Mucho Group drops four killer menus

Sydney’s Mucho Group has revealed new cocktail menus across four of its beloved venues, coinciding with the opening of its sixth concept, Herbs Taverne.

Mucho Group opened the doors to Herbs Taverne almost three weeks ago, delivering a distinctive interpretation of the classic aperitivo experience. The launch menu consists of 12 core drinks including three Negroni riffs, with the Americana (Campari, red vermouth, orris and lemon ice) already proving to be the punters’ pick.

Herbs Taverne joins CBD tequila bar Centro 86, miniature mezcal haven Cantina OK!, Enmore Road martini bar Bar Planet and Surry Hills Margarita bar Tio’s Cerveceria in the Mucho Group portfolio, all of which have revealed a trio of new cocktails.

Centro 86

The latest menu launches reflect Mucho Group’s signature flair for creativity, locality, and cultural storytelling, starting with Centro 86, where the new Viendo Doble menu – Spanish for “seeing double” – explores how global flavours can find common ground in a cocktail.

The menu centres on three reimagined classics: the Amaretto Sour, the Old Fashioned, and the Fizz, each one a bold interpretation of familiar forms with an international twist.

Fusing Italian amaretto and Japanese umeshu, the Amaretto Sour brings together two different takes on the same flavour, combined with tequila, whites and lemon and finished with a dusting of shiso powder. The result is a tart, silky take on the popular Sour.

Centro’s Old Fashioned puts a smoky, agave-based riff on the bourbon classic, blending reposado tequila, Islay whisky, Oaxacan mezcal, palm sugar and house-made chocolate bitters. Meanwhile, Fizz brings together mango-leaf infused tequila, mango sake, lemon and whites, topped with cinnamon and soda.

Jeremy Blackmore, Mucho’s Creative Director, says: “Even with all our differences, humans share so much of what we find delicious.

“Think of the smokiness that links whisky, mezcal and American barbecue. Flavours can evolve in different places, through different processes, and end up with similar profiles. Finding those connections is one of the secrets to making universally delicious drinks.”

The team at Centro 86 have also introduced a new weekly special, Tequila de Primera, where they’ll be pouring extra-rare tequila for as little as $13 per glass. Every Wednesday, the team will open one of the most sought-after bottles from the backbar and give guests the chance to try a glass at cost price.

Cantina OK!

At the globally renowned Cantina OK!, the team has turned inward for inspiration with Ritual – a cocktail menu honouring life’s most grounding and universal acts. From the ceremonial burning of wood to the cultural ritual associated with cooking native ingredients, each drink is a reimaging of the small, meaningful rituals that connect us to the wider world.

Jeremy explains: “We are celebrating some of life’s little rituals. Cantina OK! is built on them – from the way we greet every guest to the hand-drawing of each weekly special. It’s about celebrating the ‘right now’ and being part of the bigger ritual of a night out in a garage down a dimly lit alley.”

First on the menu is Nevada OK! (tequila, vetiver gris, lemongrass, pandan, cincau) – a time-honoured Cantina OK! classic given a new lease of life, featuring grass jelly made from the gel of the Mesoma plant.

“This drink celebrates a new ritual – the counterpoint to spending all day on social media – touching the grass. We’ve done a deep investigation into all of the flavours and textures of grass and ended up with a silly, serious and very delicious combination,” says Jeremy.

Sour OK! is another riff on the Sour, combining palo santo and cherry wood-infused tequila, softened with milk washing, with whites and topped with tapioca pearls and nata de coco.

Finally, inspired by the ritual of making Recado, Whip OK! combines tequila, mezcal, burnt chilli, lime and blackberry sorbet, resulting in a cocktail with deep, smoky flavours, and finished with a spray of silver-coloured olive brine.

Bar Planet

Over on Enmore Road, Bar Planet dives deeper into its Inner West identity with BFFs – a collaborative menu crafted with local produce. The bar has teamed up with A.P Bakery, Goldstreet Dairy, and Rooftop Bees to create three drinks that Jeremy says “you won’t be able to get at any other bar on earth”.

Buzzcut is a honeyed aperitif featuring hot honey sourced from Carriageworks hives alongside Hendricks gin, gentian and lime, described as having a sweet heat and earthy bitterness.

Bar Planet also presents Velo, a sour infused with A.P Bakery baguettes, paired with buttered Cognac, lemon, Pineau and a dash of salt; and finally, Scarlet, a creamy Spritz made with Goldstreet Dairy sour whey, rhubard-infused Pinot Grigio and Bar Planet’s Infinite Spirit.

Tio’s Cerveceria

Rounding out the lineup, cult favourite Tio’s Cerveceria lets public opinion lead the way with Voted & Viral, a Margarita menu shaped by the most talked-about ingredients. Drawing inspiration from its inventive weekly specials, the menu brings back three of the most-loved concoctions: the Biscoff Margarita, Watermelon Lao Gan Ma Margarita and Pickle Margarita.

Sweet and fluffy, the Biscoff Margarita brings together tequila, Biscoff, vanilla, lemon and whites in a nostalgic, playful take on the Sour, while the spicy Watermelon Lao Gan Ma Margarita offers a gentle heat.

Dubbed the “Dirty Martini of the Margarita world”, the tangy, briny Pickle Margarita proves TikTok’s influence is alive and well behind the bar. At the Surry Hills institution, the Pickle Margarita was picked by the punters and it’s back for six months, made with tequila, house-made pickle mix, lime, agave and brine, and garnished with three pickles.

Each of the cocktail menus are now available at their respective venues, joining the four venues’ staple cocktails.