February - March E-Newsletter
We have featured local neighbour, Dean’s Lounge in Kellett Street in our bi-monthly newsletter that goes out to our members & subscribers to all of our Fine Wine Group community liquor stores. Along with the article on this re-imagined venue of an old & favourite haunt from years gone by, Dean’s Cafe, you can read all the latest news from your local here.
Dean’s Lounge
When I heard that a new venue with an homage to my misspent youth had opened in Potts Point on Kellett Street, I could immediately taste the mountain of nachos & sticky date pudding I used to devour in the wee hours of the morning when Sydney’s nightlife meant you could still get a meal after a long night of dancing at clubs & live music venues. Stumbling happily into Dean’s back in the late 80s & early 90s was something that happened on a weekly basis, and I am chuffed that a contemporary version with echoes of its past has been brought back to life with Dean’s Lounge.
Wandering into the old Dean’s was like coming home – it was friendly, comfortable & cosy. The new owners of the re-imagined Dean’s Lounge have worked hard to emulate that same feeling – it is eclectic, familiar & welcoming. The couches are comfortable and the decor mostly pre-loved, so you’re at home the second you enter. Prepare to be wrapped in nostalgia as you hear the vinyl on the jukebox switch over, the crackle of the record as it starts to play the next song allowing you to sink deeper into the living room of an old friend.
Too young to remember Dean’s? It was an institution. Late night revellers & locals regularly enjoyed its warm & kooky hospitality for over 3 decades. It was charming and nothing matched but everything fitted just perfectly from the décor & fixtures to the people who entered its doors. A mountainous plate of nachos, mouth-watering sticky date pudding, wine in mismatched tumblers could be had until the early hours of the morning. It was the place you could always rely on to be open and welcoming.
The new Dean’s encapsulates all the original charm, and the owners have a long history with the original. Justin Marmot worked there for 5 years and met his wife Louka there one night in 2002. Dean’s legacy lives on in this reincarnation, located at 7 Kellett Street, right next door to the original! The courtyard has retro mis-matched tables under an enormous tree glowing with fairy lights making it a perfect setting to enjoy a drink or few. The front room has a plush blue velvet couch, fireplace, and a retro games table with old school faves like Pacman & Donkey Kong. Artwork abounds, making it a wonderful room to settle into for some food, bevvies & conversation.
Walk through into ‘the music parlour’, with its vintage jukebox where guests can choose their own tracks - a pile of free tokens awaits anyone wanting to play DJ while Bowie & Prince preside in the pop art prints above it. Just like the old Dean’s, you can wander deeper into the venue to a third room where you can hide away from the crowd in the booths section. It is dark & moody with walls adorned with an eclectic assortment of prints, mirrors, and more. Ambience for date night anyone? This room will not disappoint! But that’s not all folks, venture deeper still and you’ll find the warm glow of the bar tucked up in the rear of the venue. Iconic Hollywood movie star photos are scattered on a wall, and at the end of the long leather banquette seat is lit shelving that highlights an assortment of vintage crystal glassware. Are you out at a bar? Or have you stumbled into your eccentric brother or uncle’s place for a drink?
The food is simple but jam packed with flavour and love. We’re talking hot pocket jaffles, house made cakes & ice cream, and of course nachos – honestly, Dean’s just wouldn’t be the same without it! Don’t expect just cheesy jaffles, Dean’s Lounge has got inventive here, like the Spanakopita - garlic spinach and three cheeses on puff pastry, or Spicy Lamb - 12 hour lamb shoulder with chilli relish & goats cheese, and if you’re after something over the top try the Truffle Mac & Cheese - perfect for a guilty late night snack! The original Deans was known for their nachos and Dean’s Lounge does not disappoint with a perfectly balanced dish of spicy black beans, oaxaca cheddar, guacamole, sour cream, & salsa fresca.
Dean’s also serves up great coffee – a delicious chocolatey dark roast and the machine stays on, so it is possible to get a coffee here past 5pm! Their homemade cakes & ice cream, like coffee are available open til close. The sticky date pudding and cheesecake were staples at the old Dean’s and thankfully are on the new menu. House made on the premises; these mama’s recipes will have you coming back for more….
Did someone say cocktails??!! Bar Manager Jaxon Jager, formerly of Nola in Barangaroo, strives for the perfectly balanced cocktail. From a deep respect for the classics, he has created some killer signature cocktails. Try his perfectly balanced Brooklyn Sunset - rye whisky, strawberry shrub, dry vermouth, and absinthe, or Sleepless in Sicily using homemade limoncello. The wine list is tight with a tendency for natural wines. Like the wines, the beers are mostly local with a big nod to Hawkes Brewing Co.
In short, Dean’s Lounge has old school soul & charm with a contemporary spin. It is nostalgic, familiar, charming, and it’s what we all want (need) right now. So lovely to know that a gem like this emerged in the craziness that was 2020.
Dean’s Lounge
7 Kellett Street, Potts Point
0403 240 456
Wed – Sun 5pm til midnight
Closed Mondays & Tuesday
