The exciting relaunch of Tuckey St offers trendy cocktails, revisited Italian cuisine and a return to the rooftops

The latest bar to hit the scene in Cork City is kicking into high gear as it plans to open three floors for a special ‘Paddy’s Day Pop Up’.

For many, Washington St, Oliver Plunkett, or one of its branches such as Princes and Pembroke St plays on minds when they think of Cork nightlife, but eyes now turn to Tuckey St after an exciting move.

The street is probably the most diverse when it comes to refreshments. Hillbillies and Speedo’s are experts in fast food, while Soma’s cool cats have brought plenty of sophistication to the city’s coffee scene. At the other end, Ziggy’s continues to bring its signature rock vibe while its neighbors at The Oval have all the business.

Now, there’s something very new at the heart of it as Mason has undergone his own transformation and is ready to showcase his shiny new self to the world.

After opening three weeks ago they have gradually shifted gears and now they have announced a big one for Paddy’s Day with the official opening of all three floors including the stunning synthetic turf roof terrace overlooking Bishop Lucey Park.

The bar now has a warm and cozy look – there is ambient lighting throughout, botanical decorations that run over the pillars and across the ceiling, the booths face a central floor area making it ideal for socializing , and there is an open kitchen centered around a special imported wood-fired oven which sits just at the front of the house

This kitchen is led by chef Alessio Torre, originally from the Italian region of Puglia.

Her fresh menu features all of her favorite dishes, but draws inspiration from local Cork producers such as Toons Bridge Dairy in Macroom and The English Market.

It also has plenty of gluten-free bases and vegan cheese on hand to meet the needs of those looking.

Alessio said: “We try to use a mix of local Italian and Irish ingredients, the San Marzano tomato sauce is made from a really sweet type that you can only get in Italy for example.

“At the same time, we want to promote stuff from Toons Bridge and the English market.

“So I would say it’s authentic Italian fused with local culture. Cork is a foodie capital.”

This week, Alessio brings a few more twists, many of which are already kicked off by the intriguing Guinness Dough Balls that are rolled out to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.

Along with his creations, there’s also another big addition that’s got people hooked – an expansive new cocktail list that they say will change with the seasons.

Manager Jean Karatouliotis has been involved in the Cork cocktail scene for six years now, and he says Mason’s most requested have been ‘Mermaid’s Orgasm’ and ‘Up to 90’ so far.

He told CorkBeo: “After a smooth opening, the last two weeks have gone pretty well. We have a stable clientele coming in and growing. It’s all about cocktails and pizza and we’ve been delighted with it until here.

“We’ve gone with the standards so far, not too complicated, but in the spring we talk about it and that’s when you’ll see some really really fun stuff.

“We have all the favourites. Some originals, and then things like the Mermaid Orgasm which is very popular.

“It has your Chambord which is a liqueur of raspberry, amaretto, banana liqueur, Arche peach and Malibu coconut. I would say that and the Pornstar [Martini] are our two biggest sellers.

“We’re really going to step it up in the spring and roll out a new menu and that will set a very high standard.”

For now, all eyes are on the National Day, which the team is rushing to celebrate for the first time in two years.

They have the DJ lined up, with the promise of some “funky” vibes for the night, and the decks will also be busy every Saturday from 9am until late.

Cork is set to go a little crazy across the board this week, when it’s also set to signal the transition to warmer weather, which means the benches will be removed and the new (but now famous) open-air atmosphere of the city will return. at the forefront of our lives.

You can keep up to date with Mason’s news here.

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