Tamara Palmer

There are times when dining among strangers in the atmospheric clatter of a restaurant is just what you’re after. Then there are times when that simply won’t do, and what you’d really like is a private room with your best mates. Ideally that room isn't in your own house, either – it's in one of Sydney’s best restaurants, where a team of trained professionals does the heavy lifting. Happily, that is entirely achievable. I’ve rounded up the best private dining rooms in Sydney, ones that look chic, are comfortable and most importantly, can fit all of your favourite people. From the laidback saltwater vibes of the Bathers’ Pavilion to the perfected polish of Quay, and the brand-new space at Bondi’s Italian palace, Da Orazio, here’s a handy list of the best private dining rooms in Sydney. Book one for your next office function, big celebration – or when you just don’t feel like doing the dishes. 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. Going out for dinner with a smaller group? Check out Sydney's best restaurants. Prefer dining in the great outdoors? Have a look at the best places for a picnic in Sydney.

Music has driven the city’s cultural needle for decades, from the Summer of Love to the latest slate of concerts in San Francisco—each year, tens of thousands cram Golden Gate Park for annual events like the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass and Outside Lands music festivals. Our fair square of 7x7 miles has a particularly dense concentration of diverse music venues, so whether you take in the history and acoustics of a classic theater such as the Warfield, which opened in 1922, or the stripped-down intimacy of former church the Chapel, established almost 100 years later, you’ll experience a firm sense of place that matches the music. In the middle of the 20th century, the Fillmore District was synonymous with jazz, but now that the SFJAZZ Center has moved the groove to Hayes Valley, hopes of reviving the “Harlem of the west” have dwindled. It’s also worth checking the online calendars of clubs such as Mezzanine for live gigs.