What's happening in Sydney
The best things to do this week
Get to know your neighbours at a free street party in Marrickville
Pick up a secondhand bargain at this thrifty fashion market
Support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander drag queens as they battle it out for the crown
This new play features one of the most extraordinary protagonists written for the Australian stage
Alana Valentine brings her playwriting talents to the world of science in this new play
Kate Mulvany stars in this new, gender-swapped version of Ibsen's timely classic
A food truck carnival featuring smoked meats, Japanese, Filo soul food and Korean fried chicken
This play about an all-Aussie racist trying to reform her ways can't quite overcome a problem at its core
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Competitions and announcements
We finally come to understand the girl behind the Dragon Tattoo
We’re giving away a luxury weekend to Design Canberra
We’re giving away 15 double passes to see the movie
Bill Bailey, Ken Jeong and Iliza Shlesinger headline the eighth Sydney edition of this international comedy festival
The best of Sydney
Welcome to the Time Out EAT List, our handpicked ‘best of’ for Sydney's food scene.
We'll party on the roof, in the basement, by the pool, even once every few months in a suburban bowling club.
Let us be your guide to the sights you need to see and the ones you can wave to from an open-top bus.
It’s worth investing a little time into who and where you should get inked before making the decision to permanently commit.
We got splendidly lost sprawling warehouses and unusual independent stores.
Whether you're softening the sharp edges on a nasty hangover or kicking off the day with a bang.
Sydney is obsessed with high tea, and with good reason – we know how to bake a good scone.
While away an afternoon or simply catch a break at lunch time.
Sydney packs a punch when it comes to spectacular views and thrilling activities.
Whether it's a reward after tackling one of Sydney's beautiful walks or a caffienated catch up or a hangover fixer.
Time Out took the challenge of visiting all the escape rooms in the city.
Coastal walks, bush walks, historical walks and inner city ambles: there are many routes to choose from.
There are a few hotels whose hospitality is just as popular with locals as with those visiting town.
Point your compass in the direction of one of these nearby towns, regions and bush walks.
Whether it’s the brekky pho or racks of vintage threads that gets you out of bed in the morning.
Sometimes there's nothing better than the sun on your back and a cool drink to keep things chill.
Neighbourhood guides
As the Inner West undergoes more and more plastic surgeries, Ashfield holds onto the charming remnants of its ageing looks.
Soon to be one of the most populated areas in Sydney, Parramatta's food and drink scene is on the rise
Our guide to casual dining in Sydney with American Express
What's $20 worth in Sydney these days? If you're looking for a good feed at least, a humble $20 note will actually get you pretty far. From Bondi to Barangaroo, Sydney's sprawl is dotted with foodie gems that won't cost you the earth. Grab your wallet and your comfy pants and tuck into our must-try dishes for $20 or less. And when it comes to the bill, you can pay with confidence knowing these venues take American Express.
Creative sushi chefs and excellent produce make Sydney a great place to explore the magical combination of rice, seaweed and protein. The fact that it makes for a swift, filling and inexpensive lunch makes sushi an irresistible siren song to busy workers and students, who flock to the hundreds of restaurants that fill every corner of the city. To make things even easier, at all these venues, you’ll be able to dine in confidence with the knowledge that these venues welcome American Express.
Antipasto plates may not always involve much cooking, but they have the potential to show off a chef’s ability for sourcing some of the best deli goods from across the world. They also demonstrate a knack for the age-old art of preserving, pickling and curing the best local produce around. Whether it’s neat folds of cold cut meats, wedges of moreish cheese or pots of sour pickled veggies you’re after, these are the top spots in Sydney to get your antipasto fix. Then, when it comes to getting the cheque, you can pay in confidence knowing these venues welcome American Express.
Twirling spoons at the ready? We’ve scoured Sydney’s many Italian restaurants to find these Nonna-approved pasta dishes, from pillowy soft gnocchi to just-made tongues of ribbony linguine. We’ve also looked beyond the Boot to bring you to the best non-Italian interpretations of the flour-egg-water brief. At all these venues, you’ll be able to dine in confidence with the knowledge that these venues welcome American Express.
Sydney is home to excellent Chinese restaurants that serve up dim sum with serious style. Whether you're after an elegant banquet, a hangover-soothing repast or some steaming hot dumplings, these restaurants have some seriously great dim sum dishes. At all these venues, you’ll be able to dine in confidence with the knowledge that they welcome American Express.
A good stir-fry is all about the breath of the wok – that magical combination of heat, timing and squeaky-fresh produce that transports you straight to the backstreets of buzzy Asian cities. Whether it’s fiery kung pao chicken or a plate of Indomee Goreng with a twist, we’ve sought out the best stir fries in Sydney. Check out the diverse range of dishes that come alive in the wok, and pay in confidence knowing these venues welcome American Express.
Plant eater or not, the thrill of landing a plate of crunchy, just-fried falafel is the stuff of every food nerd’s dreams. These deep-fried balls of goodness can look and taste slightly different depending on which country they come from. Syrian and Lebanese falafel tend to have a chickpea centre, while Egyptian ones are usually made of ground fava. Use our cheat sheet to track down your favourite version in Sydney, and pay in confidence with American Express at all of these venues.
You can easily drop your week’s wages on dining out in Sydney but there’s no need. The city’s hot dining destinations have plenty of satisfying and scintillating stuff on their menus for less than a lobster. And when it comes to settling up you can use your American Express® Card with confidence. How about a complementary side dish with your meal? Check out the offers at Side with Amex.
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Liveworks festival is the main event in Performance Space's annual program, showcasing local, interstate and international artists pushing the frontiers of art and performance. This year's over-arching theme of 'bodies at the edge' will be explored through works like Circles of Fire: The Amphitheatre, an audio-visual and virtual reality installation by John A Douglas, which was inspired by the artist's own life-saving kidney transplant; Uncanny Valley Girl by Angela Goh, which uses live performance to explore a dystopian hybrid of women and machine; and High Performance Packing Tape, which sees Australian company Branch Nebula use stationery and disposable hardware items to place performers in mind-bending and physically compromising positions. Returning this year as well is Day For Night, which fuses a throbbing party together with Australia’s top queer performers. This year will also feature two of the festival's most ambitious collaborations to date with major works, co-commissioned with the Esplanade in Singapore and the National Arts Centre Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Liveworks festival will run from 18 to 28 of October, with a combination of both free and ticketed events, showcasing artists from Australia and the Asia Pacific.
A taste of Diner en Blanc is coming to Marriott International hotels right across Sydney, giving locals and visitors a taste of the exclusive French event, through special menus and custom cocktails. Diner En Blanc is a dining experience celebrated all across the world, known for its all-white theme and French influence, and is continuing its partnership with Marriott International Hotels for a second year. If you head into any of Marriott International’s Sydney properties – including the Sydney Harbour Marriott Hotel Circular Quay, Westin Sydney, and Sheraton on the Park – you'll be able to order up Diner en Blanc inspired cocktails and dishes. Chefs and bartenders from each of the hotels have designed menus that take inspiration from the exclusive dinner, incorporating French flavours, white elements and immersive experiences. Try decadent white chocolate desserts or settle in for a full four-course en Blanc menu. If you’re after a sophisticated cocktail head into any of the Marriott International’s hotel bars for a custom Diner en Blanc cocktail. Sheraton on the Park’s elegant Conservatory Bar will be shaking up the gin botanical infused Lillet; Sydney Harbour Marriott Hotel's Three Bottle Man Bar will be concocting the Blizzard Condition; the new Four Points by Sheraton's Malt Bar at Central Park will be whipping up the Coco Blanc; and Pier One's harbourside bar will be serving the zesty Lemon Drop at its own waterfront bar, the Kerrigan. The Diner en Blanc collection
The dining scene across the Central Coast is really hitting its stride, with a bunch of restaurants and cafés changing what locals and and visitors can expect from the region. Thanks to some seriously talented young chefs, excellent refurbs and creative spaces, there are a bunch of restaurants and cafés in Long Jetty, Avoca, Terrigal and Woy Woy that are well worth a road trip. Whether you’re looking for a healthy brunch, long seafood laiden lunch or a date night dinner, here are our recommendations. Want more? Check out our guide to shopping on the Central Coast.
In a region of Sydney famous for its historic pubs, the Sackville on Darling Street is simply doing everything a neighbourhood haunt ought to do. Take the family to cheer on the Wests Tigers in the front bar; kick back with friends in the pleasant Garden Bar; or make it date night in the Bistro. Gather the work pals for trivia on Wednesdays, or win one of the formidable meat trays they’re raffling off every Monday and Friday. On Saturdays, make the most of the beer tasting paddles for $20, and the Sunday roast is only $25 including a glass of pinot noir. Prefer to catch live music? There are bands on Fridays and acoustic sets on a soothing Sunday arvo. Assistant manager Emily Gray gave us the lowdown on the pub and its neighbourhood. Emily, how long have you worked at the Sackville?For three months now. I was working with the Solotel company at another venue outwest, but when the position at the Sackville was offered to me I was excited at the prospect of returning to work in the community that I have always felt most at home in. Are you from the area?I first moved to Sydney when I was 18 years old to attend university. Having grown up in a small country town, the Inner West was the place that I found people who were like-minded and where I forged the relationships that I will carry with me throughout my life. Even after I moved away, I still considered myself a local of the Inner West, and probably always will. What do you love most about your job?Every day I get the op
This unpredictable take on romantic infatuation and personal discovery takes on our obsession with coupledom and career climbing. Written by Nick Coyle, The Feather in the Web is a refreshing picaresque story, which sees Kimberly setting out on a wicked adventure, leaving emotional wreckages and crying people in her wake. Griffin Theatre Company's artistic director Lee Lewis describes this play as a “beautiful speculation about how a young woman finds her voice. When the world tells you so much about how you should behave and what you should do to be successful, how do you find your individual voice?" Writer Nick Coyle has established a cult following since emerging from Sydney University, forming the trio Pig Island with comedic actors Charlie Garber and Claudia O’Doherty (with whom he made Simply Fancy and The Glass Boat), and going solo with truly surreal comedies like Hammerhead (Is Dead) (which played as part of Griffin’s independent season in 2009), Me Pregnant! (Old Fitz Theatre, 2011) and Blue Wizard (Belvoir Downstairs, 2015). Actor-director Ben Winspear will helm this premiere production, with a cast that includes Claire Lovering, Tina Bursill, Gareth Davies and Michelle Lim Davidson. The play caps off Griffin Theatre's main season, so snap up tickets to this inventive, locally made piece of original theatre.
Sydney Open is a chance to have a stickybeak in the landmark buildings that make up the city’s skyline and gain access to otherwise closed off spaces over one weekend, like ancient fraternal organisation headquarters or the building that inspired a 1930s moneybox. This year you can be one of the first to see the new Arup offices in Barrack Place, take a peek inside the rarely-seen Chief Secretary’s building and go behind the scenes of Sydney’s best architecture. Explore Sydney's CBD like never before and discover its hidden art, architecture, history, and heritage. Book in for one of the exclusive Focus Tours, which will take you inside some of Sydney Open's most interesting spots including rarely seen habourside heritage spaces and architecturally-designed private residences. The most popular option is the Sydney Open Pass, which gives you access to more than 40 buildings on the Sunday. Buildings on the program include Seidler’s modernist marvels Australia Square and Grosvenor Place, the Great Synagogue’s intricate and inspiring ceilings, plus Parliament House and St James Road Banco Court. And, if you purchase a Sydney Open Pass before October 14 you can go into the draw to win a Golden Ticket to the coveted Tank Stream tour. Find out more about Sydney Open.
If you've been daydreaming about a sun-soaked Caribbean holiday but lack the adequate funds, then spring at Bungalow 8 is for you. Harnessing the waterside views of their harbourfront location, the King Street Wharf mainstay is transforming into a tropical Cuban-inspired paradise from October 15 until December 29. The Little Havana pop-up at Bungalow 8 is your sun-soaked go-to for long afternoons and warm nights spent sipping Mojitos, snacking on empanadas, and enjoying festive live entertainment. Start your tropical holiday at Little Havana at Bungalow 8 by trying some cocktails and delicious snacks from their Cuban Delights menu. A custom outdoor bar will be serving up Bacardi Mojitos on tap for you to enjoy outside by the harbour. Pair the refreshing cocktail with serves of plaintain chips, empanadas, grilled chorizo, and fried gabanzos, and you've got yourself a golden recipe for kicking back by the harbour. Make the most of the Little Havana festivites with a group of mates or a special someone by securing one of their special party packages. Book in to one of their cabanas, which entitles you and your crew (of any size) to two hours of bottomless Bacardi Mojitos and a Cuban feast for only $69pp. Just like the real Havana, live music will be an essential part of Bungalow 8's Cuban-inspired experience. Every Thursday you can enjoy hits from La Fiesta, a percussive party band with stellar vocals that always gets the dancefloor started, and sample free bites from the m
This brand-new version of Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People by Melissa Reeves sees the 1882 masterpiece reappropriated to modern times, all while maintaining its comedic spark and fierce political undertones. The timely redux – directed by Anne-Louise Sarks – stars 2017 Helpmann Award-winner Kate Mulvany as doctor Katherine Stockman. One day she discovers that the water supply for which the town is famous for is poisonous. This disturbing piece of information does not rattle the people of the town and the community refuses to believe there's an issue. Stockman grapples with whether she should stand by her tight knit community, or fight for the truth, even if it comes at the cost of income, family, and identity. As always Belvoir brings thought-provoking stories to the stage with this captivating play at the Upstairs Theatre.
We've all been there, you have relatives or mates visiting from overseas and their ultimate Sydney itinerary is in your hands. You've done the BridgeClimb, you've seen the Opera House, you've splashed around in the waves at Manly, now what? Well, Mudgee wants you to know they're more than equipped to entertain your visitors and you too if you fancy a sweet mini getaway. The lush hills, bountiful wineries, and cute villages are only a scenic three-and-a-half hours drive through the Blue Mountains (ticking that tourist hotspot off the list on your way) or a 45-minute flight taking you straight from the salty Sydney coast to the beautiful wine country of Mudgee. There's plenty to do, see and, of course, eat and drink once you're there. Your visitors are bound to be impressed by the region's paddock-to-plate (and vineyard-to-glass) ethos. Unwind with a day of vineyard hopping and cellar door tastings – the Mudgee region is overflowing with laidback wine experiences to try. Feast on the best local produce at the region's eateries and restaurants safe in the knowledge that this is a place that is passionate about showing the best flavours the area has to offer. Load up on nature without scrimping on comfort with a glamping experience, or try one of Mudgee's many luxe accommodation packages or scenic farmstays. Take in some of the area's cultural heritage with museums, adjacent heritage villages like Rylstone, Gulgong or Hill End, and have a frosty beer at a historical pub. O
Passionate shop owners will make sure your wardrobe and home is fitted out with wares thatchannel the coast’s laid back vibes, with ethically made clothes, hand carved furniture andlocally sourced flower arrangements. We stopped into a bunch of the Coast’s favouriteshops to get the lowdown. Want more? Check out our guide to eating and drinking on the Central Coast.
