Avril Treasure

Whether you’re a Sydneysider planning a special-occasion staycation, or a visitor mapping out your first trip to the Emerald City, finding the right hotel in Sydney is a very important task. If you’re looking to book a stay that’s extra indulgent – willing to splash the cash on a high-end experience – choosing the right spot is even more crucial. Luckily for you, we’ve got a team of hotel aficionados who are committed to trying and testing the very best luxury stays in the city, and deciding which ones are worth your hard-earned cash (it’s a tough job, but somebody’s got to do it). Our expert team includes connoisseur of fine things Time Out Sydney Editor Avril Treasure and Sydney-based travel whizz Melissa Woodley (Time Out Australia’s News and Travel Editor). Each hotel has been checked for its luxe credentials by Time Out Sydney's Travel and News Editor (and self-confessed hotel obsessive) Winnie Stubbs. From a celeb-approved harbourside palace (Park Hyatt Sydney) to a stunning beachside stay with a rooftop magnesium pool (Elysium Manly), these are the best luxury hotels in Sydney for a super-special stay. Editor's quick picks: Best for beach lovers: Elysium Manly Best for harbour views: Park Hyatt Sydney  Best for indulgent spa breaks: Capella Sydney Best dog-friendly luxury stay: Pier One Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, food & drink inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox. RECOMMENDED:Want more options? Here's

Looking for weekend fun? You've come to the right place. AFL fan? Me too. Cheer on your fave team during Saturday's Grand Final at one of Sydney's best bars or pubs. I'm heading to Melbourne for it (and I am SO keen to see Kylie!!). C’mon Freo! If you do one thing this weekend, book tickets to go and see Nun Slut at Sydney Fringe Festival. It was silly and absurd, and I had tears from laughing so much. I’m giving it five stars – and it’s on until October 11. Warning: leave the pearl clutchers at home. From wattleseed to finger lime, try Indigenous ingredients at the Australian Native Food Festival at Carriageworks this weekend. Curated by Sharon Winsor, a proud Weilwan woman from north-west NSW and founder of Indigiearth, this free festival celebrates Indigenous culture while shining a spotlight on the oldest cuisine on earth. Darling Square’s annual Moon Festival is back from now to October 4, celebrating the East Asian tradition of the autumn full moon with free family-friendly activities, special events and limited-time offers across the precinct. Find out more here. Some of the world’s most extraordinary nature photography is on display in Sydney, from a sawfish and sea turtle encounter to dramatic wildlife and otherworldly landscapes. The 2026 Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year exhibition showcases the best images from more than 2,000 entries from around the world – it's on now at the Australian Museum, and it's free. Feel like seeing a show? Chec

Spring has sprung – and, somehow, so have the school holidays. Again. (Seriously, where has 2026 gone?) If you haven’t lined up anything to keep the kids entertained and out of your hair, fear not. We’ve rounded up plenty of things to do across Sydney, from big-ticket shows to fun, free activities the entire family will enjoy. With Daylight Saving Time about to kick in, there’s plenty to do around our Harbour City. Make the most of those longer days with a picnic to see the spring blossoms and jacarandas in bloom, a day spent at any of our beautiful beaches (hello, fish and chips followed by a dripping icy pole), or a visit to the all-new Wild Things Kids’ Festival at the Sydney Opera House, with loads of free events. So, slip-slop-slap on that sunscreen – and your sense of adventure. Let the school holidays begin. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, food & drink inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox. Looking for somewhere affordable to eat out with the kids? Check out our guide to the best cheap eats in Sydney. Or try any of these activities that are absolutely free to do.

Australia takes its baked goods very seriously. Between our sourdough-centred meals, we all need a little sweet treat (trust me, you deserve one). Luckily, Australia's best bakeries are giving Parisian pâtissiers a run for their money, creating their own takes on classic baked goods that taste as good as they look. You’ve undoubtedly heard of the big players (hello, Lune Croissanterie), but there are plenty of neighbourhood gems to spend your hard-earned dough. While we wish we could shower love on every flaky croissant, pie and sausage roll, our expert food writers, including bakery addict Melissa Woodley, have narrowed it down to a handful of the best bakeries in Australia right now. NB: There are so many incredible bakeries scattered across the country, but this list focuses on highly-rated spots in Australia's major cities. We'll leave the hidden gems and regional favourites for you to discover for yourself. JUMP TO:Sydney | Melbourne | Brisbane | Canberra | Hobart | Adelaide | Perth

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 writers, including Editor Avril Treasure, have curated this list for every palate, at every price point. Bottoms up. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, food & drink inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox. Can't get enough of that boozy stuff? Check out the absolute best bars in Sydney here.

Sydneysiders are café people. We're constantly on the hunt for the city's best coffee and we love nothing more than donning our finest sport-luxe activewear and catching up with mates on a weekend morning over eggs, fritters and crusty artisan sourdough. So, whether it's a reward for tackling one of Sydney's most beautiful walks, an indulgent hangover fix after a night at one of the city's best bars, or a workday coffee stop, these are the best Sydney cafés, according to our in-the-know Time Out Sydney writers, including Editor Avril Treasure. We'll have one B&E roll, please.  Editor's picks: 🍳 Best for scrambled eggs: Piña 💚 Best for matcha: Parami 💥 Best for trying a new café: Adelaide’s Kitchen 🥞 Best for pancakes: Happyfield ☕️ Best for on-point coffee: Primary Coffee Roasters 🐶 Best for breakfast with your dog: Havenstone Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, food & drink inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox. Is it lunch time? Check out our guide to Sydney's best restaurants right now.

Hello! Welcome to your weekly wrap of what’s on. I am loving the springtime weather! Hope you are, too. I went to Barangaroo’s Vietnamese eatery Annamese a few months back with my mum and thought it was really delicious. And this Tuesday, the team is giving away Vietnamese coffee and rice paper rolls. They’re open from 11am, and it’s for the first 300 customers. Get rollin’. Some of the world’s most extraordinary nature photography is on display in Sydney, from a sawfish and sea turtle encounter to dramatic wildlife and otherworldly landscapes. The 2026 Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year exhibition showcases the best images from more than 2,000 entries from around the world – it's on now at the Australian Museum, and it's free. Keen to see a show? House of Cards meets Veep in STC's Housework – a satirical comedy about the complex realities in Australian politics. Looking for more? Check out the best shows on in Sydney this month here. Sydney Fringe Festival has officially kicked off! There will be hundreds of fun, wild and affordable shows to see this month in Sydney. Come support the arts – and have a cracking night out at the same time. Here are our top picks – but there's plenty more happening. Free Monday night? Head to Newtown's Bar Planet and lap up $13 Martinis all night long. And you can suss out other Sydney happy hours here, too. If you'd like to learn more about Chinese mythology, head to Chippendale's White Rabbit Gallery and see its new exh

Here's our list of Time Out's best restaurants in Sydney right now, from hot newcomers to time-honoured institutions, curated by our expert, on-the-ground editors and food writers who eat and drink their way around Sydney, including Time Out Sydney's Editor, Avril Treasure. How did we narrow it down to the very best? When deciding, we considered fun, flavour, creativity, value for money – and 'wow' factor. So yes, of course, you’ll find a fine diner inside the Sydney Opera House here, but you’ll also find neighbourhood pasta, hole-in-the-wall Thai and venues right by the sea. Happy dining, Sydney. Editor's favourite restaurants in Sydney: 💥 Best for something new and hot: Ashe 🥂 Best for a special occasion: Saint Peter 👠 Best for a vibey date night: Bar Copains ☀️ Best for a long Sunday lunch: Sean's 🍝 Best for an Italian feast: Fratelli Paradiso 🫒 Best for a friends' catch-up: Olympus Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, food & drink inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox. RECOMMENDED READs: Still hungry? Check out our guide to the best cheap eats in Sydney. Want more? These are Sydney's best new restaurants and bars.

Choosing the best hotel to book in Sydney is a delicate art – whether you’re a visitor experiencing the Emerald City for the very first time or a local on a wintery weekend staycation. With so many options to choose between – from beachside boltholes (like the boutique hotel overlooking Watsons Bay) to a trendy converted brewery with a rooftop pool – it can be tricky to decide which hotel is right for you. At Time Out Sydney, we’ve dedicated a good few years to making that task a little easier – picking out the very best hotels in the city based on location, design creds, facilities and that undefinable something that can take a hotel from good to great. Whether you’re looking for a celeb-approved escape with uninterrupted views of the Opera House, a boutique guethouse by the beach, or an old-school luxury palace that will have you feeling like a princess, our team of writers (including Editor-in-Chief Alice Ellis and Sydney Editor Avril Treasure) have tried and tested the best hotels in Sydney. To confirm that they should make the cut, this list has been carefully edited by self-confessed hotel addict Winnie Stubbs, Travel and News Editor APAC for Time Out. Read on for our definitive guide to the best hotels in Sydney. 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: These are the best glamping sites in NSW. These are the best camping sites near Sydney. And these are the be

We're all about a secret underground dive bar or two – but in a city as beautiful as Sydney, it seems like a damn shame to retreat into the depths for every tipple. From a sundowner by the harbour to a sunny rooftop in the Inner West, our town is awash with sky-high watering holes. So we've rounded up the best spots in the city to sip a cold one under a gorgeous open sky. But drinkers beware: Sydney's rooftop bars play host to some of the most contested seats in the city, so get in early for a spot in the sun.  Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, food & drink inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox. For more al fresco drinking try one of Sydney's best beer gardens. Looking for another top-notch watering hole? Check out the best bars in Sydney.

For devotees of genuine Mexican fare, it's a great relief that Sydney is no longer only served by the tacky Tex-Mex, stand-and-stuff, burrito-centric eateries that were once the sole expression of the cuisine readily available here. There's now an exciting new wave of Mexican diners sweeping Sydney, with nary a pinata, sombrero or lucha libre mask in sight. We're not saying there isn't a time and a place for a bowl of liquid queso and a dorito or two – there really is – but with a culture and cuisine that spans thousands of years and dozens of regions, it's a crime to assume that Old El Paso and a cartoonishly large frozen Margarita is anything close to 'authentic'. Prime your palate for the true flavours of Mexico with our guide to the best Mexican eateries in Sydney, curated by Time Out Sydney's local food writers, including Editor and Mexico-lover, Avril Treasure. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, food & drink inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox. RECOMMENDED READS: Keen to get around some killer spots for an arvo tequila or two? Check out Sydney's best rooftop bars Love spice? Check out our guide to Sydney's hottest Thai restaurants Thirsty? Have a look at the best bars in Sydney right now

Spring update: Sydney sure is fun in springtime. Locals shed their jackets, plan weekend picnics filled with soft cheese and chilled natural wine, and return to rooftop bars in need of Vitamin D and fruity cocktails. Whether you’re catching up with a friend, planning a date, or looking for a spot to celebrate, Sydney’s best bars are where it’s at. These spots offer great drinks, warm hospitality and good vibes. From exciting newcomers to long-time favourites, this guide is curated by our local editors and writers, including Time Out Sydney's Editor Avril Treasure. Grab your sunnies, Sydney – it’s bar season. Editor’s picks: 🍸 Best for Martinis: Bar Planet 🤫 Best for speakeasy vibes: The Cumberland ☀️ Best for views: Opera Bar 🍷 Best for vibey wine and snacks: Famelia 🥃 Best for whisky lovers: Banchō Bar 😎 Best for friend's catch-up: Old Mate's Place Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, food & drink inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox. Our list of the best pubs in Sydney Check out our best restaurants here

✍️ Time Out Sydney never writes starred restaurant and bar reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills, and anonymously reviews, so that readers can trust our critique. Find out more, here.  Kingfish has been getting a bad rap for some time. Similar to burrata and steak frites, its mainstream popularity and presence on so many Sydney menus have led to it becoming a safe, boring option. The kingfish dish ($28) at Piqu is here to say otherwise. Served larb-style, the raw fish comes chopped up alongside grilled zucchini, fragrant lime leaf and coriander, bolstered by a palm sugar-sweet, tangy and sharp nam jim, topped with praline peanuts for a caramelised nutty note. On the side are perfectly crisp lettuce leaves to scoop up the fish like a san choy bow. It’s fresh, crunchy and full of flavour – everything I love about Southeast Asian food. “I feel like I’m on holiday,” my date says to me. I do too. The vibe Piqu – a play on the word ‘piquant’, meaning spicy, interesting, sharp – opened on Newtown’s King Street in April. It comes from chefs Jihwan Choi (ex-Momofuku Seiobo, Callao) and Nicola D’Angela (ex-Osteria di Russo & Russo, Callao), who met working in the kitchens and connected over their shared love of bold Southeast Asian cuisine. Piqu is their first restaurant together. Inside is modest and casual, in line with an independent operator fit-out, and not one of Sydney’s shiny, mega hospo groups. The 35-seat dining room features dark wooden

Fancy diving into a giant pit filled with 110,000 balls? The Toyota Baaalllllll Pit has taken over Yarra Park outside the MCG for the AFL Footy Festival this Grand Final week – and there are serious prizes up for grabs. You’ll have just 20 seconds to dive in and hunt for specially marked winning balls, with prizes including $100 AFL Store vouchers, signed AFL merch and – the one that everyone wants – double passes to the 2026 Toyota AFL Grand Final. Everyone who takes part also gets a Toyota Legendary bucket hat (sun safety is chic).  And don’t stress about the time – prizes will be added throughout the day, meaning you have the chance to score something ace, even if you couldn’t call in sick. The free AFL Footy Festival is on now and runs until Saturday, September 26, with plenty more footy-themed fun, including Toyota Tundra and HiLux displays, special appearances from footy stars and comedian Leigh Qurban on the mic. Head to Yarra Park in East Melbourne to get involved. The festival is free and open to all ages. Did I mention Kylie is performing at the GF on Saturday? I can’t get her outta my head. WHEN: Thursday, Sept 24: Until 5pm Friday, Sept 25: 9am to 5pm Saturday, Sept 26: 9am to 2pm Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Melbourne newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox. The best things to do in Melbourne this weekend The fun doesn't stop on Monday! These are the best things to do in Melbourne this week.

Matt Moran’s Chiswick opened back in June 2012, meaning Sydneysiders have been enjoying party-starting Spritzes and caramelised, slow-roasted lamb shoulders in a sun-splashed dining room for 14 years. I have been one of them. The Woollahra restaurant is special to me. I celebrated my 18th birthday here with my family, including my beautiful late grandfather. We took snaps on the pretty, well-manicured lawn. Dug into a golden, free-range chook, garlicky spuds and leafy greens. And the pastry team created a showstopping bombe Alaska for my cake. Over the years I've had many enjoyable meals here, many of which featured veggies and herbs plucked from the pretty kitchen garden (and I've interviewed Pete the Gardener for a story, too). A recent Sunday visit was just as special. On our way in, we passed a sun-dappled courtyard with terracotta pots bursting with springtime colours – bubblegum pink, tangerine orange, lilac – under twisted vines and festoon lights. It looked like something out of a fairytale. Inside was lively and filled with lunch crowds and celebrations. Our waitress Fleur told us she had been working at Chiswick for 11 years as she talked us through the menu. We kicked things off with a Chiswick staple: barra-masalata with sweet potato crisps ($16). It was creamy, briny and salty, a riff on taramasalata, and a dish that was created by a magic accident many years back when the chefs were thinking of creative ways to cut down on food waste. Zucchini flowers came stuff

Put down your crystals and cottage cheese and head over to South Eveleigh this September – and get around the month-long program of free and affordable events designed to help you move, reset and feel your best. Now back for its third year, Live Well runs from now until September 28, with everything wellbeing – think free run clubs and pickleball, body composition scans, mindfulness experiences and creative workshops. This year, Sunrise clinical nutritionist Sarah Di Lorenzo is joining as the Live Well ambassador, hosting three free talks and Q&A sessions throughout the month covering nutrition, health and workplace wellbeing. She’ll also be signing copies of her book at one of the sessions. Elsewhere, you can get your sweat on with South Eveleigh’s weekly 5km run club, have your aura photographed (yes, really) or get a gang together for a few games of pickleball. There are also free body composition scans, and a series of Thursday night Plants & Pours workshops, including bonsai, botanical incense making, terrarium building and kokedama creation. Throughout the month, there’ll also be free pop-ups and fun including crystal finding, pet photography, archery, Aboriginal Elder Walangari Karntawarra’s sand painting session and a bike tune-up. Michael Carabetta, portfolio manager at South Eveleigh, says: “Spring is the perfect time to reset and invest in your own wellbeing. Live Well is about giving our community easy ways to move, connect and look after themselves, right in the

I’m sitting down at a table of six guests – one of whom is my partner, and the other four are people we’ve just met. A Christmas tree twinkles in the background while stockings hang by the fireplace, and outside, snow blankets the mountain. We’re just about to dig into our mains: a delicious plate of juicy roast pork belly with well-seasoned crackling, resting on silky-smooth polenta with a glossy, savoury jus and root vegetables. My new friend says to me: “I don’t want to tell anyone about this place, I love it so much.” He’s a returning guest with his three daughters and wife, one of many families who come back each year and who, after falling in love with Barrakee, don’t look back. Gulp. Here’s hoping he doesn’t ask what I do for a living. What is Barrakee Ski Lodge like? Barrakee Ski Lodge is a family-run, family-friendly accommodation in NSW’s Perisher Valley. It’s located at North Perisher T-Bar, with the nearby Interceptor Quad – meaning it’s a ski-in, ski-out location. After brekkie, you can hop (or, more accurately, battle to get) into your boots and explore the largest snowfield and ski resort in the Southern Hemisphere. When I visited later in the season, there wasn’t enough snow to ski into Perisher, so the team also offered daily complimentary shuttles to and from the slopes in the snowcat. It’s less than a 10-minute drive. There were many things I loved about Barrakee, including the warm, personable hospitality led by Kylie and the team. But it was the delicious

Heading north this spring and summer? Be sure to drop in to Terrigal on NSW’s Central Coast. For a splash and swim – but also to spend a few hours at Meribella, Crowne Plaza Terrigal Pacific’s oceanfront restaurant which features arguably the best sea views in town, served with a side of old-world glamour. Housed in an impressive light-filled glass conservatory, the modern Australian restaurant laps up the grid-worthy views thanks to its grand arched windows. Smart, earthy-toned furniture, Art Deco-style lights and pops of greenery complete the space. It recently welcomed former Muse head Mitchell Beswick as culinary director. Mitchell, who also spent time working in the kitchens of Longrain, Qualia and Pooles Rock, will be working with local producers, fishers and farmers on the menu. Like Dylan Abdoo from Newcastle Greens, who supplies heirloom vegetables and fruit, including purple daikon and native sunrose; Musset Holdings from the Southern Highlands, who grows incredible mushrooms; Newcastle’s Baked Uprising Bakery; and local Nelson Bay fisherman Nathan Crocker, who catches the fresh bonito, kingfish and snapper. Mitchell Beswick said, “When I first walked into Meribella and looked out at that coastline, it felt like the right moment and the right room for this next chapter of my career. There’s a strong team and loyal guests who care deeply about the restaurant. I’m genuinely excited for people to come and experience what we’re creating together.” Menu highlights includ

The last time I visited Potato Head, it was back in 2012 and I was on my end-of-high-school holiday (blowout) with my girlfriends, knocking back Lychee Martinis at golden hour, doing bombs in the pool, and having the time of my life. Fast forward to 2026, and a few things have changed. For starters, I’m sipping on a happy hour Mango Mojito by the pool reserved exclusively for hotel guests. Instead of hitting Kuta’s clubs, this afternoon I’m booked into a sustainability tour of the hotel, followed by a massage at the spa. The one thing that’s the same? I don’t want to leave. What is Desa Potato Head Bali like? If you’re looking for a Bali hotel where you can spend your days lapping up the OOO perks – enjoying breakfast by the ocean, reading on the sunbeds, swimming in the ocean-facing infinity pools, doing rooftop yoga and meditation at sunrise, and making the most of happy hour cocktails – then Desa Potato Head is a great option. Part hotel, part beach club, part creative village, Desa Potato Head Bali, created by Jakarta-born, Singapore-based entrepreneur Ronald Akili, combines award-winning design with first-class sustainability – with good times at its core. There are two accommodation buildings: OMA House, designed by Rem Koolhaas’s OMA, and AM House, designed by Indonesian architect Andra Matin. AM House is made from 1.8 million hand-pressed terracotta bricks, with lush, open-plan suites, while OMA House features 168 rooms ranging from thoughtfully designed studios to oc

✍️ Time Out Sydney never writes starred restaurant and bar reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills, and anonymously reviews, so that readers can trust our critique. Find out more, here.  If you’re wondering where everyone is in Newcastle on a Saturday night, they’re at Bistro Penny. The little restaurant at 8-10 Bolton Street opened in late 2024 by New Zealand-born chef Joel Humphreys, who worked at St. John in London, Sydney’s Rockpool and Bistro Moncur, before leading the kitchen at local favourite Scotties for four years. Here at Bistro Penny, it’s all about French flavours anchored by an open-flame kitchen. One of the chefs walks over to a stack of logs by the door, picks one up and feeds it to the fire. That familiar, comforting smell of smoke and char hits you as soon as you step inside. The vibe The charming building was once a bank, and more recently, the award-winning now-closed Restaurant II. Out front, small tables and white tablecloths channel a Parisian bistro. Inside, the fit-out is impressive, thanks to Sydney designer Bianca Isgro, the talent behind the schmick looks of The Bob Hawke Beer & Leisure Centre and The Dry Dock Hotel. Original exposed brick, timber beams and flooring remain throughout (fun fact: the beams are made from the same steel used for the Sydney Harbour Bridge!). A wrap-around terrazzo bar sits at the front, alongside oak tables, brown leather banquettes, and walls that look like they're brushed with whippe

✍️ Time Out Sydney never writes starred restaurant and bar reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills, and anonymously reviews, so that readers can trust our critique. Find out more, here.  By the time you visit South on Albany (and I really hope that after reading this you do), the menu will be different. You know how some restaurants throw around the term “seasonal menu” like it’s a box they need to tick? Well, this charming little cottage-style spot just off Berry’s main drag changes its offering every two or so weeks, depending on what’s growing and what chef and co-owner John Evans (ex-Est, The Northbridge Bistro, 3 Weeds) wants to cook. Had the best dish of your life here? It’ll live on in your memories. What you can count on, however, is a warm and welcoming experience led by co-owner Sonia Greig, fresh, flavoursome dishes and an all-round delightful time – one that may tempt you to say to hell with it, order another chilled white and stay an extra night (I can think of worse places to spend your time). The vibe The couple opened South on Albany in late July 2013, with this year marking their 13th anniversary. That’s no small feat for a restaurant operating in a small town popular with doughnut-lovers and bakery-hoppers on weekends, but which slows mid-week and throughout the cooler months. The dining room is light-filled and intimate, with tasteful furnishings, hanging pendant lights and local natives dotted around. Sonia greets each gu

Winter 2026 update:  Surry Hills fine diner Arthur by hospo couple Tristan Rosier and Rebecca Fanning is back after a big reno. Two things have stayed the same: the name, for starters, and the fact that the restaurant – which is a sibling to Jane down the road and Italian restaurant Fior in Gymea – will continue to serve a 100 per cent Australian menu across food and drinks. The set-menu-only format is out, and guests can now order from an à la carte menu, making the restaurant a touch more accessible. My favourite dishes? Fried potato hash topped with sea urchin and chives; mussels with an earthy curry sauce; potato scroll with smoked seaweed butter; and the wattleseed custard tart. The team has also introduced Australiano Hour, just like at Jane. Available from 5-6pm Tuesday-Sunday, it features $3 fresh Australian prawns served cold and peeled, plus snacks under $10, $10 wines, $7 beers and a line-up of dishes from the main menu with reduced prices. If it’s been a while between visits, come say hi to Arthur. Make a booking here. Read on for our write-up from 2024. ***** Since 2018, chef Tristan Rosier has been quietly trying to define what Australian cuisine actually is. He’s been doing this at his Bourke Street restaurant, Arthur, which he co-owns with his partner, Rebecca Fanning (the duo are also behind the charming-as-hell Jane and The Shire’s cheery Italian diner, Fior). His finesse and skills – some of which were honed working alongside Peter Doyle at the award-winnin

Winter 2026 update: If it’s been a little while since you’ve been to Kiln, the rooftop restaurant atop the forever-cool Ace Hotel Sydney, we’ve got a top reason to come back. Isobel Whelan-Little, the former head chef of LP’s Quality Meats, is the new culinary director – and she’s steering things in a delicious new direction. Her new menu includes things like the bun mi – a fun riff on a banh mi – featuring soft buns stuffed with LP’s mortadella, fragrant herbs and pate. Plus, there are steamed pippies with sambal butter and seablite; succulent, dry-aged duck with a glossy rhubarb glaze and pickled condiments; golden potato fingers swiped through a rich, silky miso-cured egg; and almond nougat parfait with a burnt honey caramel. Izzy is the first female chef to lead the kitchen at the Surry Hills hotspot, following in the footsteps of Beau Clugston, former Noma chef and owner of Iluka in Copenhagen, Denmark, and Kiln founding chef Mitch Orr. “Most chefs would say their kitchen is produce-driven, but it’s truly what this menu is about. It’s collaborative with experts in their trade like Gold Street Dairy, Living Earth Farms, LP’s Quality Meats, and the team in the kitchen with me,” says Isobel. “There’s a seasonality I learnt at Brat in London, a use of flavour I learnt at LP’s Quality Meats and a technique that’s always evolving. I want the menu to be really nimble, to be reactive to what our producers bring in that week. “The harissa paste ended up on the menu as we wanted t

Winter 2026 update: Grilled bread topped with whipped cod roe, plump, sweet tomatoes and white anchovies. Creamy stracciatella with persimmon, smoked almonds and nasturtium. Mafaldine with a lush, milk-braised pork ragu with sage and pecorino. Sounds like something you’d like to snack on after work with a chilled red? Me too. These are a few of the new plates on the line-up at New York-inspired bar and restaurant Arms Length in Potts Point. That’s because former The Waratah and Three Blue Ducks chef Dipti Karnad is now leading the kitchen of the Kellet Street spot. “The wine bar concept is exactly what I’ve always wanted to do,” Dipti says. “There’s both that community feel and a focus on creating technical dishes that showcase beautiful Australian produce, but it isn’t restricted to fine dining. “The variety of the different spaces – from the front room and bar to the outdoor terrace and booths – means you can sit for hours over a few bottles of wine and share plates and just enjoy the vibe,” she adds. Arms Length first opened in Redfern in 2021 by sisters and hospo pros Rebecca O’Shea, Rosie O’Shea, Danielle Sue and her husband, former Ormeggio at The Spit chef Jeff Sue, before moving to Potts Point in 2024. “We like to describe it as elevated comfort food, but Arms Length is also the type of place where you’re welcome to come just for drinks, like you’d do in downtown New York,” says Jeff. As well as Australian wines, the drinks menu features a dedicated Martini menu, with

Barangaroo has welcomed a new family-owned Middle Eastern restaurant and bar called Zanobia, named after the third-century warrior queen of the Palmyrene Empire in Syria. Located on Level 1 of One International Towers Sydney, the spacious, light-filled restaurant has taken over the former Nola site. It’s from founder Jorge Ballas and his wife Jo-Anne – who are also behind Zenobia in Leichhardt and North Strathfield, as well as Beirut Street Food. Photograph: Avril Treasure for Time Out SydneyBaba ghanoush at Zanobiba “I’ve wanted to open a version of Zanobia in the city for many years,” says Ballas, who spent his childhood in Iraq, Dubai, Syria and Lebanon. “We loved the Leichhardt community so much, but we saw a huge opportunity in the CBD dining scene for a Middle Eastern restaurant. Our food is all about community and shared experience, and we want Zanobia to be a celebration of that.” Photograph: Onecut StudiosInside Zanobiba Come for hot and cold mezze, vibrant salads, charcoal-grilled meats and generous plates designed to be shared around the table. Expect Middle Eastern favourites including pan-fried halloumi with raisins, pine nuts and spiced honey ($29); kibbeh nayeh with minced lamb, crushed burghul, herbs, olive oil, toum and fresh vegetables ($35); and vine leaves stuffed with rice, parsley, tomato and onion ($23). Photograph: Avril Treasure for Time Out SydneyFattoush at Zanobiba Other menu highlights include warm, puffy Arabic bread ($8), dipped into smoky

Update Thursday, September 24: Yesterday marked Australia’s spring equinox, when our days become longer than our nights. The astronomical shift happened at exactly 10.05am as the sun crossed directly over the Earth’s equator. The days will continue getting longer until the summer solstice in late December. And if you’re already craving those longer evenings, daylight saving is just around the corner, kicking off in NSW on Sunday, October 4. Along with backyard barbies, long days at the beach and Weis Bars, one of the real joys of summer* (*or "almost summer") is the return of daylight saving. (And yes, technically it’s daylight saving, but for some reason most of us seem to add an 's'.) The great news is that those longer, light-filled evenings are almost here – and there’s a very good chance your phone will change its clock without you having to lift a finger. Here’s a handy explainer covering what you need to know about daylight saving starting in NSW in 2026, and what it means for your precious sleep schedule. When does daylight saving start in NSW? Daylight saving begins every year on the first Sunday in October at 2am local time. This year, that date falls on Sunday, October 4, 2026. At 2am, clocks will jump forward one hour to 3am, meaning we lose an hour overnight but gain more daylight in the evening. So, from Sunday onwards, you can look forward to longer afternoons and those glorious post-work hours when it’s still light enough to squeeze in a beach walk, sunset dri

Is there anything better than chucking your OOO on and heading off on a summertime adventure? Here’s where you should add to the top of your list (before the rest of the world flocks to it à la seagulls and hot chips). The Tweed in Northern NSW has been named one of Lonely Planet’s Top Destinations for 2027, making it the only Australian spot among the guide’s 25 Top Destinations. RELATED READ: NSW’s 8 most enchanting small towns revealed – bookmark for your next road trip Now in its 17th year, the Best in Travel guide spotlights 50 must-visit destinations and experiences for 2027, with 25 destinations and 25 experiences making the cut. Photograph: Luke MarsdenCabarita, The Tweed There were only two Aussie inclusions – The Tweed in the Top Destinations list and the Red Centre in the Top Experiences list. About a nine-hour drive from Sydney (give or take snack and bathroom stops), the Tweed stretches 37km from the beaches of Kingscliff and Cabarita to the lush hinterland around Murwillumbah, and locals have long known of the Tweed’s magic. Emerald waters, rolling waves, ancient rainforests, cascading waterfalls, beautiful produce and a barefoot vibe. The region takes in coastal favourites including Kingscliff, Cabarita Beach, Pottsville and Tweed Heads, as well as hinterland towns and villages including Murwillumbah, Uki, Tyalgum and Burringbar. Photograph: Destination NSW/Tom ParkNorries Head, Cabarita Beach Most holidaygoers head here to relax on its long golden beaches

Update Thursday, September 24: Due to overwhelming demand in yesterday’s pre-sale, Calvin Harris has added two new Aussie dates: one in Sydney and one in Melbourne. The general onsale is now on, so you can try your luck at getting any remaining tickets. Good luck!! The last time I saw Calvin Harris perform was back in 2010 at Big Day Out (RIP). The Boiler Room was a sweaty, Cruiser-fuelled dance session as he electrified the crowd, going from hit to hit: ‘Ready for the Weekend’, ‘You Used to Hold Me’ and ‘Acceptable in the 80s’. It was one of the best DJ sets I’ve ever seen. I don’t remember much else from that day. Now, the internationally renowned DJ is heading back to Australia for a national tour, and he’s coming to Sydney. Next February, the Grammy Award winner and multi-platinum DJ and producer will light up stadiums across the country with his biggest global anthems, including ‘One Kiss’, ‘This Is What You Came For’, ‘Summer’, ‘Feel So Close’ and ‘Sweet Nothing’. Here in Sydney's, he's playing at The Domain. Along with his record-breaking albums – such as 18 Months, Motion and Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 – The Calvin Harris - Australia Tour 2027 will celebrate his latest chart-topping collaborations and his recent compilation album 96 Months. The global hitmaker last graced Aussie shores for Festival X back in 2022, making this his first dedicated headline tour Down Under. Here’s everything you need to know about getting tickets to Calvin Harris’ 2027 Australia

Firedoor has brought back its à la carte menu for the first time since 2020, giving you the chance to try Lennox Hastie’s acclaimed fire-powered Surry Hills restaurant without committing to the full set menu. If you’ve never visited the pioneering diner, one of Sydney’s best, which catapulted to international fame after featuring on Netflix’s Chef’s Table, now’s the time. Photograph: Nikki ToLennox Hastie of Firedoor Available for Friday and Saturday lunch from 12-4pm, the approachable new menu includes plump, ocean-sweet Yamba pipis bolstered with an umami-rich XO and karkalla (you have to order them); charred radicchio with pancetta and roasted hazelnuts; roasted bone marrow with mustard, parsley and horseradish; and wood-fired Driftwood cheese with fruit bread and spiced fig jam. Photograph: Avril Treasure for Time Out SydneyThe pipis at Firedoor There’s full-flavoured, perfectly seasoned steak, of course, including a 250g Westholme Purebred Wagyu 9+ sirloin and a 600g, 150-day-aged David Blackmore heritage Wagyu. Photograph: Avril Treasure for Time Out SydneySteak at Firedoor On the Friday I visit, Lennox tells me how he treats wood not as a tool but as an essential ingredient. He’s worked with the same wood supplier from Blackheath for 14 years. Photograph: SuppliedLennox Hastie, chef at Firedoor and Gildas prepares food Dining at Firedoor is a pretty extraordinary experience. If you can, sit at the chef’s counter, where you can watch the chefs, including Lennox,

A fresh new Japanese-inspired restaurant from the Table Manners team has opened in Bronte. Called Fishnets, the new neighbourhood restaurant showcases incredible seafood, with the kitchen led by former Sokyo omakase chef Sanghyeop Kim and executive chef Luke Churchill. “Fishnets is grounded in Japanese technique, but designed to be shared and enjoyed in a relaxed neighbourhood setting,” said owner Alex Cameron. Photograph: FortemThe Fishnets team “It sits between the precision of fine dining Japanese restaurants and the ease of a local haunt. I’m proud to be bringing another venue to Bronte and the surrounding area, and to show a different side of what we can do. There’s a growing community of venues here, and we’re hoping people start to see Bronte as a destination for dining.” Photograph: FortemInside Fishnets What’s on the menu? A seasonal sashimi platter that may include things like akami (lean bluefin tuna), chu-toro (fatty tuna), kingfish, paradise prawn and scampi. Plus snacks like ebi crispy rice with mustard mayo; tuna tartare with gochujang and smoked radish; bug and prawn spring rolls; and chicken wing yakitori with house shichimi. Larger plates include 500g tuna katsu with cabbage and Japanese demi-glace, alongside local pippies with yuzu kosho beurre blanc. For dessert, there’s hojicha and vanilla ice cream sandwiches – and a matcha Basque cheesecake. Sanghyeop Kim added: “At Fishnets, we’re taking the precision of omakase and translating it into something mo

Question: what do you think is the average Sydneysider's biggest fear come springtime? Is it the imminent onslaught of pollen about to hit our nostrils? The realisation that it’s already three-quarters of the way through the year and we haven’t made a dint on those new year’s resolutions? Or maybe, just maybe, it’s the fact that aggressive, dive-bombing magpies have it out for the tops of our unsuspecting heads this time of year.  Yep, welcome to magpie swooping season, my friends.  Unfortunately, magpie season isn’t anything new – even Time Out’s Editor-in-Chief Alice Ellis has been subjected to unwanted attacks. “When we were kids, during swooping season we had to wear empty ice-cream tubs on our heads when we were playing in the backyard, to protect ourselves from the magpies,” she says. Read on for everything you need to know about magpies – and how to dodge a swoop. Photograph: Estelle Dragan for Time Out Sydney When is magpie swooping season in Sydney? Swooping season kicks into gear from late August to early October, which coincidentally ties into magpie breeding season. Because of this they’re ferociously protective of their nests and will stop at nothing to ward off any suspecting passers-by.   Why do magpies swoop? Cyclists and runners (aka anything moderately-sized and fast-moving) are prime targets for the six to eight weeks when the daring black-and-white birds build nests, incubate eggs and raise their young. They’ll stop at nothing to protect their chicks f

Cyclists, runners and walkers, watch out. We hate to be the bearers of bad news, but magpie swooping season has begun. If your heart starts racing at the thought of being stabbed in the eye or pecked on the scalp, you’re not alone. Friend of Time Out Sydney, Estelle Dragan, experienced this horror first-hand: “As a Brit in Sydney, I thought magpie swooping szn was just a charming old wives’ tale. Nature quickly corrected me – the magpie swooped me not once, but TWICE. The ”Birds swooping” warning sign later confirmed that Sydneysider magpies take their swooping very seriously. My dignity is still in recovery.” Wanna dodge a swoop? Read on. Photograph: Estelle Dragan for Time Out Sydney Has magpie swooping season started in Sydney? Swooping season typically peaks in September, but thanks to global warming, our magpie mates have kickstarted their breeding ahead of time in August. Cyclists and runners (AKA anything moderately-sized and fast-moving) are prime targets for the six-to-eight weeks following winter when the daring black-and-white birds build nests, incubate eggs and raise their young. They’ll stop at nothing to protect their chicks from suspecting passers-by, even if it ends in a bloody gash or swollen eye.  In good news, only eight to ten per cent of magpies actually swoop people. Even rarer are dive bombs that cause injury rather than just scaring you off. What to do when a magpie swoops you? Firstly, experts say to give magpies space during the mating season. T

White cut kingfish bright with light soy and green chilli. Pork and prawn wontons intensified with a fiery Sichuan and peanut and sesame dressing. Moreton Bay bug spring rolls dipped into a creamy chilli sauce. Eastern New South Wales rock lobster served with aromatic soy, ginger and shallots. And glistening and bronzed Peking duck, wrapped up in a thin pancake alongside cucumber, leek and hoisin. Photograph: Avril Treasure for Time Out SydneyLobster at Stanley Manly Wharf These are some of the dishes on the menu at Stanley Manly Wharf – a new, high-energy Cantonese restaurant now open on Many's waterfront from award-winning chef Louis Tikaram. It’s the third Cantonese restaurant in recent years to set up shop in this special spot, following Queen Chow Manly and, some years before that, Manly Phoenix (shout out to Papi Chulo, which was in that space too). Photograph: Avril Treasure for Time Out SydneyThe view from Stanley Manly Wharf Inspired by Hong Kong’s seaside Stanley Bay and Louis’s travels across the world, the 248-seat restaurant features live seafood tanks, a custom-built duck oven, plump dim sum – and plenty of harbour views. Other menu highlights include lobster and truffle dumplings; prawn toast with truffle mayo; Lennox Head pipis with XO sauce; North Queensland coral trout; and MB9+ wagyu with black pepper sauce. “After a long time in the making, it’s pretty special to finally have the doors open and to be back cooking in Sydney,” says Louis, who was named 2

Sitting right on Sydney Harbour next door to Opera Bar, this new waterfront café and eatery from Applejack (also behind Rafi, Forrester’s, Bopp & Tone and more) is inspired by Winifred Atwell, the first woman to perform at the Opera House during its construction in 1964. There’s lots to love, including the views, and the fact that Winnie’s is open from morning through to night (hello, breakfast meetings). Photograph: Avril Treasure for Time Out SydneyChicken congee at Winnie's In the morning, come for nourishing and aromatic bowls of chicken and sweetcorn congee with free-range soft-boiled eggs, nori, black fungi and chilli crisp; pea and feta fritters with mint yoghurt, fermented chilli and free-range soft-boiled eggs; and a rainbow breakfast plate with pickles, cheese, free-range soft-boiled eggs, ferments and fresh sourdough. Plus, the team has collaborated with Annandale’s Cherry Moon General Store, serving their delicious cinnamon scrolls. Photograph: Avril Treasure for Time Out SydneyPastries at Winnie's Lunch and dinner highlights include South Seas yellowfin tuna tartare with cucumber, tahini, wasabi peas and seaweed salsa; potted blue swimmer crab with salt and vinegar potato scallops; conchiglie pasta with king prawns, chilli, basil, lime and a seafood stock; and Pino’s Soppressata pizza slice featuring locally produced soppressata from Sydney artisan Pino’s Dolce Vita. Photograph: Avril Treasure for Time Out SydneyBreakfast plate at Winnie's Signature cocktai

I have my hand stretched out, and in the centre of my palm is a cube of raw meat. Near me is a set of striking, almond-shaped amber eyes, and they’re coming closer. Then, whoosh, I scream, and it’s all over. The wolf backs away. My fingers, crucially, are still intact. My heart is racing as fast as Hamilton, I’m sweating all over, and it’s not from the hot Bali sun. What the hell am I doing, feeding a wolf? Great question. An hour or so ago, I landed at Denpasar Airport, the warm, heady air greeting me like an old friend. This is my fifth visit to Bali – the first time I’ve been back since 2018 – and the jazzed-up airport and swift journey through customs have me impressed. Soon, we’re in a car, in traffic (some things never change), and on our way to Nuanu – Bali’s 44-hectare creative city, found 30 minutes north of Canggu, overlooking volcanic black-sand Nyanyi Beach. Photograph: Avril Treasure for Time OutNasi goreng at Nuanu After being reunited with my favourite nasi goreng – with a marigold-coloured egg yolk, oil-slicked rice, zippy pickles and punchy sambal – and a (okay, two) cold Bintangs, we head inside to meet the wolves. We’re visiting Alpha Wolf Lodge – a wolf sanctuary and lodge where you eat rice, peruse art and have a coffee – all surrounded by wolves. Want to sleep with them? You can do that here, too. Photograph: Supplied/Nuanu Creative CityNuanu Creative City This is but one of the (literally) wild and extraordinary experiences I have over the coming da

I’m not here to pull the wool over your eyes. I’m sure you’ve seen the news (TikToks). This year isn’t going to go down in history as the Best Snow Season Ever. Bar a few great dumps of fresh powder a few weeks ago in the NSW Snowy Mountains, there hasn’t been a huge amount of snowfall this winter. But as one man said in front of me in the chairlift line: “Yeah, some years have had better snow. But the sky’s blue, the vibes are high, and everyone’s having a blast.” I couldn’t have said it better myself. Photograph: Avril Treasure for Time Out SydneyAvril in Perisher Similar to my wonderful colleague Winnie, who recently checked out Perisher’s brand-new women-only ski weekend, I hadn’t hit the slopes in a long time. Close to 20 years, I reckon. I went twice in primary school – once to Selwyn and once to Perisher. I was a little rusty when I clicked my boots into my skis, but as soon as I’d done a couple of warm-up runs in the kids’ section, that familiar exhilaration and thrill returned. I started to glide. Throughout our three days, we breathed in the majestic beauty of Mount Perisher under a bluebird sky, laughed our way down Pretty Valley and enjoyed whipped cream-topped mochas. We whooshed past twisted snow gums, marvelled at the pros doing aerial tricks, saw groups knocking back Spritzes, and smiled at the cute-as-heck kids going a million miles an hour down the mountains without a fear in the world. Perisher, located about a 5.5-hour drive from Sydney (or half that if