Vasco Surry Hills
421 Cleveland Street, Surry Hills, 2010
Vasco Newtown
2-4 O’Connell St, Newtown, 2042
@vasco.sydney

Photography shot on location at Surry Hills by Christopher Pearce

Since 2012, the iconic VASCO bar has been a staple of Sydney’s dive scene. Whether you’re hitting up the original Surry Hills spot or the new Newtown location, VASCO delivers a perfect blend of gritty charm and refined edge, striking the ideal balance between unrefined cool and polished sophistication.

The original Vasco opened back in 2012 in Surry Hills. When did you take over?
I took over Vasco at the end of 2018. It was exciting to take the reins of an already established venue with such a rich legacy in the local community.

You’ve now expanded to a Newtown venue as well. When did this happen?
I’d been planning for some time to expand into Newtown, and after the success of Vasco Surry Hills, we finally opened our doors in October 2023 for Vasco Newtown. Newtown is such a lively location; it felt like the perfect place to bring our organised chaos!

What’s your hospitality background?
My first entry into the industry was a small café I opened out in Western Sydney, but I quickly realised I’m not a morning person, so it just made sense to open a bar!

“We focus on providing our customers with the full experience. Excellent food, great drinks, rock n roll bangers and a vibrant atmosphere.”

The bars have a rock ‘n’ roll vibe with Italian food – a great fusion! Where did this come from?
Vasco was named after Vasco Rossi, an iconic Italian rock star. Previously, the venue was renowned solely for its remarkable gnocchi. Since then, I’ve expanded the menu to include pizzas, pastas, and more. Rock ‘n’ roll with Italian food just ticks all the boxes.

What is your ethos with the venues (as in, what’s your goal for the customer experience)?
We focus on providing our customers with the full experience. Excellent food, great drinks, rock n roll bangers and a vibrant atmosphere. Vasco is a venue where you can go to enjoy a nice dinner or go slam down some shots whilst chatting to the bartender. I aim to create a space that I would enjoy going to.

What are some of the challenges of running two venues?
The main challenge is finding the time to switch off and do things I enjoy that don’t involve work. That said, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

What are some of your favourite bars in Sydney?
Piccolo Bar, Old Mate’s Place, Ramblin’ Rascal, and many, many more.

What are you drinking at the moment?
You can’t beat a Negroni.

Plans for the future? Is there a third Vasco on the cards?
There are always new and exciting ideas in the works, so I’m definitely not ruling out the possibility of a third venue.