Vasco Surry Hills
421 Cleveland Road, Surry Hills, 2010
Vasco Newtown
2-4 O’Connell St, Newtown, 2042
@vasco.sydney
Images shot on location at Surry Hills by Christopher Pearce
Since 2012, the long-lasting VASCO bar has been a staple of Sydney’s dive scene. Whether or not you’re hitting up the unique Surry Hills spot or the brand new Newtown location, VASCO delivers an ideal mix of gritty allure and refined edge, placing the best stability between unrefined cool and polished sophistication.
The unique Vasco opened again in 2012 in Surry Hills. When did you’re taking over?
I took over Vasco on the finish of 2018. It was thrilling to take the reins of an already established venue with such a wealthy legacy in the local people.
You’ve now expanded to a Newtown venue as effectively. When did this occur?
I’d been planning for a while to broaden into Newtown, and after the success of Vasco Surry Hills, we lastly opened our doorways in October 2023 for Vasco Newtown. Newtown is such a full of life location; it felt like the right place to deliver our organised chaos!
 
What’s your hospitality background?
My first entry into the trade was a small café I opened out in Western Sydney, however I shortly realised I’m not a morning particular person, so it simply made sense to open a bar!
“We deal with offering our prospects with the total expertise. Glorious meals, nice drinks, rock n roll bangers and a vibrant environment.”
The bars have a rock ‘n’ roll vibe with Italian meals – an excellent fusion! The place did this come from?
Vasco was named after Vasco Rossi, an iconic Italian rock star. Beforehand, the venue was famend solely for its exceptional gnocchi. Since then, I’ve expanded the menu to incorporate pizzas, pastas, and extra. Rock ‘n’ roll with Italian meals simply ticks all of the packing containers.
What’s your ethos with the venues (as in, what’s your objective for the shopper expertise)?
We deal with offering our prospects with the total expertise. Glorious meals, nice drinks, rock n roll bangers and a vibrant environment. Vasco is a venue the place you may go to get pleasure from a pleasant dinner or go slam down some photographs while chatting to the bartender. I goal to create an area that I might get pleasure from going to.
What are among the challenges of working two venues?
The principle problem is discovering the time to change off and do issues I get pleasure from that don’t contain work. That stated, I wouldn’t have it some other means.
What are a few of your favorite bars in Sydney?
Piccolo Bar, Previous Mate’s Place, Ramblin’ Rascal, and plenty of, many extra.
What are you ingesting in the intervening time?
You possibly can’t beat a Negroni.
Plans for the longer term? Is there a 3rd Vasco on the playing cards?
There are at all times new and thrilling concepts within the works, so I’m undoubtedly not ruling out the potential for a 3rd venue.
