✍️ 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 visiting Orange for a couple of days, I reckon there are a handful of truths. For one, you’re guaranteed to sip excellent cool-climate drops – the region produces some of NSW’s finest wine, after all. You’re also going to eat well: the regional city punches well above its weight, serving delicious, seasonal stuff grown down the road (case in point: Hey Rosey, winner of Time Out Sydney’s Best Regional Award 2025).
The third truth? You’re going to want to come back, and you might even start thinking about it before you hit the return road. And the last? You’re pretty much guaranteed to end up at Hotel Canobolas at some point. There are worse places to end your night.
The vibe
Hotel Canobolas is named after Mount Canobolas – an extinct volcanic mountain located nearby – but locals know it as The Nob. Established in the late 19th century and rebuilt in 1939 in an Art Deco style, it was the go-to place for VIPs visiting town, from politicians to royalty and celebrities. It’s still a cracking spot for both locals and out-of-towners to hang out, thanks in part to its primo location smack bang in the centre of town. The hotel and pub feature 45 rooms, plus a full bistro, pizza bar, sunny courtyard, front bar and a range of event spaces. There's also...
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✍️ 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.
Named after the soundless centre of a vinyl record, Deadwax is Enmore’s rocking new cocktail bar, brought to you by three hospo legends: Conor O’Brien and Dan Teh (from Otis) and Davyd Blacksmith (ex-Riley St Garage and Nola Smokehouse). Before opening in place of the short-lived Enmore Country Club, Deadwax was a paradoxical dream in co-owner Teh's head – a vinyl-focused cocktail bar where loud music doesn’t disrupt conversation. Sounds impossible, but a visit to Deadwax proves this dream came true.
The vibe
Passing by the melting ghost on the glass front doors and the pumping tunes from the front turntables hits you like a mosh pit. Intimately spaced tables and chairs run along a half-booth wall across from the tall bar – made from more than 70 layers of black and red denim set in resin. There’s even enough room to get up and dance should the cocktails flow late into the night (Deadwax stays open until 2am on Fridays and Saturdays).
The wavy red-and-grey ceiling not only looks trippy, but along with the faux wooden walls it renders Deadwax “ridiculously soundproof.” Amazingly, this acoustic wizardry allows the music from the Translate Sound custom speakers to be loud, yet conversations can still be had using inside voices. Seriously – try it. It feels...
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✍️ 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.
Herbs Taverne is led by the Mucho Group, the team behind Cantina OK!, Centro 86 (winner of Time Out Sydney’s Best Cocktail Bar Award 2025), Bar Planet and the much-loved and muy loco uncle, Tio’s Cerveceria.
The group has a cult following in Sydney, as evidenced by the fact the basement bar is packed on a blustery Monday evening. At first glance, the underground Negroni bar looks like the kind of den of iniquity that might feature in the Netflix series Black Rabbit. Tucked away on Clarence St in Sydney’s CBD, it’s as dark, brooding and ruby red as the signature Herbs Negroni. And it comes highly recommended by the lovely Lizzie, who rocks the staff uniform of durable Dickies, orange socks and Dr. Martens. The overall effect of hunkering down at Herbs Taverne for a few hours is that it primes you for an assault on the senses – from the glittering disco ball throwing out shards of light to the chrome accents, dark brick walls, checkerboard ceiling and retro-inspired tables and chairs. So far, so vibey.
Herbs Taverne is being billed by the Mucho Group as the bar with the maximum “ahh…”. And it’s got you covered when it comes to offering a different perspective on bitter drinks like the Negroni and amaro.
Just as the bar balances gin, vermouth and Campari,...
October 2025 update:
Since opening in 2017, Where's Nick has stayed strong in Sydney's natural wine consciousness, slinging delicious wines and snacks at excellent prices. This Marrickville delight is open seven days a week, and currently boasts brand new chef Ben Richardson, who brings a deep respect for sustainable produce and seasonality to a fresh menu. With a brand new Aperitivo Hour from Monday to Friday (4 to 5.30pm) that includes $5 snacks and $10 negronis and spritzes, plus an epic 'Plat du Jour' special on Tuesday and Thursday nights that gives you a one plate dinner with a glass of wine for $35, you can bet your bottom dollar that any trip to Where's Nick is time well spent.
— Maya Skidmore
Read on for our review of Where's Nick from 2019.
*****
By Matty Hirsch
Every now and then, a bar comes along so righteously in tune with its neighbourhood that you wonder how locals ever functioned without it. Where’s Nick is one such watering hole, housed in an unassuming open shopfront on a buzzy strip of Marrickville Road that, despite the lingering signage, is clearly no longer Marrickville Quality Cakes. Picture what Central Perk would look like if Friends were a sitcom about woke millennial sharehousers in the Inner West, and you’ve pretty much got the idea.
There might not be a straight-up sauv blanc or pinot gris on the ever-changing chalkboard of wines by the glass, but don’t panic. You will find that a chalice of txakoli from the Basque Country more...
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✍️ 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.
October 2025 update:
If you're on the Northern Beaches and itching for a serious vibe shift, we recommend you quite simply walk downstairs at The Cumberland in Manly. Hidden behind an unassuming deli facade on a Manly backstreet, this very un-beaches speakeasy will plunge you straight into the glowy, candlelit heart of New York City in the 1920's. With genuinely excellent cocktails, friendly bartenders and an impeccable mix of tunes and vibes, this nook is the perfect place to start and end your night out in Manly.
Want to make a staycation out of it/ don't want to arrange transport home? We recommend checking into the Manly Pacific Sydney for a luxe beach retreat that you won't quickly forget.
— Maya Skidmore
Read on for our review of The Cumberland from 2019.
*****
By David Matthews
If everything was as it seemed, the Cove Deli would be one of the tiniest, most exceptionally finished, most obscurely located smallgoods businesses around. But at this pocket-sized space in a nondescript alley set back from the Corso, the real trick is what lies beneath. Pull at the 1920s fridge door in the corner, slide down the spiral staircase and step into the Cumberland: Manly’s very own underground speakeasy, complete with flickering candlesticks, fluted...
✍️ 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.
Since opening in 2016, Wildflower Brewing & Blending rapidly became known as one of Australia’s most notable breweries due to its modern interpretation of traditional brewing methods, which involve capturing and nurturing wild yeast.
It also caught the attention of the makers of Australia’s best beer, Mountain Culture. Both being family businesses, a friendship was born over schooners and toddler hand-me-downs, which led to the home of Wildflower becoming Village – and caused Sydney beer lovers to collectively shed tears of joy.
The vibe
Pleasingly, the rustic barnhouse feel of Wildflower has been maintained at Village. Barrels of ageing ales stacked to the ceiling sit opposite the bar, where blooming vines frame the ever-rotating drinks selection scrawled on brown paper.
A small, tucked-away table by the bar is a great spot to sip while listening to their vinyl collection – The Gipsy Kings during my visit. You can also grab a barrel in the courtyard or book a long table and sit at the head to feel like the feasting Viking jarl of funky wild beer.
Perhaps the only noticeable change is the corrugated iron wall, which now features framed photos of two young brewing families – reimagining this beloved hub for those who like to drink differently.
The drinks...
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✍️ 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.
Back in an ancient time known as 1980s Sydney, craft beer was but the eager dream in Chuck Hahn’s Camperdown brewery. After decades of creating breweries (Hahn, James Squire and Eumundi, to name a few), as well as a stint as head brewer at Lion Nathan, Chuck is back in the family-owned craft game at independent brewery, Chuck and Sons Brewing Co.
The vibe
Beneath the roar of the flightpath, Chuck and Sons is tucked away just shy of industrial Marrickville in St Peters. Huge and homely, the 230-capacity venue features four seating areas: the casual and comfortable main bar, a family-centric dining room, a sunny courtyard and front terrace for both two- and four-legged guests.
The pool room of your dreams, the main bar is lit with felt green lamps, an adults-only pool table (sorry, kids), decorative copper piping and a whole lot of exposed brick. Throughout the brewery are framed photos that tell the story of Chuck Hahn, his beer and his family. It feels almost like a museum – but you’re allowed to carry a full schooner as you take the tale in.
The drinks
With a track record as proven as the earth is round, there was no way Chuck and his son, Scott Hahn, were going to brew any beers that were not remarkable. (Yes, scandalous: there is actually only one son...
✍️ 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.
No website. No phone number. Not even an Instagram. Just a clutch of glowy, slick-haired, well-dressed Sydneysiders sipping wine and waiting for a table with the determination of a 10-year-old chasing a Labubu. That’s when you know you’re onto something good. And Paradise, the new wine bar on the corner of Roslyn Street and Ward Avenue in Potts Point, is better than good. That’s because it’s the latest from two people who know what they’re doing: Gio and Enrico Paradiso – the brothers who, alongside Marco Ambrosino, co-founded Sydney staple Fratelli Paradiso back in 2001, before going on to open another hit, 10 William St, in 2010.
Just a few months in, Paradise is already humming with big European energy and Potts Point cool. Groups of friends spill onto the sidewalk, glasses of orange wine in hand. Couples snack on crusty baguettes and nutty cheese. There’s a vibey buzz in the air. I don’t know if there’s a better street corner to be on come Saturday night. Though, a waitlist would be good.
The vibe
It feels cliché – even lazy – to write I’m in paradise at Paradise, but that’s really how I feel with salty snacks, chilled vino and great conversation backdropped to a golden peach sky. As well as alfresco seating, inside you can opt to sit at the bar or at...
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August 2025 update: Three things are front and center at Bar Copains, the eternally pumping wine bar on the corner of Albion Street in Surry Hills. And those are extremely delicious plates of food, a strong wine list and all-round good times. Sure, it’s hard to get a seat, but if you do, those crisp nuggets of shredded pork topped with a zingy sauce gribiche and pickles will make all the effort worthwhile. I mean, I love Bar Copains so much I came here on my most recent birthday. Make sure you also check out its sibling venues Bessie's and Vin-Cenzo's. But come here first.
Read on for our review of Bar Copains
*****
✍️ 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.
It’s about as difficult to define 'cool' as it is to pin the tail on the donkey blindfolded after a coupla Negronis. Crocs were not but now they are; laughing emojis are (apparently) not; and even the humble burrata looks like it’s on its way out (RIP). If it’s difficult to define, it’s even more challenging to manufacture, as the action of trying to be cool is very much uncool. When you see cool, you just know. And that’s exactly what will happen if you stroll into Bar Copains, Surry Hills’ new friendly neighbourhood wine bar.
'Copains' means 'friends' in French, which is an apt name for this gem by longtime mates and chefs Morgan McGlone...
✍️ 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.
When’s the last time you enjoyed a proud Australian rissole burger? That long, hey. Thankfully, one Sydney chef has done the right thing and made them available seven days a week at a Redfern pub.
That pub being The Norfolk, freshly reopened after changing hands for the third time in four years.
For almost a decade, the place was run by Drink’n’Dine, beloved for its upstairs seafood shack, House of Crabs. In 2021, it was reopened by The People – which brought with it the excellent (and now-closed) wine bar La Salut by the Love, Tilly Group in the front room. Then, with its next owners Public Hospitality facing financial collapse late last year, hospo giant Solotel swooped in and added the century-old pub to its packed stable of Sydney boozers, stretching from the Opera Bar to Parramatta’s Albion Hotel.
But the latest iteration is so easy going you’d be forgiven for thinking life at The Norfolk has always been this way. It’s laid-back and unpretentious. There’s no fancy decor, no dramatic rebrand. Cover up the sports screens and you can almost imagine how it could’ve been when it first opened in 1921. And dogs, yes dogs, are welcome inside.
Mexican joint Rico’s Tacos has survived the rejig, retaining its spot at the back of the building after moving in last...
There is a demonic gargoyle on the bar at the Absinthe Salon, a poster of Marilyn Manson on the wall and our waitress is wearing a tight, leather corset. The bar itself, just beyond the bottle shop you pass through upon entering, is aiming for La Belle Époque – French-style café seating, a green fairy splashed across one wall – but the overall feel is a little more Rob Zombie than Moulin Rouge. And we can get down with that. Especially when a pre-dinner drink at the Absinthe Salon is so much fun.
Once you're seated, one of the waitresses working the floor will float over and explain what absinthe is (anise-flavoured spirit, highly alcoholic, made more complex with different herbs); what absinthe isn't ("it is not a hallucinogenic, but it will make you feel amazing"); and how to drink it. Here, she will demonstrate: ice is placed in the lamp-like absinthe fountain on your table, along with water; a cube of sugar is sat on an absinthe spoon above your glass; and a faucet on the fountain is turned so that water drips onto the cube, slowly dissolving the sugar as it trickles down into your glass of absinthe below. The green liquid grows cloudy and you begin to smell the herbs.
It's an elaborate process, so reserve time if you're popping in. And do take their advice: while the more potent absinthe varieties here are more interesting and complex (up to 75 per cent proof), start with something milder (like the Francois Guy, from Pontarlier, 45 per cent proof) if, like us,...
The Angel Hotel in the CBD is a time capsule for old-school inner-city drinking. Don’t get us wrong. Come 5pm our city’s workforce still hit the bars with undiminished ferocity, but with the influx of small bars, cocktail caves, craft beer barns and high-end establishments, the old-fashioned boozer slinging pints and pies is a dying breed. They like the old ways at the Angel so we get called sweetie when we order a frosty schooner of Coopers, but we’re not sweet enough to get access to the 100 Pints Club. The engraved glasses hung above the low wooden bar are all that remains of this defunct, and no doubt merry, club. The bar is laid with beautiful, ornate tiles and the windows out onto Angel Place are the kind of rippled stained glass that wouldn’t look out of place in a Victorian manor. There’s a dedicated sandwich menu at lunchtime; after work you can get a pie or sausage roll from the warmer behind the bar; or there’s always a bag of crisps. They keep things similarly stripped back on the taps. There’s Coopers Green, Heineken, Super Dry, New, James Squires Pale Ale and a cider. It’s not a huge range but they are cold, clean and properly poured. Below ground is where they keep the gaming lounge and upstairs is a worn-in lounge bar with red velvet chairs, chesterfields and ornate lampshades that look like they were borrowed from a Parisian cat-house. Never change, old friend.
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✍️ 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.
In the basement of a heritage warehouse in Sydney’s CBD you’ll find a Sicilian-inspired cocktail bar named for the ill-fated wife of Michael Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola's 1972 mobster masterpiece, The Godfather. But don’t let that put you off. For those of us who have been lying about having seen The Godfather their whole lives, good news. Every page of the drinks menu will run you through the storyline (spoilers lie within, but it’s literally been 50 years) so you can impress your date with cinematic knowledge while sipping on a Letter Never Sent, a standout concoction of wheat vodka, honey liquor, pineapple, clove, housemade almond syrup and fresh nutmeg, shaken and served over ice.
Dimly lit and dramatic as the movie itself, Apollonia is, by sheer geography alone, a triumph. Carved into the sandstone bedrock of Customs House, the hand-chipped, 150-year-old walls have been ambitiously transported to the 21st century, with accents of marble bars, deeply stained wooden finishes, mismatched tiles and red leather banquette seating. The vibe is sophisticated and plush, a naturally cosy cave with dark carpeted flooring that we suspect this will be a top after-work date bar for years to come. With gold and velvet finishings and abundant in (oh, so...
✍️ 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.
Update: Redfern’s fairy-lit hangout Arcadia has been going strong for more than a decade, fuelling Sydneysiders with excellent drinks and toasties. It’s a prime spot for a first date (trust us) or knock-off drinks. And you can swing by on Sundays for cheap Margs.
– Avril Treasure
Read on for our review of Arcadia Liquors from 2016 by Emily Lloyd-Tait.
*****
One of Redfern’s original small bars is still as loud, fairy-lit and friendly as ever. And cheap. Where else can you get a eminently drinkable semillon sauvignon for six bucks and a grilled ham cheese and tomato sandwich for a fiver, other than student housing?
There is a wonderful reliability to any visit to Arcadia. It’s always full but somehow you can manage to rustle up a bar stool or one of those vintage metal chairs, or find a spot out in the brick courtyard featuring many hanging plants and all the nautical paintings available at Vinnies. Since the smoking laws changed the back is saved for the smokers – if you’re hanging out for a chicken or ham and salami sarnie off the fancy toastie menu, stick to indoor seats.
They haven’t changed much since first opening – if it ain’t broke and all that – which means there’s still three beer taps featuring something German and two local brews – Tooheys was...
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Ever since they pulled the dust cloths off the shining copper stills in the distillery back in March of 2014 and started pumping out gin, vodka, rum and white rye we’ve been singing the praises of this impressive operation located on Rosebery’s most innovative block. Not only is it one of Sydney's most beautiful bars, the local edge and carefully crafted spirits do nothing but add to the romance.
Under the watchful eye of head of hospitality, Harriet Leigh (ex Hazy Rose and Henrietta Supper Club) you can be sure they're stirring up a five-star house gin Martini with a precise brine balance. You are in very good hands here.
A gutsy cocktail list is ever evolving and playful, with tipples like the Papaya Don't Preach; a concoction of Archie Rose Native Botanical Vodka, blood orange, lime, papaya, peach, pineapple and chili salt; The Pear Necessities that combines Archie Rose Distiller’s Strength Gin, bergamot, lavender, lemon, pear and sparkling wine; or the Baby Got Mac – Archie Rose White Rye, citrus, coconut, wattleseed, macadamia and mango. As well as investing in the use of native botanicals, the crew at Archie Rose don't shy away from a dizzying number of collabs with other local legends. A glance at the cocktail list boasts input from the Sydney Opera House, Blasphemy Coffee and even the Sydney Cricket Ground.
The room is the last word in industrial elegance. It’s separated from the distillery by a heavy-duty metal grille and a wall of spirit barrels. On the bar side,...
Officially, this little pub on Oxford Street is called the Arts Bar. However locals and old timers will often refer to it as the Rose Shamrock and Thistle, or even the Three Weeds: it depends on who you’re talking to. Arts Bar makes sense, given its proximity to the College of Fine Arts. Though it’s housed in a beautiful Art Deco Building there’s nothing hifalutin about this public house. It’s got the cream mottled tiles and multiple doorways opening out onto the street of your classic corner boozer and the floor inside is a mix of concrete and tiles – you could easily hose the whole place out if needed. Inside it’s all green and yellow tiles, glowing orange and yellow light boxes, tall stools, swivel chairs and old orange vinyl chairs. They pull a pretty mixed crowd, with young and elastic students talking earnestly about their ‘practice’ and making plans for surfing adventures while retirees sit opposite and share a little late night ice cream out of a curled glass bowl. The variety might be due to the very friendly staff who adopt a more-the-merrier approach, or perhaps it’s the Tuesday special of slow-cooked lamb that’s pulling people through the doors. They pour a decent Kilkenny if you like Irish cream ale, but for our money we’ll take a pint of Young Henrys, Stone and Wood or Murray’s Angry Man instead. They tick the boxes on all the pub food staples, and also do bananas in rum and a chocolate pudding that comes highly recommended by our smiling barman. The Arts Bar...
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You may well be able to lob a tennis ball from George Street to this quiet pedestrian alley but you wouldn’t know it from the relaxed pace of the punters stopping in for a glass of wine at this little bistro. Decompress out in the breezy laneway or up at the bar where French house featuring atmospheric horns keeps the vibe on a low simmer and devote all your remaining energies to the wine menu. They have an internationally diverse, by-the-glass list that lets you sample the wines of Austria, Romania, South Africa, Greece, Argentina, Germany, the US, Chile and Slovenia, in addition to Italy, France, Australia and New Zealand. And the best part is they offer tasting glasses for half the price of a full pour so you take a little tour without breaking the bank. Depending on the weather and the day you’ve had they might steer you towards a bright, fruity Domaine de Beavernay gamay from Beaujolais, or possibly a ribolla gialla from Friuli. There’s not much to the operation here. The open-plan space spills out into the lane and the wine is stored up high in black timber racks. The kitchen can sort out a serious hunger with lamb cutlets or grilled spitchcock, but a rich, golden toastie with jamon and truffled gruyere will also stop hunger in its tracks.
Time Out Awards
2010Best Wine Bar
View this year's Time Out Bar Award winners
In case of fire, assemble at the designated meeting spot. In case of thirst, go get cocktails at Assembly. You might not expect an ace bar to be hiding down on the lower ground floor of what is ostensibly a hub of Asian cheap eats, but the buzzy precinct behind the KFC on the corner of George and Bathurst Streets has many secrets. Not only can you get a kooky soft-serve in a halo of fairy floss from Aqua S; a fragrant char kway teo from Sedap Malaysian Kopitiam; and a king’s ransom in rice paper rolls from Miss Chu – there’s booze too. This must be what heaven is like.
When something gets an award everyone wants to get involved – especially if it’s delicious. Sullivans Cove French oak barrel-aged single malt sold out after they won a world whisky award in 2014, and people are still queuing for a taste of the mandorla affogato gelato from Cow and the Moon. And at Assembly you can order a stack of award-winning cocktails. The Linda Russian, crowned by a 2014 Stoli comp, proves you don’t need an ingredient list a mile long to make a good drink. Almond syrup is an excellent foil to the zingy punch of fresh pineapple juice – and with a glug of vodka in the mix you’ve got a summer refresher that demands an encore.
The up’n’go qualities of a Vodka Espresso are perfect fuel before a gig over at the Metro, but these guys have chucked out the vodka and are shaking up rum, Frangelico, Kahlua and cold drip coffee, and the results are excellent.
There are a ridiculous number of dining...
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There’s something to be said for setting up your brewery and pub in the North West of Sydney – there’s a lot of space out this way. The Australian Hotel and Brewery (conveniently located next door to Bunnings, FYI) is set on a massive block just off Old Winsor Road. From the outside it looks like a warehouse with an enormous parking lot. But inside it’s a pub-lovers Disneyland. It’s been kitted out in good Australian fashion with exposed brick, warm lighting, raw timber and rusty iron decorations. In addition to housing the brewery itself they’ve got a spacious bistro, sports bar, pokies lounge and games room, plus an enormous bar operating at the centre of everything. Love watching sport but hate sitting on a bar stool? They’ve got cushy leather recliners lined up like a mini sports cinema. Brought your ankle biters with you? Here they have a dedicated kids club with a jungle gym and a super-soft play area for really tiny humans. They even host kids birthday parties. When you have the same amount of space as a standard Chippendale block you can do whatever you damn well please. They keep a collection of standard lagers on tap but the interesting stuff here is the brews they make on site. Their Mexican lager served with fresh lime is a light, summery glass of refreshment, but if you aren’t afraid of some forceful flavours go the extra hoppy ale – a coppery amber ale with a fresh, bitter finish. They also make a pilsner, pale ale, strong Belgium golden ale, steam ale, amber...
At Bacco, you can eat, drink or simply get some pastries to go. But we like to drink. The cocktail list will be right up your alley if you like floral, fruity drinks but you can totally ignore the list if your tastes run to straighter stuff - the bar staff are incredibly accomplished and can make anything you hit them with. If you do order off the list, try the Caesar's Cup - served long, it's a mix of gin, red wine and house-made mint lemonade, garnished with a wedge of grapefruit and a wedge of cucumber. The Giorgio il Bello involves a glass rolled in rhubarb sugar and filled with a mix of Aperol, St Germain elderflower liqueur and pinot grigio, topped with more of that house-made lemonade. Sweet? Yes. Deadly? Most certainly. The L'Arrogante is the winner off the list: tequila, house-made sweet vermouth and fresh squeezed grapefruit served short. If cocktails and spirits aren't your thing, Delicado's Ben Moechtar has put together the wine list. They also give you little snacks (spuntini) through the night. They're gratis, and delicious. The space, designed by Michael McCann, is all warm wood, low, long booths and tinkling, grape-shaped purple lights. Sit up at the bar, admire the huge booze selection, marvel at the cold larder filled with cured meats and raise a glass to Bacchus - the guy that loved a drink.
✍️ 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.
It’s just after 9pm on a Monday and three thoughts come to mind. First, Joji shimmers as much as the jewellery found below in the Cartier flagship store. Second, the DJ’s seamless transitions from funky house to disco beats are on point. And third: wow, there’s a line of people waiting to get a seat inside the city’s newest rooftop bar. On a school night. I suddenly feel an urge to tell everyone who thinks Sydney’s nightlife is dead that they couldn’t be more wrong.
Joji opened in the second half of 2024 at 388 George Street, on level five. It’s the first foray into the bar world for the Esca Group, though their CV is strong, with Middle Eastern, Martin Place-diner Aalia, pretty-and-pink Nour, modern Japanese spot Ito and pan-Asian restaurant Lilymu under their wings.
The inside is polished and glamorous, with warm lighting, earthy tones, a shiny silver DJ station, sleek wooden bar and plush curved booths. There’s indoor seating and a wraparound terrace, and on this warm evening, I reckon that’s the ticket. It’s also apparent that Gucci may be out of stock because every bag in Sydney is here.
The cocktail menu draws from the Japanese principles of simplicity, imperfection and creativity. My pick is the Geisha, made with fresh yuzu gin, nashi pear, passion...
August 2025 update: Three things are front and center at Bar Copains, the eternally pumping wine bar on the corner of Albion Street in Surry Hills. And those are extremely delicious plates of food, a strong wine list and all-round good times. Sure, it’s hard to get a seat, but if you do, those crisp nuggets of shredded pork topped with a zingy sauce gribiche and pickles will make all the effort worthwhile. I mean, I love Bar Copains so much I came here on my most recent birthday. Make sure you also check out its sibling venues Bessie's and Vin-Cenzo's. But come here first.
Read on for our review of Bar Copains
*****
✍️ 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.
It’s about as difficult to define 'cool' as it is to pin the tail on the donkey blindfolded after a coupla Negronis. Crocs were not but now they are; laughing emojis are (apparently) not; and even the humble burrata looks like it’s on its way out (RIP). If it’s difficult to define, it’s even more challenging to manufacture, as the action of trying to be cool is very much uncool. When you see cool, you just know. And that’s exactly what will happen if you stroll into Bar Copains, Surry Hills’ new friendly neighbourhood wine bar.
'Copains' means 'friends' in French, which is an apt name for this gem by longtime mates and chefs Morgan McGlone...
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✍️ 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.
I’m sitting in The Seidler Room with a glass of bittersweet, amber-hued Amaro della Donna Selvatica from Italy’s Piedmont region, and I don’t want to leave. For one, it’s absolutely bucketing outside – one of those wild, sideways-rain storms – and I left my umbrella at home. The plush-carpeted, mid-century-inspired part of The Wine Bar – an ode to Austrian-Australian architect Harry Seidler – feels intimate, classy and cosy.
But mostly it’s because the night has been so good that I don’t want it to end
It’s been a big time for 25 Martin Place. Last November, the building welcomed The International, a three-in-one mega venue by hospo group The Point, who are behind the Architectural Digest-worthy Shell House, the energetic Dolphin Hotel, Orange’s Hotel Canobolas and the can’t-wait-for-you-to-open Fort Denison venue. The mega establishment is located in the wings of Seidler’s iconic skyscraper, the heritage-listed MLC Centre, and right next door to his mushroom.
Walking up the stairs feels like an event in itself – like you’re heading to something special
I first see the outside courtyard, a 60-seat space filled with butter-yellow curved chairs, snow-white umbrellas and afterworkers. If the brief was balmy-afternoon sipping and snacking, they’ve nailed it....
✍️ 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.
Update: Choose your fighter at Old Mate’s Place. Do you want to settle in the vintage-style bar with comfy leather booths, dozens of old books, and a twinkling chandelier? Or race to the sky-high rooftop, compete for one of the in-demand tables, and bask in the sunshine and glory? Wherever you go, it’s sure to be a hit. And say ‘hi’ to Old Mate for us, please.
– Avril Treasure
Read on for our review of Old Mate’s Place from 2019 by Pat Nourse.
*****
One hundred and two steps. Rooftop bars are not for the faint of quad. But all that thigh-burning just primes you for the reveal: swing open the door at the top and there you are, in a lushly planted oasis in the Sydney skyline. A smiling bartender hands you a VB throwdown while you flip through the menu. A bowtie is slung around their neck unknotted, Rat Pack-style. It might only be a quarter past six down on street level, but up here, it’s always time to take it easy.
Flip through the list: there’s smarts enough behind the smiles to handle whatever classics you might fancy. And where bars on rooftops in other parts of the world might call to mind sun-bleached bottles of Bombora and lychee liqueur, the back bar at Old Mate’s is quite a different matter – the arrangement of malts, Caribbean rums and fine...
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✍️ 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.
No website. No phone number. Not even an Instagram. Just a clutch of glowy, slick-haired, well-dressed Sydneysiders sipping wine and waiting for a table with the determination of a 10-year-old chasing a Labubu. That’s when you know you’re onto something good. And Paradise, the new wine bar on the corner of Roslyn Street and Ward Avenue in Potts Point, is better than good. That’s because it’s the latest from two people who know what they’re doing: Gio and Enrico Paradiso – the brothers who, alongside Marco Ambrosino, co-founded Sydney staple Fratelli Paradiso back in 2001, before going on to open another hit, 10 William St, in 2010.
Just a few months in, Paradise is already humming with big European energy and Potts Point cool. Groups of friends spill onto the sidewalk, glasses of orange wine in hand. Couples snack on crusty baguettes and nutty cheese. There’s a vibey buzz in the air. I don’t know if there’s a better street corner to be on come Saturday night. Though, a waitlist would be good.
The vibe
It feels cliché – even lazy – to write I’m in paradise at Paradise, but that’s really how I feel with salty snacks, chilled vino and great conversation backdropped to a golden peach sky. As well as alfresco seating, inside you can opt to sit at the bar or at...
The Gidley burger has got a lot of attention this year – it was named the world’s ninth best burger by the World’s 101 Best Steak Restaurants – so it’s no wonder it’s something that’s attracted people to The Rover, since they started serving it up, too. But that’s not all that draws people to this neighbourhoody cocktail bar. The Rover has a lot going for it. The fisherman’s pie, for one (more on that later).
The Rover is a dimly lit cocktail bar in Surry Hills’ Hollywood Quarter (the section of Sydney named the coolest in 2024 by Time Out). If you go to this little intersection of Cambell and Foster Streets, you know you’ll have a good time – perhaps dinner at Pellegrino 2000 across the street, then drinks at The Rover. Or just skip Pellegrino altogether and eat your way through The Rover’s delicious menu, with a couple of cocktails or some wine.
My friend and I start with the burger, of course. It’s double-beef patties made from Riverine sirloin chain meat; Coppertree farms retired dairy cow chuck and brisket, dry-aged at the in-house butchery at one of Liquid & Larder’s other steak venues, Alfie's. Basically, these guys know their meat (as well as Alfie’s and 24th best steak restaurant in the world, The Gidley, they also run Bistecca).
The milk bun is perfectly round on top like in the photos; it looks polished, almost shiny, and we don’t really want to have to cut it in half. They’re thin, smash-style patties – crowd-pleasing because they’re not served rare like they...
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✍️ 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.
The Bat & Ball Hotel is named for its proximity to the Sydney Cricket Ground so, since 1929, it’s been an obvious stop on the way to a game there or at Allianz Stadium. It’s also been known, at times, as a live music pub. But in more recent times, after losing its rep for championing live music, it suffered a bit of an identity crisis, even changing its name to Parkside Bar for a bit. As far as I could tell, it was no longer the type of pub you’d bother going out of your way to get to. After all, it's in the kind of out-of-way end of Redfern/Surry Hills – on the high-traffic corner of Cleveland and South Dowling Streets. Thankfully, the pub has now been taken into the loving hands of five passionate friends – friends who know what they’re doing when it comes to running a boozer.
There’s Zac Godbolt, the creative director and co-founder of Enmore Country Club and Doom Juice. Rachael Paul, the previous venue manager of beloved neighbourhood spots The Sunshine Inn and Golden Gully. Cameron Votano, the co-owner and executive chef of BTB Kirribilli and Lowkey. And Daniel McBride and Dynn Szmulewicz, the owners of The Little Guy and the previously mentioned Enmore Country Club and The Sunshine Inn. It’s been a long-time dream for the five friends to own a pub...
✍️ 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.
40Res is the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it small bar of our dreams. I blinked and I did miss it cycling past in a blur on my e‑bike after finishing work on a recent Friday evening. Despite consulting my map app, I found the darling little wine bar thanks to its atmospheric outdoor lighting festooned between the branches of a tree, just like ornaments. It also gets a glowing report for its soft sepia‑toned lighting inside.
You'll find 40Res tucked away down a side street (40 Reservoir Street, for those playing along at home) in Surry Hills just a short stroll from Central Station, away from the hubbub of Crown Street and the wow factor of the new Wunderlich Lane. And it’s all the better for it. Low‑key. Lo‑fi. Laid‑back. Lacking pretension. Luverly.
A proper little neighbourhood wine bar
Josh Raine was executive chef at Tetsuya’s for six years and was recently the inaugural chef‑in‑residence at the acclaimed Canvas at Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art. 40Res is the first venue owned by Raine alongside general manager Keliann Zellman, and together they’ve recruited Michael Tran (ex‑The Bellevue and Clove Lane) as head chef.
Both chefs honed their skills in Michelin‑starred restaurants in England, so it’s no surprise the wine bar has quickly become a fixture for...
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We spot the candy cane umbrellas first. Red and white striped, they stand tall out the front of Woolloomooloo’s historic Old Fitzroy Hotel. The three-storey brick and butter building looks well-worn yet strong – which makes sense when you consider the Old Fitz is around 150 years old. The pub is surrounded by leafy green trees, punters are out the front knocking back cold ones, and today it’s glowing in the spring sunshine. Just from the exterior, you can tell the old boozer has more character and charm than a new opening could dream of.
Fun fact: The Old Fitzroy Hotel is the only remaining theatre pub in Australia (it’s found out the back and down the stairs). Locals have been coming here for decades to see some of the most interesting and cutting-edge theatre in the country, overseen by Red Line Productions who look after the whole shebang. Our arts & culture editor tells us just last week she saw two of Australia's most legendary cabaret artists – Paul Capsis and iOTA – perform in a reimagining of absurdist classic The Chairs directed by trailblazing director Gale Edwards. Impressive.
Inside, touches of ritz and old-world glamour are juxtaposed with grit and grunge. Sparkling chandeliers drip crystals from the intricate pressed-tin ceiling, and portraits of Australia’s most famous playwrights dress the walls. The furniture is mis-matched, the carpet crimson, and you can tell there’s been many a rollicking late night within those walls. We wish we were there.
A friendly...
✍️ 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.
Suspend your reality for a moment. Imagine it's 1980s Australia and you're a True Blue Bruce. This is truly your time. On the cusp of its five-year birthday, Hawke's Brewing Company, the brewery co-founded by former prime minister Bob Hawke, has thrown open the doors of a flagship venue, housed inside its newly built 2,100 square-metre brewery in Marrickville.
Dubbed the Bob Hawke Beer & Leisure Centre in honour of the company’s late namesake, the club is a cathedralesque space adorned with enormous brew tanks, museum-like pool rooms, and a nostalgic RLS-style Australian-Chinese bistro from one of Sydney's top chefs.
The venue is delivering a full service bar, fronted by ten taps pouring Hawke’s core range beers, plus a rotation of new “One Hit Wonder” limited release styles. The addition of the venue’s Chinese-Australian bistro rounds out the Leisure Centre’s quintessential '80s-pub and community club experience. If your mind is immediately cast back to your childhood of sizzling black bean steak, honey prawns, san choy bao and deep-fried ice cream – in this case, an equally '80s-tastic Vienetta – you're spot on.
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Developed by chef Nic Wong (Cho Cho San,...
More bartenders should sport double-breasted dinner jackets. More cocktail bars should play jazz hits and lounge covers at conversation-enhancing volume. And more hosts should welcome guests as eagerly as owner Stefano Catino does at Maybe Sammy.
The first impressions come hard and fast at the latest outing from the team behind Maybe Frank, tucked away on the fringe of the Rocks. It’s a polished affair bathed in Golden Age glamour — blond wood, white marble, grey-green leather stools, plush rosy banquettes — but there’s plenty of substance to back up the style. Creative director Andrea Gualdi has assembled one of Sydney’s most pedigreed squads of shakers and stirrers, and their commitment to quality is apparent in almost every glass.
Start with a Mini. At ten bucks, the pre-batched, half-sized cocktails are a clever primer. Opt for the Frank, a convincing riff on a Boulevardier that's bitter and subtly sweet, or a clean and classic Martini (either vodka or gin) that’s just the right level of wet.
Most of the crowd seems to spring for creations from the 'Signature Selection'. Named after bygone Vegas casinos, they’re a fruit-forward bunch of people-pleasers. The Bonanza delicately balances Bacardi 8 with peach wine, pear and yuzu, while green apple freshness emerges from the mix of tequila, mezcal and sherry in the New Frontier.
From there, it’s anyone’s game: big-ticket bottles of Champagne kick off a concise and considered choice of wines; Brooklyn Lager comes from the...
✍️ 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.
It’s just after 9pm on a Monday and three thoughts come to mind. First, Joji shimmers as much as the jewellery found below in the Cartier flagship store. Second, the DJ’s seamless transitions from funky house to disco beats are on point. And third: wow, there’s a line of people waiting to get a seat inside the city’s newest rooftop bar. On a school night. I suddenly feel an urge to tell everyone who thinks Sydney’s nightlife is dead that they couldn’t be more wrong.
Joji opened in the second half of 2024 at 388 George Street, on level five. It’s the first foray into the bar world for the Esca Group, though their CV is strong, with Middle Eastern, Martin Place-diner Aalia, pretty-and-pink Nour, modern Japanese spot Ito and pan-Asian restaurant Lilymu under their wings.
The inside is polished and glamorous, with warm lighting, earthy tones, a shiny silver DJ station, sleek wooden bar and plush curved booths. There’s indoor seating and a wraparound terrace, and on this warm evening, I reckon that’s the ticket. It’s also apparent that Gucci may be out of stock because every bag in Sydney is here.
The cocktail menu draws from the Japanese principles of simplicity, imperfection and creativity. My pick is the Geisha, made with fresh yuzu gin, nashi pear, passion...
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August 2025 update: Three things are front and center at Bar Copains, the eternally pumping wine bar on the corner of Albion Street in Surry Hills. And those are extremely delicious plates of food, a strong wine list and all-round good times. Sure, it’s hard to get a seat, but if you do, those crisp nuggets of shredded pork topped with a zingy sauce gribiche and pickles will make all the effort worthwhile. I mean, I love Bar Copains so much I came here on my most recent birthday. Make sure you also check out its sibling venues Bessie's and Vin-Cenzo's. But come here first.
Read on for our review of Bar Copains
*****
✍️ 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.
It’s about as difficult to define 'cool' as it is to pin the tail on the donkey blindfolded after a coupla Negronis. Crocs were not but now they are; laughing emojis are (apparently) not; and even the humble burrata looks like it’s on its way out (RIP). If it’s difficult to define, it’s even more challenging to manufacture, as the action of trying to be cool is very much uncool. When you see cool, you just know. And that’s exactly what will happen if you stroll into Bar Copains, Surry Hills’ new friendly neighbourhood wine bar.
'Copains' means 'friends' in French, which is an apt name for this gem by longtime mates and chefs Morgan McGlone...
✍️ 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.
Where does one start when reviewing one of the most recognisable restaurants in the world, and arguably, Sydney’s most famous? I could set the scene with gravitas and list all the A-list celebs who have dined at this coastal Italian fine diner over the past two decades since its 2002 opening. Mick Jagger, for one. Chris Hemsworth, Oprah Winfrey, Matt Damon. Mee-crow-wah-vay goddess Nigella Lawson said it’s her favourite restaurant in the whole world. I could also begin by noting that trailblazer and Icebergs’ owner Maurice Terzini reopened the clifftop restaurant in 2022 after a seven-month renovation, with a fresh look, a new dining room and a swish glass seafood counter, pointing to the fact that the Bondi institution is not resting on its laurels. But I’m going to start with the view, because really, that’s why we’re here. It’s impossible to overstate just how beautiful it is.
Walking into Icebergs is like stepping into a calming sea of blue.
There are cool greens and ocean blues and turquoise. And that’s just in the room, which overlooks Bondi’s golden beach and that famous aqua pool. The combination of the waves crashing, the clinking of glassware, the hubbub of diners and sound of a piano, plus that million-dollar view, makes you feel good in an...
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✍️ 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.
I’m sitting in The Seidler Room with a glass of bittersweet, amber-hued Amaro della Donna Selvatica from Italy’s Piedmont region, and I don’t want to leave. For one, it’s absolutely bucketing outside – one of those wild, sideways-rain storms – and I left my umbrella at home. The plush-carpeted, mid-century-inspired part of The Wine Bar – an ode to Austrian-Australian architect Harry Seidler – feels intimate, classy and cosy.
But mostly it’s because the night has been so good that I don’t want it to end
It’s been a big time for 25 Martin Place. Last November, the building welcomed The International, a three-in-one mega venue by hospo group The Point, who are behind the Architectural Digest-worthy Shell House, the energetic Dolphin Hotel, Orange’s Hotel Canobolas and the can’t-wait-for-you-to-open Fort Denison venue. The mega establishment is located in the wings of Seidler’s iconic skyscraper, the heritage-listed MLC Centre, and right next door to his mushroom.
Walking up the stairs feels like an event in itself – like you’re heading to something special
I first see the outside courtyard, a 60-seat space filled with butter-yellow curved chairs, snow-white umbrellas and afterworkers. If the brief was balmy-afternoon sipping and snacking, they’ve nailed it....
✍️ 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.
No website. No phone number. Not even an Instagram. Just a clutch of glowy, slick-haired, well-dressed Sydneysiders sipping wine and waiting for a table with the determination of a 10-year-old chasing a Labubu. That’s when you know you’re onto something good. And Paradise, the new wine bar on the corner of Roslyn Street and Ward Avenue in Potts Point, is better than good. That’s because it’s the latest from two people who know what they’re doing: Gio and Enrico Paradiso – the brothers who, alongside Marco Ambrosino, co-founded Sydney staple Fratelli Paradiso back in 2001, before going on to open another hit, 10 William St, in 2010.
Just a few months in, Paradise is already humming with big European energy and Potts Point cool. Groups of friends spill onto the sidewalk, glasses of orange wine in hand. Couples snack on crusty baguettes and nutty cheese. There’s a vibey buzz in the air. I don’t know if there’s a better street corner to be on come Saturday night. Though, a waitlist would be good.
The vibe
It feels cliché – even lazy – to write I’m in paradise at Paradise, but that’s really how I feel with salty snacks, chilled vino and great conversation backdropped to a golden peach sky. As well as alfresco seating, inside you can opt to sit at the bar or at...
Advertising
✍️ 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.
Update: Choose your fighter at Old Mate’s Place. Do you want to settle in the vintage-style bar with comfy leather booths, dozens of old books, and a twinkling chandelier? Or race to the sky-high rooftop, compete for one of the in-demand tables, and bask in the sunshine and glory? Wherever you go, it’s sure to be a hit. And say ‘hi’ to Old Mate for us, please.
– Avril Treasure
Read on for our review of Old Mate’s Place from 2019 by Pat Nourse.
*****
One hundred and two steps. Rooftop bars are not for the faint of quad. But all that thigh-burning just primes you for the reveal: swing open the door at the top and there you are, in a lushly planted oasis in the Sydney skyline. A smiling bartender hands you a VB throwdown while you flip through the menu. A bowtie is slung around their neck unknotted, Rat Pack-style. It might only be a quarter past six down on street level, but up here, it’s always time to take it easy.
Flip through the list: there’s smarts enough behind the smiles to handle whatever classics you might fancy. And where bars on rooftops in other parts of the world might call to mind sun-bleached bottles of Bombora and lychee liqueur, the back bar at Old Mate’s is quite a different matter – the arrangement of malts, Caribbean rums and fine...
The Gidley burger has got a lot of attention this year – it was named the world’s ninth best burger by the World’s 101 Best Steak Restaurants – so it’s no wonder it’s something that’s attracted people to The Rover, since they started serving it up, too. But that’s not all that draws people to this neighbourhoody cocktail bar. The Rover has a lot going for it. The fisherman’s pie, for one (more on that later).
The Rover is a dimly lit cocktail bar in Surry Hills’ Hollywood Quarter (the section of Sydney named the coolest in 2024 by Time Out). If you go to this little intersection of Cambell and Foster Streets, you know you’ll have a good time – perhaps dinner at Pellegrino 2000 across the street, then drinks at The Rover. Or just skip Pellegrino altogether and eat your way through The Rover’s delicious menu, with a couple of cocktails or some wine.
My friend and I start with the burger, of course. It’s double-beef patties made from Riverine sirloin chain meat; Coppertree farms retired dairy cow chuck and brisket, dry-aged at the in-house butchery at one of Liquid & Larder’s other steak venues, Alfie's. Basically, these guys know their meat (as well as Alfie’s and 24th best steak restaurant in the world, The Gidley, they also run Bistecca).
The milk bun is perfectly round on top like in the photos; it looks polished, almost shiny, and we don’t really want to have to cut it in half. They’re thin, smash-style patties – crowd-pleasing because they’re not served rare like they...
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Beauty and convenience don’t always go hand in hand, but Opera Bar is a glam exception to the rule. It manages to be both one of the most enviably located bars in the city as well as its most advantageous spot for a pre-show drink. On the day you snag a seat facing the Harbour Bridge up on the raised promenade you should go buy a lottery ticket, because lady luck has smiled on you. The tables up there are prized for scenic boozing the way a hilltop fortress and a cellar full of potatoes are coveted during a siege.
If you want to complete the perfect Sydney Instagram pic with a cocktail they have about a dozen concoctions that favour sweet, fruity, brightly coloured ingredients designed to pop with the right filter. We recommend ordering a classic instead – a Negroni is never a bad idea – but there is no fault to be found with a round of tall, crisp glasses of Peroni, either. In fact, your cash dollars and good times will go a lot further if you stick to the taps that offer Endeavour’s Grower’s pale ale, Little Creatures Pilsner, James Squire 150 Lashes, and the house organic pale ale. You can order high-end pub staples that hover around the $30 mark if you’re stinging for a hot meal, but a night at the Opera House is still a treat worth savouring. Grazing is the optimal snack pace here. There’s a set cheese and meat board on the menu, but it’s worth wandering over to the dedicated small goods counter if you want to pick’n’mix. Given you’re already sipping sparkling by the...
✍️ 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.
The Bat & Ball Hotel is named for its proximity to the Sydney Cricket Ground so, since 1929, it’s been an obvious stop on the way to a game there or at Allianz Stadium. It’s also been known, at times, as a live music pub. But in more recent times, after losing its rep for championing live music, it suffered a bit of an identity crisis, even changing its name to Parkside Bar for a bit. As far as I could tell, it was no longer the type of pub you’d bother going out of your way to get to. After all, it's in the kind of out-of-way end of Redfern/Surry Hills – on the high-traffic corner of Cleveland and South Dowling Streets. Thankfully, the pub has now been taken into the loving hands of five passionate friends – friends who know what they’re doing when it comes to running a boozer.
There’s Zac Godbolt, the creative director and co-founder of Enmore Country Club and Doom Juice. Rachael Paul, the previous venue manager of beloved neighbourhood spots The Sunshine Inn and Golden Gully. Cameron Votano, the co-owner and executive chef of BTB Kirribilli and Lowkey. And Daniel McBride and Dynn Szmulewicz, the owners of The Little Guy and the previously mentioned Enmore Country Club and The Sunshine Inn. It’s been a long-time dream for the five friends to own a pub...
Looking for the best of the best
We scoured the city to find the best drinks, greatest chat, most perfectly crafted playlists, tastiest snacks and top vibes to be had in Sydney. We put our livers and our sleep patterns on the line to bring you, dear reader, a comprehensive guide to the best bars in town.
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