VOTE 1

The Mayor

400 Military Rd, Cremorne

(02) 8969 6060 or www.themayorbar.com.au

From VENUE Issue 48

Jorge Marrero wanted to open The Mayor Bar and Dining without too much fanfare and wait on a “slow burn” of success, and has been rewarded for his patience. Since October last year the venue has been serving food, wine and cocktails to Cremorne locals who were waiting for the small bar craze to hit their neighbourhoods.

Marrero and his wife Amy chose the old post office site next door to the Cremorne Orpheum cinema to create their first hospitality venue. It was a huge undertaking, requiring a complete transformation of the building, but has paid off in the form of a stylish spot that has been getting good reviews. He says that the initial vision for the venue was simply a place that he and Amy (and people they knew) would enjoy going to themselves: “A warm, stylish destination, with a hint of that city flair, but without the ‘posturing’”. The pair worked with Andrew Burns, a Sydney architect who takes a serious approach to sustainability and environmental responsibility.

Inside, The Mayor showcases clean straight lines, dark wood furniture, moss green walls and a rectangular bar as an island in the centre of the room. Marrero says that he and Amy wanted to create something timeless, rather than trendy, with dark tones and warm textures. Plenty of natural light in the daytime, and ambient light at night, was important, too. “We were eager to offer our local area a level of choice (beyond big ‘blokey’ pubs, stuffy dining options and numerous Thai Restaurants), and cater to a more mature, sophisticated clientele.” He adds that The Mayor’s roaring success has inspired the construction of a new courtyard, to begin in the coming weeks.

As for the name, ‘The Mayor’ started out as a friendly quip but ended up being a perfect fit for the venue, “offering what we were looking to build – timeless, classy, a little bit old-world, close ties to the community, familiar, powerful and a bit cheeky, perhaps. All words and terms a government official, or Mayor, may be referred to by.”