What's happening in Sydney
The best things to do this week
Catch the sights, sounds and tastes of Thailand as they light up the banks of Parramatta River
There are more giants than just the giraffes at Taronga Zoo these school holidays
Patrick White's surreal satirical masterpiece returns to Sydney Theatre Company with Sarah Peirse in the lead role
Meet Santa, get your gifts wrapped and pet a baby deer or two this November
This musical about Nelson Mandela is a bumpy ride but proves ultimately endearing
Latest news stories
Competitions and announcements
Join us between the sheets for Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again
Find your style match with independent makers and designers at this three-day art, fashion and design festival
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
Our guide to casual dining in Sydney with 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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Wandering around the CBD is hungry work and it can be pretty hard to find a good place to eat. Now you can head to the 580 George building on (you guessed it) George Street for the latest elevated addition to the city's dining districts and food courts. Entering the revamped 580 Foodhall, you'll be greeted by modern interiors and some of the city's best owner-operated eateries. The days of food court plastic tables and chairs and grimey tiles are over, the 580 Foodhall is a fresh and luxe space with cosy wood finishes and lush plantlife. Settle in to one of their updated seating options for a big bowl of laksa from Alice's Makan, a refreshing poke bowl from Andy’s Poke, or dosa from Anjappar. Visit 580 Foodhall to see who the rest of the exciting food vendors are, as there are a couple yet to be announced. Relaunching on Friday November 2, the improved 580 Foodhall will begin with a bang. Head down between 11am and 2pm for sets from local musicians, a pop-up prosecco bar from Brown Brothers, and food carts flinging samples of the delicious food available at the new look dining hub. Make sure you enter the competition for a chance to win a $100 food voucher to use at any of the eateries at 580 Foodhall. Simply snap a pic of your experience, or delicious meal, and use the hashtags #580GeorgeStreetLaunch and #580Foodhall to go in the draw. Terms and conditions apply for this competition, see the 580 Foodhall website for details. Don't settle for another boring work lunch o
Fotobox Australia is all about capturing parties and events in the most fun and dynamic way possible. Now they've introduced a new way to capture the action – the Mobsta. It's the next generation of roving photobooths for hire. With the Mobsta, you can snap a branded 3D animated GIF, Boomerang or stop motion GIF on the spot. The best thing about it? It's handheld and totally portable, meaning it can pop-up anywhere at your event, whether it's a birthday party, wedding or fancy shindig with friends and family. After you've snapped your moment, you can have it sent to your email instantly. For events and brands that means heaps of great social interaction, and for you, it means red hot content. Along with the Mobsta, Fotobox have a bunch of different customisable creative photo solutions for your events, from immersive 3D photobooths, to interactive set designed video loops. Find out more about Fotobox Australia.
The storied, heritage City Tattersalls Club building has been a meeting place for Sydneysiders for over 120 years. Have a side of history with your schooner in their lovingly restored Lower Bar – a popular haunt for bookmakers in the 1920s, its marble floors and Art Deco columns have been reinvigorated this year with a fresh menu, bold whiskies and live music. Give your after-work drinks some polish with Lower Bar's blended whiskies, cocktails, classic beers and shareable snacks. Settle into the leather lounges and choose from their extensive Martini menu, or try one of their fruity cocktails, such as an Everyday Romeo with Alize Gold Passion, Paraiso lychee liqueur, Absolut Blue vodka, passionfruit pulp and fresh lime juice. There are also charcuterie boards to complement your drinks, along with freshly shucked oysters, potato wedges and beef tacos. All soundtracked by live music on Thursday and Friday nights. Tell your workmates to shake up the same old drinks routine and take them to City Tattersalls Club's Lower Bar for a sophisticated and fun change. Find out more here.
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.
When Queensland shakes off its not especially wintry chills, towns and cities around the state spring into step with food, culture and music up for grabs. Over the coming months Brisbane will uncover some of the greatest up-and-coming musical talent; the Gold Coast will be hauling supersized body parts and animals onto the sand; and Toowoomba will be unfurling brilliant carpets of flowers. September sees Brisbane turn on its biggest festival of the year with a back-to-back schedule of music and theatre performances, plus plenty of food and drink to sample. The event is well known for its Sunsuper Riverfire grand finale, which illuminates the city with pyrotechnic sparkles. Further up the coast, Bundy brings the house down with its Crush fest and proves culture and fun go hand-in-hand, and in Tropical North Queensland, Yarrabah unites the community with live music, food and a celebration of Indigenous culture. Suffice to say, all events are a gathering of energy and a showcase of the happy vibes of Queensland, where life is beautiful one day and perfect the next.
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 ten delicious 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.
The Sheraton Grand Sydney Hyde Park occupies an enviable position on Elizabeth Street, facing onto the green oasis of Hyde Park, near to the city's retail centre. Here, you have easy access to the Art Gallery, Darling Harbour, and an outstanding array of bars and restaurants. Check in and get exploring.
Everyone knows the best part of a hotel stay is the buffet breakfast the next day, and inarguably one of the most lavish in town is at Glass Brasserie in Hilton Sydney on George Street in the CBD. Well, now you can experience all the brekky trimmings, great coffee, and cheeky weekend brunch cocktails at their Saturday bottomless late breakfast without having to book a room. Available every Saturday, Glass Brasserie is offering their legendary buffet breakfast with some extra treats thrown in. From 10am-12.30pm you can enjoy the buffet plus unlimited barista coffee, bottomless Mimosas and Bloody Marys, all for just $49pp. So grab a tableload of your mates, book a surprise indulgence for your visiting relos, or just treat yourself to an exquisite solo feast – the late breakfast is the perfect way to kick off your weekend. Find out more about the Bottomless Late Breakfast in Glass Brasserie.
Of all the outdoor cinema options in Sydney, Mov’in Bed is undoubtedly the most horizontal. And also, one of the most fun. Head to the Entertainment Quarter, get a drink from the bar, snuggle up on an inflatable double bed, and maybe get dinner delivered to your bedside… it’s the exactly the kind of spoiling we all deserve as the working year slouches towards its end. Mov’in Bed Outdoor Cinema kicks off again at the end of November for an 11-week season and to celebrate, Time Out has 20 double-bed passes to give away to the opening night screening of the brilliant A Star Is Born, starring Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, on Thursday November 29. This sweet giveaway also includes a big tub of popcorn – the only thing you’ll have to worry about is stray kernels in your pyjamas. To win this prize valued at $73.80 plus popcorn, all you have to do is enter below before Thursday November 22. Enter here
The most challenging part of the Sunrise Kayak and Coffee tour is getting up at 5am – but rising early gives you glassy waters and glorious photo opportunities that’ll make your hungover friends incredibly jealous on a Sunday morning. Instructor Laura Stone and husband Ben run weekly dawn tours that make the most of Sydney Harbour before most people turn and hit snooze. They set up single kayaks at Lavender Bay Boat Ramp ready for the 5.40am meeting time and while we’re learning the best way to hold our paddles, Laura is picking up everyone’s coffee orders from a local café. Each raft has a custom coffee holder, and the ceramic cups keep the brews warm until you’ve paddled under the Bridge. The harbour water is velvety smooth, and the kayaks are very stable so you don’t need to work hard to paddle around Luna Park and into position as the sunlight hits Sydney Opera House. Our fleet rafts up to enjoy the view, sipping flat whites through the salty silicone lids and snapping away with our phones. If you don’t want to risk dropping your own camera, there’s a photographer on each tour and you can purchase personal pics for $30. Though the kayaks have glass-bottom windows the water’s still too dark to reveal any sea life – however, we do spot a fur seal frolicking by Blues Point Reserve. After an hour or so of gentle paddling we glide over to Sawmillers Reserve to check out the shipwreck. The ferries don’t start until 8am, so there’s time to go slow. It’s one of the drie
