It's been an excruciatingly long Wait For It but Lin-Manuel Miranda's musical Hamilton – the hip-hop, R'n'B and jazz-infused Broadway mega-hit exploring American revolutionary history – has finally hit the main stage at Sydney's Lyric Theatre. It's the most hotly anticipated show to arrive in town for years and tickets have been selling in the vein of proverbial hotcakes, all the way until August of this year. Whether you've already secured yours or you're waiting on the $10 ticket lottery, we're here to show you how to make an evening of it: where to eat, drink and even nab some dessert after the curtain call.
Pre-show
While a full degustation at Black Bar and Grill might be a little too much pre-show, the venue's elegant bar area is full of more relaxed options. Head over between 5.30-7pm for a wagyu cheeseburger ($22); mac and cheese ($22) or fried chicken ribs with Sriracha mayonnaise ($18).
Seafood-focused eatery Flying Fish is doing a two or three-course menu ($75 or $90 per person, respectively) with appetisers like prawn toast and ocean trout sashimi, mains of Cone Bay barramundi with shisito pepper, breaded John Dory, or barbecue wagyu with braised eschalot and pepper sauce. For a sweet finish, choose from a spectacular Bombe Alaska infused with passionfruit, or a Vahlrona chocolate cremeaux. We're sure Jefferson would approve.
If you're looking for a more à la carte option, Cucina Porto's menu of trattoria classics is inspired by chef Martino Pulito (ex-Morrison Bar and Oyster Room)’s hometown of Puglia: think streetside Italian snacks, light, fresh pizzas and heaped bowls of pasta, all sliding in under $30.
Otherwise, for an elegant, pre-show dinner (you want to make the most of your theatre night outfit, after all) sit down for sashimi platters and fresh hand rolls at Chase Kojima's Japanese fine diner Sokyo. Any of those options should be enough to keep you Satisfied.
Post-show
Phew! You've just been on a true journey through the soaring highs and the heartbreaking lows of the hit musical – and you finally get the hype. Debrief over your favourite songs and which actors you fell briefly in love with over a double scoop from Gelato Messina – go for the chocolate fondant if you're craving some comfort food.
If you'd rather take your time, sit down for a post-show tiramisu at Cucina Porto – and why not order a nightcap, while you're there? Its slinging a four-drink menu of cocktails named after the Founding Fathers: the Madison pairs whiskey with rye and apple cider, while the tart Hamilton combines Guyanese rum with pineapple for an island flavour (and nods to the historical figure's birthplace). The Washington mixes nutmeg with rum and ale for a stuffer drink, while the chic Jefferson tips a velvet hat to New Orleans with its combination of cognac, bitters and an absinthe rinse.