The historic Chippendale Hotel has entered a new phase in tune with the times, taken over by Mama B to become Australia’s first all-vegan pub.
Built in the 1880s, the Abercrombie St watering hole has over the years held the moniker of the Lybrary Hotel and Shannon Hotel, but in more recent times it has been known as the Chippendale Hotel, or affectionately, The Chippo.
Bhavani Baumann, aka Mama B, is hoping to create something more than just a pub, to be a “go-to spot” for the Chippendale community, catering to patrons ranging from students and professionals to friends and family.
Having grown up a vegetarian, Baumann became vegan after watching an educational documentary on the dairy industry.
She has established a name in the arena of plant-based food, after fronting the bistro at the Laundy’s ‘Green’ Lion, back in 2016, and having headed up St Peters vegan sandwich bar Sanga.
“I wanted to give Sydneysiders a place to kick back, chow down and soak up some amazing atmosphere,” she says.
For most of 2023 Mama Bs was the resident bistro within The Chippo, doing “classic pub fare, reimagined”.
After a decade at the wheel, long-time owner Brett Strauss approached Baumann about taking on the rest of the pub, and in January the keys were handed to the new restauranteur owner-publican.
Baumann says it was “always my dream” to do a whole pub vegan, to help toward a world she is happy to live in.
Already in command of the kitchen, the next step was to overhaul the bar, investigating every bottle. The beer lineup is all independent breweries, and all vegan, and Alexandria locals Yulli’s Brews have cooked up a custom Mama B Pale Ale.
Beyond the beers, there is a selection of vegan wines, and even cocktails using vegan alternative products, such as aquafaba, which is made from chickpea water, used as a substitute for egg whites.
Baumann explains she often gets inspiration by looking at regular recipes, and “veganising” them, reinventing even vegan dishes, to offer the likes of chicken parma or schnitzel, bangers and mash, fish and chips, Mama B’s famous ‘Zinga’ burger, and even a classic Sunday roast.
And coming soon is the new “Fancy Shit” menu, promising delicacies such as a vegan cheese platter, and caviar waffles.
Kitchens around the country are noticing the increase in popularity of vegetarian and vegan dishes, and many foodservice businesses are offering these options, to cater to the ever-increasing number of people drawn to the style.
Most of the Mama B customers are non-vegans, Baumann says, so she tries to create food with them in mind, as they are the ones to ‘win over’.
“I say to them ‘Just try it, it’s really tasty’.”
The socially conscious Chippendale community banded together to help with renovations, and the pub still offers regular indoor pub seating, as well as its popular courtyard.
Gone is the former gaming room, now set to be used as a meeting, study or break-out space, and the lower level, The Den, will continue The Chippo’s traditional support of grassroots talent, from musical artists to stand-up comedy throughout the week.
An array of weekly specials include trivia and $15 schnitties or parma on Monday, $15 Burgers on Wednesday and $15 Pizza on Thursday, plus live Jazz every Saturday.
While not attempting to be about health food, educating patrons that veganism isn’t all just kale and greens, Mama B reports there are regular foodie converts.
“Maybe the biggest surprise for some of the guys is that they are actually filled up, and don’t have to go to Maccas on the way home.”
