Will’s Coogee Pavilion

In the world of media, the term “highly anticipated” prevails to the point of becoming a tired cliché. But for Sydney eastern suburb locals who live along Bronte-Clovelly-Coogee, the void of a serious cocktail bar has long been felt.

When Merivale opened Coogee Pavilion in 2014, it brought a much needed breath of fresh air to the beachside suburb and locale, and although it later opened a Rooftop Bar with imposing beach views, it was always a spot better suited for bubbly and icy cold beers.

Then comes Will’s, a dedicated cocktail bar in splendid surrounds with approachable drinks that deliver an elevated expression of summer flavours and presented in “effortless elegance”.

Will’s is part of the trio of venues that opened in January 2020 at Coogee Pavilion Middle Floor, with Mimi’s fine dining and Una Más tapas bar. The name refers Mr. John’s original birthname, a nod to grandmother Wilhelmina Hemmes, and Wilhelmina Wylie, the daughter of champion swimmer and Coogee legend Henry Alexander Wylie who established Wylie’s Baths in 1907.

The connection to Coogee is strongly felt in the cocktail menu by Bar Managers Ben Wainwright (Bert’s, Charlie Parker’s) and Luke Ashton (This Must Be The Place), where a European influence meets the local environment.

The bar is open from midday and as such, its bright and airy outlook invites daytime and early afternoon drinking with cocktails to match. When the sun goes down, the venue takes on a sultry and moody vibe, a segway into elegant sipping in the late hours.

The cocktail names at Will’s draw inspiration from the beachside location. The gin-based Southerly is refreshing and hydrating with the flavours of aloe vera and coconut water along with a floral note from the rose geranium which is foraged from the headlands. 1568 wins you over from the first sip, a bright, herbaceous and savoury drink that combines vodka with lemon basil sorbet, pistachio tincture, Lillet Blanc, saline and bitters – Mediterranean summer flavours in a glass.

Greenleaf carries the Mediterranean theme further and incorporates the bitter-sweet influence of ruby grapefruit with the earthy and savoury note of rosemary and Violeticus, a combination of Italicus and Crème de Violette macerated with julienned grapefruit peel.

For a late night sipper, settle back with the rum-based Capitano, a perfect balance of bitter and smoke with Punch Abruzzo, Gran Classico Bitter and a tincture of green olive smoked with paperbark served over a clear, branded ice cube.

A trio of Willy’s Martinis completes the cocktail list with a choice of dry, wet or dirty. The Dry Martini carries a cucumber note along with a hint of sea blight while the Dirty Martini honours the maritime influence with salinity from golden kelp.

Will’s has been open for less than a month at the time of visit and locals have already spoken. The void is over. Coogee has not only gained a fine cocktail bar but one that is open till 2 am on weekends, delivering a memorable late night sipping experience.

Click through the following pages to view a selection of the cocktails at Will’s.