has recent design gigs like The Abercrombie on his resume). “With this design, I am very happy to be using a particularly romantic green throughout the venue,” says Delany, adding, “As you know, oysters are well known for their ability to add power to the love act, so this will be a great venue for lovers. The oyster bar within the venue will be a magical grotto, a perfect spot to spend the night.”
Jay Cozma, former long-time GM of Baxter Inn, is helping to streamline the build and operations. Jay brings years of experience in service, operations and build to the operation. Jay is really excited to be a part of the project as he wraps up his six-year stint with Swilhouse. He says: “The scope of this venue will truly bring a very unique offering to Sydney, much like Piccolo and Vermuteria have done. Think good old fashioned drinks and hospitality with a focus on fresh oysters, ales and Whisky!”
“The scope of this venue will truly bring a very unique offering to Sydney, much like Piccolo and Vermuteria have done. Think good old fashioned drinks and hospitality with a focus on fresh oysters, ales and Whisky!” – Jay Cozma
Rounding out the team is Michael Drescher, who will be on board for front-of-house training across the group. With the third bar, Dave’s wife, Amy Spanton, will focus more of her attention on the hospitality side of the business (while continuing her role as the Managing Editor of Spanton Media), taking on the Operations and Marketing role.
The team are excited to open Tuesday to Saturday in May 2024. Follow @thehooksydney for updates.