“You couldn't have a bad time here,” my brother says to me as he looks out to Sydney Harbour. We’re sipping on a chilled Solaré Spritz, fresh and sweet with melon and cucumber flavours, while snacking on bottarga-dusted potato scallops and red prawn crudo with pops of finger lime – all soundtracked to vibey lounge house music. It’s A Perfect Sydney Day, the kind where the harbour shows off with its diamond-like sparkle and you wish your mates from Melbourne were in town. Except we’re not at one of Sydney’s cracking waterfront diners, but at Solaré, the city's first full-service restaurant onboard a 150-foot classic superyacht. Life’s good.
Inspired by sun-splashed Italian restaurants and coastal Mediterranean day clubs, Solaré channels big Euro energy right on Sydney Harbour. The glamorous superyacht sails around Sydney Harbour Thursday to Sunday, with two cruises daily and three different offerings. On the bottom deck is where you’ll find The Dining Room, an upscale space serving a multi-course, seafood-leaning menu ($150 per person) created by executive chef Pablo Tordesillas (ex-Totti’s Bondi) and head chef Nick Mathieson (ex-Bistecca, Otto).
Highlights include mafaldine with tender Moreton Bay bug coated in crustacean butter and chilli; market-fresh fish served with clams, saffron butter, fregola and spring vegetables; and a chocolate cremoso with sea salt and olive oil. You can (and should) opt to begin with fresh oysters, Champagne and a chilled tableside Martini. If you’ve got a birthday, celebration or friends’ catch-up on the cards, this is your spot.
If you feel like a relaxed snack and a drink, head to the Terrace Deck, found on level two and decked out in bold reds and oranges. Sip cocktails in the sun and graze on share plates while a DJ plays non-stop bangers. Upstairs is where you’ll find the Sun Deck, a joyous and fun lounge with a beach-club vibe, complete with big daybeds, an open-air bar and ridiculous views of Sydney’s skyline. Think: Spritzes with a side of harbour breeze and dancing as the sun sets over the city.
“Solaré is about reimagining what’s possible on Sydney Harbour,” said founder Scott Robertson. “We’ve created a world-first – a restaurant, cocktail bar and beach club onboard a 150-foot superyacht designed entirely around leisure. It’s a completely new way to experience the city. We wanted to capture the carefree spirit of the Mediterranean – long lunches, relaxing on a daybed, cocktails in the sunshine, and the simple pleasure of slowing down as you drift between decks.”
Keen to get on board? Don’t blame you. Book your experience at Solaré here.
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