Alice Ellis

Look, it really isn’t a secret that we Aussies love a good pub. Whether you're tearing it up on the local dance floor on a Saturday night or downing pints with a hearty Sunday roast, pub culture has something for everyone, every day of the week. These venues see it all: post-work bevvies, celebration dinners, darts competitions and even Hollywood movie crews. Whether it’s a schooner or a glass of wine you’re after, in the city or the outback, we’ve got a list of the country’s grooviest pubs that are a welcome sight to tourists and locals alike. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Australia newsletter for more news, travel inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox.  Hungry? These are the best pies in Australia worth travelling for.

From specialty Sichuan spots to hot Cantonese kitchens, Sydney has some seriously great Chinese restaurants. Time Out Sydney's critics, including Food & Drink Editor Avril Treasure, have eaten their way around town to bring you this curated and up-to-date list. So whether you want to go all out and explore regional cuisines, sit down for yum cha, grab some takeaway barbecue duck or hand-thrown noodles, you'll find your spot here. These are the best Chinese restaurants Sydney has to offer – we're hungry just thinking about them.  Recommended: Here are the tastiest cheap eats in Sydney right now Check out the best Italian joints in Sydneytown

No two ways about it, Sydney's wine bar scene is flourishing. Full to the brim. Spilling over. A decade ago, there were only a handful of wine bars. Now? They're all over town. And we're here to happily drink them up. What's more, these slick haunts are also some of the best spots in Sydney to grab a nice dinner with friends.  It makes no difference whether you're a novice or an expert, fancy something natural or classic, old world or new, or whether you want to spend moderately or extravagantly, Time Out Sydney's critics, including Food & Drink Editor Avril Treasure, have curated this list for every palate, at every price point. Bottoms up. Can't get enough of that boozy stuff? Check out the absolute best bars in Sydney here.

Time Out's Future Shapers is about putting a spotlight on Sydney's best and brightest trailblazers, innovators and community builders across a whole range of fields: the arts, hospitality, community, politics, sustainability and more. Check out these 14 remarkable people who are helping shape a bright future for Sydney... Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more inspiration, straight to your inbox.

There’s no doubt about it, Sydneysiders can’t get enough of Italian food. And who can blame us? There’s something about a bowl of perfectly al dente pasta paired with a luscious, rich ragu that just hits the spot. And white Italian cuisine differs throughout the 20 incredible regions – broadly speaking the northern regions eat more rice and polenta, and down south they feast more on seafood – Italians share a love of beautiful, seasonal produce, choosing simplicity rather than overcomplicating dishes, and cooking food with soul. No wonder we love it so much. Luckily, there are a wealth of excellent options to choose from when it comes to Italian dining in Sydney. Time Out’s editors and critics, including our Food & Drink Editor Avril Treasure, have picked our favourite eateries covering all bases – from casual red-sauce joints and classic pizzerias to fine dining restaurants – so no matter what mood you're in, there's something here for you. Not in the mood for pasta? Here are our picks of the best spots for Greek and French food in Sydney.

Contrary to contemporary yarns, there are still pubs and bars that host live music in Sydney. Many of them have successfully lashed back at the encroaching frontline of pokie machines.  We're all for it. So Time Out Sydney's writers – including pub-frother and Editor Alice Ellis, and resident booze-lover and Editor Avril Treasure, have rounded up a list of our fave bars and pubs that host live bands. Hate the ding-ding of pokie machines? Here's a list of Sydney pubs without pokies. More into dancing to a DJ? Check our guide to the best clubs in Sydney.

1. Step into the light at Vivid Sydney. The annual event will be lighting up Sydney from May 26 until June 15 – with luminous highlights including Lightscape (the epic immersive event in the Botanic Gardens) and Dark Spectrum (transforming the tunnels under Wynyard)  2. Go for a dip without the crowds. Prince Alfred Park Pool’s 50-metre, nine-lane pool is heated and open all year round. 3. Winter is the only time of year when you can walk under the romantic Japanese cherry blossom trees at full bloom. Auburn Botanic Gardens' Cherry Blossom Festival celebrates the season with an epic festival (you'll have to wait until August – and exact dates for this year are yet to be released). Photograph: Cumberland Council 4. We certainly don’t get the snow fall of our European cousins, but New South Wales has some beautiful alpine resorts that makes going to the snow a lot cheaper. Head to Perisher, Thredbo or Charlotte Pass to hit the powder. Check their websites for sweet deals on ski and snowboarding during winter. 5. Warm up by an open fire at one of the city’s historic pubs, like the British-accented Lord Dudley in Woollahra. Here are the best pubs with fireplaces in Sydney. 6. With shorter days and longer nights, it’s the best time of year to spook yourself silly with one of Q Station’s Ghostly Encounters. This one is scary enough that it's only available for people aged 15 and over, and people under age 18 must be accompanied by a responsible adult. 7. Warm your hands and belly

We’re all too aware that Sydney isn’t a cheap place, but if you know where to look you can find dinner any night of the week for under $20. Whether it's a two-for-one pub specials, all-week cheap eats, or require a little lateral thinking, Sydney is awash with budget-friendly feasts if you know where to look. Time Out Sydney's critics, including Food & Drink Editor Avril Treasure, have pulled together our hit list for frugal dining. We'll see you on Tuesday. Want to know which cheap restaurants we rate most? Here's Time Out's guide to the best cheap eats in Sydney.

Sydney is jam-packed with gyms. From small studios to big mega-chains, single-service boutiques to multi-service offerings, and everything in between. The amount of choice can be overwhelming. Luckily, our Sydney Editor Alice Ellis has worked in the fitness industry, so she knows what separates a mediocre gym that you'll probably be wasting your money on, from a gym that you'll be motivated to attend so you can actually achieve the results you're after (whether that's building strength, losing weight, getting your stress in check or joining a new connecting with people). This list has been curated by all our Time Out Sydney editors and writers, who've covered a lot of ground when it comes to Sydney gyms. Read on to find the right gym fit for you. Looking for a healthy feed? Here's our guide to healthy eateries that don't suck.

Forget ‘saving money’ in 2024. You know what your New Year’s resolution should be? Get out more. Do more stuff. See more of the world. Life is short, after all – and 2024 promises a tonne of unmissable festivals, art, food and music. There are openings and re-openings. Brand-new train routes criss-crossing countries and continents. Whacky places to party. And even if the cossie livs does have you tightening the purse strings, there are plenty of free and affordable events on this list, too.  So get your booking fingers at the ready: your 2024 bucket list awaits. This is our definitive guide to the coolest new things to do in the world next year. See you out there!  RECOMMENDED:😎 The coolest neighbourhoods in the world🌃 The best European city breaks for 2024🖼️ The world’s best museums and galleries

Virtually every suburb in Sydney can boast a world-class eatery (or several), but none rival the CBD for the sheer number of exceptional dining options on offer. Time Out Sydney's critics, including Food & Drink Editor Avril Treasure, have cherry-picked the best tables to book in the heart of the city, whether you're stepping out for a business lunch, a pre-show bite, or a swanky degustation. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, travel inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox.  RECOMMENDED READS: Want something a little more casual? Check out our guide to the best cheap eats in the city. Nightcap anyone? Polish off your meal with a drink at one of these fine cocktail bars. 

The Emerald City is peppered with a whole host of stellar hotels that each individually carry their own little sparkly slice of je ne sais quoi. Whether you’re in town for one night, want a longer stay, are flitting through for business, or are travelling to Sydney for the very first time and want to make sure you’re in the best possible spot to properly explore the city, we have you covered. Having earned our stripes reviewing hotels across the country, our team of writers (including Lifestyle Writer Winnie Stubbs and our Travel and News Editor Melissa Woodley) have shared their top picks – along with top tips on how to make the most of your stay. From five-star luxury to boutique boltholes, this list is our edit of the best hotels in Sydney (in no particular order). Warning: it'll be hard for you to choose just one to stay at! Sorry, not sorry. Rather stay under canvas? Find the best glamping sites in NSW or the best camping near Sydney. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, click here.

Sydney's cheapest cinema is the Dumaresq Street Cinema in Campbelltown. All tickets for all sessions are just $8.50 – less than a third of the price of some Sydney city cinemas. Start saving for that house deposit now.

If you want to be smack-bang in the middle of the city, The Hilton Sydney is where it’s at. It’s located on George Street, diagonally across from Town Hall Station, opposite the historic Queen Victoria Building (QVB), with easy access to the light rail down to Circular Quay and The Rocks or up the other way to Chinatown. And the other side of the hotel backs onto Sydney’s shopping heart, Pitt Street. Of course it’s gone through classy refurbishments since it was first built in 1974, but refurbs have kept the rooms’ original structures, so you won’t find big, glass walls overlooking the city like you often do in modern hotels – instead, you’ll feel like you’re up in your own private abode, with smaller windows that look out across Sydney. From right up high on the 39th floor where we stay, we look down at all of the tops of the surrounding buildings, including the green copper domes of the QVB.  Rooms have all the comfy trimmings and mod-cons you'd expect from a luxury stay, including Nespresso machines, 24-hour room service and access to mini-bar refreshments by phone (less tempting than the drinks and snacks that are right there in your room). They also have very comfy big beds: their signature Hilton Serenity Beds. But there’s so much action around you that you might not end up spending much time in your room. As well as being in the centre of the city, the hotel’s multiple venues are well worth checking out. We started with sunset drinks at Zeta Bar, which has a classy ind

The Marble Bar, a speakeasy-style bar underground the Hilton Sydney hotel, turned 130 in 2023. It’s hard to believe Sydney has any bars that are this old, right? Pubs, sure? But bars! This one was actually originally built as part of the Tattersall’s Hotel, and all the way back then it cost an astronomical 32,000 pounds to create. The Victorian-style bar was then dismantled when the hotel was demolished, and carefully reassembled in 1973 in the new Hilton. The lavish fit-out makes the place feel like a time capsule. It is, indeed, clad in marble, with elaborate pillars and archways throughout. The ceilings are designed with ornate plaster detail, coated in gold. The bars are made from polished mahogany. And a collection of French realist-style paintings by Julian Ashton, commissioned in the late 1800s for a record-breaking sum, line the walls in gilded frames. The space is divine, and we say you can’t really call yourself a true Sydneysider until you’ve at least stopped by for a cocktail.  You’re best off swinging by at Marble Hour – every Sunday to Wednesday from 4-6pm. That’s when you’ll get $20 signature cocktails and $12 house wines and spirits. The cocktails are inspired by aspects of the bar’s 130-year history – for instance, the Four Sons (Wild Turkey bourbon, cognac, Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva rum and Manuka honey) is a nod to the bar’s founder, George Adams, who was the youngest of four sons. While the Doris Martini (riesling, Hendricks gin, St. Germain and rosé)

It was far from unusual to hear about restaurants shutting up shop during the lockdowns. But there was one pandemic-related closure that did send shockwaves through Sydney, and that was the loss of Sydney institution Golden Century.  The word ‘institution’ is used too liberally, but Golden Century was deserving of the label. The Cantonese-style seafood restaurant, which opened in 1989, was the most famous Chinese restaurant in a city that loves its Chinese. It was a hit with all walks of all life: everyone from high rollers to Labor party pollies, uni students, late-night revellers seeking midnight bites, and even some big names from around the world (spotted: President George H.W. Bush, Lady Gaga, Rihanna and Rod Stewart). People came from all over to try their signature dish: pippies in XO Sauce. So, when Golden Century went into administration in August 2021, it was hard to imagine a Sydney without it. For that reason, it wasn’t a big surprise when it was announced, a couple of years later, that a very similar offering would open in the space. And when it comes to filling that gap, Royal Palace Seafood Restaurant ticks the boxes. You’ve got the same lively bustle, the bright neon lighting, white tablecloths and, of course, the fish tanks in the windows – from where waitstaff pluck your order of lobster, coral trout or parrot fish straight from the water.  We’re seated near the tanks, and it’s actually a fairly dramatic spectacle to watch big fish flapping about in plastic

After the weighty success of the first ever Vintage Kilo Sales in 2023, this popular clothing market (that offers up great finds at the bargain price of $50 per kilo) is returning to Marrickville this month... But wait, there's more! Thanks to the clear appetite for this first-of-its-kind-in-Australia way to shop, the French Fripe Group (who specialise in the wholesale of vintage and second-hand clothing imported from overseas) have announced that they're taking the event on tour across Australia.  What we know so far is that, after it's run in Marrickville on April 13, it will head down the coast to Wollongong, for a run on April 27-28, at the University of Wollongong campus. Vintage Kilo Sales are popular in Europe, and now New South Welshman have the opportunity to discover treasures while participating in sustainable buying practices. While a kilo of clothes can be purchased at $50, shoppers can also purchase additional hand-picked vintage items from a special section. Note that while it's a free-entry event, they recommend purchasing a $2.75 ticket by booking here to secure entry and dodge the wait time. Last time they ran the event in Marrickville, there were 6,000 treasures to sift through. If you’re inclined to “go away and have a think about it” before rushing back to see if your coveted item is still on the rack, be wary. Our advice? If you love it, buy it.  Doors will open at 8.00am at 29 Smith Street, Marrickville. You can stay up-to-date with all fresh happenings

The Emporium Hotel, overlooking the Brisbane River from South Bank, is extra. This family-run hotel goes extra on the décor, extra on the thoughtful touches, extra on the mod-cons and extra on the customer service. There’s nothing minimalist about the place.  If you don’t notice it the moment you enter the foyer, decorated with big, bold prints and colour, you’ll notice it in the selfie-riffic lifts – the lift walls are digital screens that pop with moving pictures, transitioning from bright purple tropical ferns and flowers to a beachside scene, a serpent, a map of Brisbane city, through to pops of orange colour. Enter your room and the curtains will automatically draw – the room I stay in is on the river side of the building, so they open to display a vista of the Brisbane River, the Streets (fake) Beach below, and the CBD across the water. Better yet, this is the first Australian hotel to be EarthCheck design certified. But my favourite thing about the hotel is the clever use of tech to enhance your experience – the curtains that open when you return to the room also auto-close when you leave. There’s a huge, gold-framed mirror on the wall opposite my king bed that takes me ages to discover is actually a TV screen. There are clearly marked buttons that allow you to perfectly customise the lighting throughout the bedroom and bathroom. And the glass wall next to the big, deep spa bath can turn from clear to completely frosted with the touch of a button. Rather than being con

If you have a taste for fine Scotch, elegant Japanese whiskies and American drams, Grain Bar – at the base of the Four Seasons hotel – is a Sydney go-to. And thanks to a recent refresh, the bar is offering what is arguably the city’s most storied, theatrical cocktail experience; with a cocktail menu inspired by the varied cultural backgrounds of the bar team, presented with spectacular showmanship. Looking for a spot for a 100 year-old dram, an expertly crafted cocktail suspended beneath a popcorn cloud and some mid-week swing dancing? You know where to head. As well as being located right in the heart of Circular Quay (perfectly located for a pre or post-Opera House tipple) , this timber-clad bar is a beautiful space to spend an evening. Warm, low lighting helps to counter the coolness of the huge glass windows that look out onto George Street; and the team keeps the decorative fire burning brightly to cosy up blustery evenings by the harbour.  Contemplating the drinks menu will take a while; they don’t just have one of the largest selections of whisky in Australia – they also have an extensive cocktail menu, with a series of signature cocktails designed by the expert team of mixologists, drawing on each of their respective cultural backgrounds. In fact, the drinks here are taken so seriously that they decided to appoint award-winning Beverage Manager Sarath Nair, who relocated to Sydney from his native India for the role.  Over there, Nair managed to nab accolades including

Typically, the beachside town of Wollongong has been characterised by breezy sea-front cafés and kiosks serving up fish and chips and burgers. That said, Wollongong’s food and drinks scene has gradually evolved over the past few years, moving far beyond “typical”. You can still order a cracking takeaway meal overlooking the ocean, but now you can also find critically acclaimed restaurants that are up there with the best eateries in Sydney. I discover that’s definitely the case with Santino, an Italian trattoria in one of the central Wollongong laneways that’s now alive with bars and shops. Santino is by the same mob as Kneading Ruby, one of the most buzzing bars and pizza joints in this coastal town, so I arrive with high expectations. As soon as we enter the chic, low-lit space, it’s easy to forget we’re in the ’Gong. In fact, it’s hard to imagine you’re not in Rome. It’s classy, moody, very unbeachy.  We’re seated at a table looking across at the glowing, bar-framed kitchen and bar, which are the only significant sources of light in the place. Otherwise, it’s all ambient, Art Deco lamps and candles. The floor features big terracotta and cream chequered tiles. There’s a line-up of wine bottles behind the black leather banquette seating. And the walls are packed with black-framed prints that all nod to Italy (photos of Sophia Loren, retro advertisements for tins of Italian pasta sauce, and stylised drawings of Italian towns). There’s cool jazz playing; all setting the mood fo

Whether you've got Gaelic heritage or are just in it for a good time, St Patrick's Day is a perfect excuse to celebrate – and this year the Rocks is once again set to be the epicentre of the Irish-inspired merrimaking in honour of the March 17 holiday. On Sunday, March 17, 2024, Irish pride will take over the historic precinct in the form of free family-friendly activities, markets, toe-tapping live music and world-class Irish dance performances.  Kicking off at 11am, the annual St Patrick’s Day Festival Parade will begin at Pitt/ Hunter St, then make its way down George St to the festival site at First Fleet Park. The festival itself will kick off at 12 noon – you'll get the chance to participate in Irish language lessons, watch live music and performances from Irish dancers and stilt walkers. The kids will be entertained by face painting, characters from Frozen and interactive craft stalls. Food stalls will be serving up Irish fare, and, of course, the pubs and restaurants that have been serving visitors to the Rocks for years will be pouring out pint upon pint of Guinness.Put on your favourite green accessory, and visit the Rocks for a high-spirited St Patrick's Day celebration. Looking for somewhere to sink a pint? Check out the best beer gardens in Sydney.Want more activities? Here's what's on in Sydney this weekend

If you like art inspired by the beauty and wonder of the natural world and our connection with it, Sydney artist Leah Fraser should be on your radar. Though don’t expect to see any subdued, realist landscapes in the mix. Instead, her paintings and ceramics transport you into magical, otherworldly, jungle-like and celestial spaces inhabited by mystical and spiritually-charged figures. They're pieces of art Sydneysiders have become desperate to make centrepieces in their homes. Fraser's latest show, The Thin Places, is showing at Arthouse Gallery through March, and she says it's a meditation on air. “Plants and stars meld to the body kaleidoscopically, skin tones shift and change to reflect their surrounds. Figures move through the air as if in an invisible slipstream, magnetically moving together in a flowing procession.” Everyone’s invited to have a squiz, a couple of glasses of bubbles, and an encounter with the artist at the free opening celebration on Thursday, March 7 (5-7pm). View this post on Instagram A post shared by Arthouse Gallery, Sydney (@arthousegallery) We’ve followed Fraser’s work since her first shows as a graduate of the College of Fine Arts, UNSW. Since then, she’s exhibited throughout Australia in many solo and group shows,  worked in Mexico, been nominated for countless awards, been commissioned by private collectors, and collaborated with brands including interiors company Jardan, and clothing designers Sass and Bide and All That Rema

Some Sydney restaurants are “inspired by” eateries from other lands. Others, like Deux Freres, can transport you directly to somewhere on the other side of the world. This laneway pintxos bar plucks you right out of your Circular Quay surrounds and plonks you, magically, into one of the tiny bars that Spain’s Basque country is famous for. And right now there’s no place I’d rather be.  As I sit at the marble-top bar – tightly packed in between my dining companion and a stranger on the other side – I watch the staff behind the counter prepping bar snacks centred around cured meats, Spanish and French cheeses, and crusty bread. Pintxos comes from the Spanish verb “pinchar” meaning to poke/prick – because the snacks are generally served with a toothpick to hold them together.  It’s drinking food, and the drinks menu takes you on a journey from vermouth to Spanish and French wines to beer, as well as spirits. We order a carafe of Spanish red, a 2016 tempranillo that tastes the way I like it to taste – just the right balance of rich and mellow; highly drinkable in warm weather. We start with gildas. The tiny fish fillets skewered between two green olives, two little wedges of lemon, all doused in bright-yellow oil, deliver irresistible pops of salt that get my taste buds ready for all the treats to come. Behind the counter sit colourful plates filled with little slices of baguette, smothered with big dollops of creamy brie, a touch of honey, some walnuts, then topped with a slice o

What’s not to love about roti? That’s what the kooks (sorry, cooks) at this Ultimo café reckon, so the flaky, buttery flatbread takes centre stage on the menu. Here, roti isn’t just used as a side for Asian dishes – at breakfast it’s served with not-so-average smashed avo and eggs Benedict; at lunch you can get a roti BLT (or other) wrap – and at dinner we’d recommend going all out and having your roti served with their five-dish ‘Express Curry Banquet’ for $28. Five dishes not going to cut it? You can also take that up several notches with their 13-dish curry banquet – featuring curries inspired by a range of countries across Asia – for just $44 a head. That’s incredible value, we say, but if your budget won’t stretch that far, you can also dip in with their $4.50 hot chips (that’s basically kiosk prices).  The innovative roti-forward menu has been brought to life by Head Chef Victor Thapa (ex-Rockpool Group), working in conjunction with “Roti Master” Surish Rajandran, who grew up in Malaysia.  If you’re thirsty, they also offer up strong coffee and cocktails. And if you’re a pet owner, your four-legged friend can come along too. They're propped on Mountain Street, conveniently close to Broadway. And where does the name of the place come from? It’s a nod to the song ‘Kooks’ by David Bowie, which they say inspires its unique and quirky ethos. Love Malaysian food? Here's our guide to the best Malay food in Sydney. How about Indian? Check out this list of top spots. Or get your

The hugely popular Ramadan Nights market that brings thousands of people from across Sydney to Haldon Street and Railway Parade in Lakemba for Ramadan feasting is now over, but that doesn't mean the buzz on Haldon Street has stopped. The multicultural Sydney spot is the third Sydney precinct to have Purple Flag status, meaning it's been officially recognised as being a welcoming, safe, diverse, vibrant and accessible place to enjoy time after dark.  As part of the NSW Government and 24-Hour Commmission's many reforms to continue to put the life back in Sydney's nights, they launched the Purple Flag initiative, an internationally recognised accreditation program that awards certain areas as great places for everyone to enjoy nightlife. The CBD laneway precinct known as YCK (York, Clarance and Kent Streets) was the first area to achieve purple flag status, followed by Parramatta and then Lakemba. Lakemba of course has the Ramadan Nights market once a year, but Haldon Street is lined with many popular restaurants, sweets shops, sparkling lights, as well as buzzing little grocers that stay open until late. It's also easily accessible by public transport, thanks to its train station. Photograph: Supplied | Department of Enterprise, Investment and Trade Media and Corporate Affairs The Purple Flag recognition has been welcomed by local businesses keen to welcome revellers from all over the city (and beyond). Lakemba business owner Rasha Almaanawe from King of Sweets says their doo

The majority of us are feeling the pinch right now, so we put it to you, our audience, to share with us how you save money living in an expensive city like Sydney. We asked you over on our Instagram, and here are your answers... SHOPPING “If I’m going to shop at Woolies, I do a little shop there in the morning so I can get the free coffee when you spend over $30.” “I buy groceries in bulk. Whether that’s buying the bigger packets of things and paying less per unit at the normal supermarkets, or going to Costco. You can save a lot of money this way.” “Instead of buying furniture, we use Street Bounty. There are Street Bounty groups on Facebook – we're on the Inner West group, but there are SB Facebook Groups for areas across Sydney, where people post things they want to get rid of. We got a beautiful outdoor table and a bike for free.” “I don’t go to the supermarket in a rush – instead, I go when I have plenty of time, so I can hunt for reduced items. You can find some steals if you spend the time looking.” “I shop at Aldi, not Woolworths or Coles.”  “I look for the ‘Quick Sale’ Woolworths yellow stickers on things like barbecue chickens. If the chicken was cooked several hours before, they’ll mark it down to as little as $2.50 for a whole chicken, which lasts me for a few days’ meals.” “I take some time to compare prices of our regular purchases (e.g. SodaStream cylinders) instead of just buying them wherever I happen to see them.” “I use the ShopBack app. It’s actually a no-

Seeing smash-hit musical & Juliet at Sydney's Lyric Theatre is a joyous night out, and you can amp up the joy factor even further by tacking on a pre-show dinner with all the trimmings. The Porter House Hotel Sydney - MGallery is serving up a special specially-designed pre-theatre dinner menu at their gorgeous Dixson & Sons restaurant for those going to see & Juliet.  The Porter House’s building, which was crafted in 1876, started as a tobacco factory and then a furniture and leather factory. The restaurant, as well as parts of the hotel, have been well preserved, with original beams, brass fixtures and glass displays of archaeological treasures all speaking to the building’s rich history.  Start your night on a high with the & Juliet cocktail, which combines mint gin with hibiscus tea, rose syrup and edible flowers. Then you have the choice of two courses for $75 per head or three courses for $85.  Created by Executive Chef Steven Hartert, the pre-theatre menu features choices of entrées, mains and desserts. For entrée, you have a choice between dishes heroing burrata, beef tartare or crudo yellowfin tuna. For mains, pick between the snapper fillet with pea salad, almond cream and coastal herbs; the Cowra lamb rump with asparagus, bearnaise and sorrel; or Little Joe Angus beef skirt with broccoli and squid ink.  We’d recommend not skipping dessert – there’s a passionfruit bavarois and mango sorbet with coconut meringue; a peanut chocolate delice with chocolate mousse, salted

1. “This is bullshit.”2. “Maybe there won't be a line at The Caterpillar Club tonight."3. “Well, I guess I should cancel all my plans."4. “I wonder if it’s raining in Melbourne?” 5. “This is bullshit.” 6. “What's that warning? 'Don't drive through flood water'. Would this be considered flood water?"7. “Goodbye inside-out umbrella. You've served me faithfully these past 28 minutes."8. “Can I still wear these slides?”9. “Looks like I’m never going to be able to wear these slides again.”10. “Can I afford to just catch Ubers everywhere?”11. “Uh-oh, Ubers will be surging."12. “How am I going to pay for this flood damage?”13. “Ugh, rain means mould."14. “Who will bring me lunch?"15. “Maybe I should volunteer for the State Emergency Service.” 16. “This is bullshit.” Need to escape indoors? Here are the best things to do when it's raining in Sydney.

The Sydney Easter Show can be one of the most glorious days of your year: get your hit of oxytocin by patting cute baby animals, adrenaline on the rides and dopamine when you think you’ve nabbed the best-value showbag you can get your hands on. And it’s the only place you can shamelessly order up a chip on a stick as a starter, cheese on a stick for entrée, award-winning pie for main, hot cinnamon donut for dessert and home-made lemonade to wash it all down. On the flipside, the Easter Show can involve waiting in lines, spending big bucks on staying hydrated and dealing with dehydrated kids losing it while waiting in said lines. Luckily for you, Time Out Sydney Editor Alice Ellis hit up the 2024 Easter Show with her family to suss it all out and bring you a few insider hacks, to help make your day more dreamy than nightmare. Below are her top tips: Photograph: Alice Ellis for Time Out Sydney | Sydney Royal Easter Show agriculture displays 1. Download the Fun Pass app Seriously, we’re not about helping the Easter Show nab your data (we think they’ve already got that). We’re here to help you stay out of those lines for buying ride credits. Once upon a time, there was no way to avoid waiting for 37 minutes in a line to get your hands on a card that gave you access to a few rides. With the Fun Pass app, you can upload any amount of dollars onto the app and then you’re ready to tap your phone at each ride. The Fun Pass honestly amps up the fun factor by decreasing the wait facto

It’s official – Australia is officially home to the coolest street on the planet right now. Every year, Time Out releases our annual ranking of the Coolest Streets in the World. The list is chosen with the help of our global network of local experts and contributors, who each made a case for their city’s most happening street.  There are thousands of streets in Australia that make our country the best. However, some just rise above the rest for their exciting new ventures in food, drink, nightlife and culture, making them the coolest spots you’ll want to hang out this year. It’s no secret that Melbourne’s inner north is dominated by some pretty epic thoroughfares (both Smith Street and Gertrude Street have landed on this list in the past – in first and second place, no less), but in 2024, there’s another contender nipping at their heels. Enter High Street, which weaves through the ultra-trendy suburbs of Northcote, Thornbury and Preston, and steals the crown from Hollywood Road in Hong Kong, East Eleventh in Austin, Guatemala Street in Buenos Aires and Commercial Drive in Vancouver (which rounded out the top five, respectively).  So what makes High Street so damn cool? This is a strip that has cemented its gold medal status thanks to an abundance of offerings that appeal to both locals and visitors alike. Craving the best lasagne of your life? You need 1800 Lasagne on speed dial. Keen to take in sweeping views of suburbia at sunset with a Spritz in hand? Head to Gigi Rooftop,

A little street in Sydney’s Surry Hills, Foster Street, has just been named one of the 30 Coolest Streets in the World 2024 by Time Out. It managed to place 23rd in the whole world, beating cool streets in places including Seoul, Miami and Montreal. Along with neighbouring Campbell Street, it’s part of the inner city precinct known as the Hollywood Quarter. Speaking of Hollywood – the area recently attracted the world’s biggest star, Taylor Swift. The singer dined at our favourite Italian restaurant, Pellegrino 2000, where you can order delicious silky pasta that she would have learnt is worth risking the paparazzi for.  Despite the dazzling name, the quarter brings low-key cool vibes, and is bordered on the eastern side by Surry Hills and Darlinghurst, and on the western side by Central and Thaitown. For a little street, Foster Street certainly packs big punch – along with Pellegrino 2000, it’s also home to some of our other favourite venues. And what’s even cooler is that the area’s venues work as a team to coordinate initiatives such as sustainable waste disposal. Here’s a mini tour of the place: EAT At long-time Surry Hills fave, Nomad, which serves up food from the heart in a industrial-chic-cum-Nordic fit-out. Or, for a cheap weekday lunch, join the queue at Malibu (for a sandwich as big as your head). Just around the corner you’ll find some other popular spots, including fried-chook-and-Champagne diner Butter, and the ultra-cool Paramount Building, which is home to Par

Time Out Sydney has a diverse audience – but two gripes often unite everyone. Based on comments from our readers, the common issues a big portion of us face living in this part of the world are: unaffordable housing and a lack of thriving nightlife after the sad hour of about 9pm. Hear hear? A recent Productivity Commission report found Sydney is at risk of becoming a city without grandchildren, with working-aged people moving away to places with more affordable housing. The study found that between 2016 and 2021, Sydney lost twice as many people aged 30 to 40 as it gained: with 35,000 settling here and 70,000 leaving. That’s thousands of people who’d be starting and raising families in Sydney, filling jobs, starting businesses, employing people, contributing to communities and paying taxes. Homelessness NSW has also reported big spikes in the number of people sleeping rough, all across Sydney. And while we at Time Out know Sydney's nightlife is moving in the right direction (thanks to new 4am licenses being granted and a number of game-changing reforms), this town's hospitality industry has a long way to climb before it can fully recover from the effects of noise complaints, the pandemic and those dreaded lockout laws. (And then there's the little issue of people need affordable housing if they want enough money to spend on going out at night!) So… where to from here? Time Out Sydney Editor Alice Ellis sat down with the NSW Premier, Chris Minns, to ask what’s being done to

Virgin magnate Sir Richard Branson has never been a fan of cruising. For him (like a lot of us), it conjured images of dodgy buffet dinners, pools overrun with other people's kids and tired entertainment – basically a floating RSL. So he decided to transform cruising, offer something new and edgy – his Virgin Voyages adults-only cruises.  Since launching in 2021, the company has bagged a bevvy of awards and smashed industry records. Four years on, and his ship Resilient Lady (Cruise Critic’s best new cruise ship of the year for 2023) has sailed Down Under for the first time. Cruises are now departing from Sydney and Melbourne, taking passengers to Tasmania and New Zealand, as well as up and down Australia's east cost.  What’s really so different about Virgin Voyages? We hopped aboard Resilient Lady, and also spoke to Mr Branson himself.  “We got this big sheet of white paper and a whole lot of people who’ve been on cruise ships, he said. "They listed all the things they’ve hated about cruising – there was a lot. And then we created a column and listed all the things that could put that right.” Here’s what they did: They created a non-naff ship and program of activities. “It’s similar to the best private superyacht anywhere in the world, but it’s affordable,” says Branson. “So anyone can feel like they’re on their own private superyacht – or a boutique hotel on the ocean.” As mentioned, it’s adults-only. No Disney vibes here. Everything is tailored to adults, and the pools ar

When cruisers and non-cruisers alike heard that Virgin Voyages were heading Down Under, their interest piqued – at last, an adults-only cruise that looked fresh and exciting. We checked out the Resilient Lady ship and can confirm, it lived up to the hype. But now, it seems like we may not have the chance to fulfil our idyllic cruise dreams, with the company suddenly axing all of its cruises that were set to depart from Sydney and Melbourne.  The cruise line has announced it will be cancelling almost all of its upcoming voyages for the 2024 to 2025 season. A statement from the company cited safety concerns regarding "potential escalations in the Red Sea over the next 12 months". Attacks by Yemen's Houthi militants on ships in the Red Sea are disrupting maritime trade through the Suez Canal, a vital route up past Africa and the Middle East into the Mediterranean. The militants say they will continue to control the area until attacks on Gaza stop. The blockage of this route makes it impossible to cut through that passage to Europe – the Virgin Voyages ships would need to take a long re-route around the whole west coast of Africa in order to get back to Europe. Photograph: Supplied | Virgin Voyages The cruise company had a short-lived run in Australia, after the maiden voyage from our shores kicked off in December 2023. The brand-new cruises mainly departed from Melbourne, with some also leaving from Sydney.  "This significant and ongoing conflict puts unacceptable risks for

Taylor Swift is in Sydney. She arrived during Monday's huge thunder storm that caused havoc around Sydney – and ever since, she's been causing a Taylor storm, stepping out at restaurants and the zoo – and yesterday, just a day before her first Sydney show, she's released MORE additional tickets.  It looks like those of us who have tickets are in for a real treat when she hits the stage at Accor Stadium in Sydney Olympic Park for four nights this week, from Friday, February 23 to Monday, February 26. Time Out Melbourne Editor Leah Glynn was at one of her Melbourne shows, and says, "Believe the hype, folks. Taylor Swift's Eras Tour is everything you are hoping it to be: magical, emotional, spectacular, transformative. It's three-and-a-half hours of pure musical joy, best enjoyed with 96,000 of your closest friends (the stadium atmosphere at the MCG was unlike anything I've ever experienced before). I laughed, I cried, I sang and danced my little heart out – and I'd do it all again if anyone has a spare ticket. All hail, Queen Taylor."  If you were lucky enough to nab a ticket, here's everything you need to know about her Sydney shows...  When is Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in Sydney? Tay Tay will take to the stage at Accor Stadium (after hitting Melbourne up for three shows) for her first Sydney Eras Tour concert on Friday, February 23. She will also perform on Saturday 24, Sunday 25 and Monday 26 before heading to Singapore to sing her heart out for a whole SIX shows. (Here’s whe

Get out your blue scarfs – the NRL has announced that tickets for Australia’s biggest sporting rivalry, the Ampol State of Origin (both the men’s and women’s games) are now on sale. Origin is set for its biggest ever year, with the first ever three-game (instead of two-game) women’s Origin series running alongside the men’s. (Exciting news for this women's sports fan – in fact, I was there at the first-ever Women's State of Origin game, a single match rather than a series, at North Sydney Oval back in 2018.) Plus, Newcastle will get its first ever Origin game – game two of the women’s is going down at McDonald Jones Stadium on Thursday, June 6. It’s also an exciting new chapter for the men’s team – make sure to get in on the action for game one on Wednesday, June 5 at Sydney’s Accor Stadium, which will be the first game with new Blues coach Michael Maguire in charge. Can he lead NSW to victory over Queensland? If you’re looking for something a little lower key (and affordable) to get around, head to the men’s and women’s Under-19s State of Origin matches, which will both return to Leichhardt Oval on Thursday, June 20. Being a smaller, more intimate ground, it’s always a bit of fun over there in Leichhardt! What are the dates for State of Origin 2024 games? The women’s State of Origin series is played on Thursday nights – on May 16, and June 6 and 27.  The men’s State of Origin series is on Wednesday nights – on June 5 and 26, and July 17.  Where are the State of Origin games