Landlords entice workers back with new food and bar offerings

Signature restaurants and upmarket bars are returning to the Sydney CBD as landlords investigate leasing options to entice staff back to the office longer than three days a week, while also helping to bring the city back to life.

Building owners see the new offerings as the front door to their properties, and are prepared to include higher incentives into the rental contracts as added attraction. This is evidenced by the success of The Bentley at 27 O’Connell Street and Neil Perry’s Rockpool Bar & Grill at 66 Hunter Street.

The pandemic had an enormous impact on the food and beverage industry, in particular the Sydney CBD market, but there is evidence of an accelerated momentum in the city, despite the still half-empty office towers.

One of the latest deals in Sydney’s Wynyard Lane is a lease by the Speakeasy Group’s for a “moody speakeasy bar” and new restaurant concept at Brookfield Place Sydney.

The group behind the Viking-inspired Mjølner and Nick & Nora’s will re-establish its former Darlinghurst speakeasy cocktail bar, Eau-de-Vie, and also introduce The Sanderson, a brand-new restaurant concept.

Under the plan, the Sanderson will lease the first floor of Beneficial House off Wynyard Lane, while the basement will welcome the return of Eau-de-Vie, which during its tenure at its Darlinghurst location, was crowned the world’s best new cocktail bar at the prestigious Spirited Awards in the United States.

Owned and operated by Sven Almenning and Greg Sanderson, The Speakeasy Group operates seven bars and restaurants across Sydney and Melbourne.

“The Speakeasy Group’s unique bar and restaurant offering will bring an excellent addition to our food and beverage mix at Brookfield Place Sydney and will contribute significantly to activating the precinct’s nightlife,” Danny Poljak, executive vice president and co-head for Brookfield Properties Australia, said.

The associate director of Knight Frank retail leasing, Adam Tyler, said the best operators in the market have been able to ride the storm of lockdowns and as a result are in a position to capitalise on higher vacancy rates and bigger tenant incentives.