Jane Ryan

A good Bloody Mary should be the turning point of any miserable day (or night). Surely, no other drink on earth can support, challenge, uplift and relax the soul quite like hard liquor wearing a bizarre cloak of dramatic, colourful, kinda-food items. Whether you prefer yours in the form of a thick Clamato-based Bloody Caesar, as refined and elegant as a Martini or just a no-nonsense classic, be sure to spring back up on the right foot with the help of these standouts. On the hunt for more cocktails? Check out our picks for the 50 best bars in Sydney right now, or if you're more of a beer fan, head straight to the source and knock a few back at one of Sydney's top craft brewery bars. 

In stark contrast to the neighbouring Chippendale terraces and apartment blocks, Saga’s exterior looks like a lost temple that would pique even Indiana Jones’s curiosity. Think ornate iron bars over the windows, faux sprayed moss creeping up the walls and the kind of huge wooden doors that might creak ominously if opened. Enter (if you dare), and you’ll find the mysticism continues, although it’s not entirely clear where this bar draws its inspiration from. In one corner, a large Buddha’s head acts as a water feature, with an image of a technicolour tropical forest splashed on the wall behind it. Elsewhere, vines and lanterns hang from the ceiling and stone walls while groups celebrating birthdays or whetting their appetites before dinner recline in brown leather armchairs. Are we meant to be in Southeast Asia? Or perhaps the Middle East, if the bathroom’s mosaics and gold-leaf trimming seem to suggest? Either way, we’re clearly not in Sydney anymore.  The bar itself, tiled in lime green and the length of the room, fronts a glowing back bar that makes it clear cocktails are very much the focus. The rotating list of 15 or so house drinks includes barrel-aged, low- and no-ABV options and comes care of bar manager Quinton Seeto (ex-Palmer and Co and the Barber Shop). It arrives in fittingly handmade wooden binding, held together by a Buddha’s hand and, much like the decorative cues, isn’t tied to any one region or style.   Tequila makes a fresh and long appearance alongside rum