The Best Bars in Sydney’s CBD
On the hunt for the best tipples our city has to offer? Consult this ultimate guide.
Whether it has been a long day in the office or you’re looking for a night out in the big smoke, the CBD boasts plenty of bars to help blow off some steam. From the underground speakeasy to the panoramic rooftop, we’ve curated the finest drinking establishments our city has to offer.
Get ready to groove in Quay Quarter's hot new venues. Disco Pantera and Tigra, headed by Scottish brothers (and hospo veterans) Gordon and Ross Purnell are now open. Sprawled across two levels on Young Street, they're promising a double dose of good times under one roof. Disco Pantera is an ode to 1970s NYC, serving…
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Due to open this May, Dean and Nancy on 22 will deliver a decadent cocktail experience inside the brand new A by Adina hotel. Just when you thought the team behind Maybe Sammy & Maybe Sammy Jnr. couldn't do any better, they've gone ahead and created yet another unique cocktail experience in the heart of…
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Tucked into the sandstone depths of The Rocks is The Doss House, a new whisky bar. One of our city's oldest suburbs, The Rocks, has just been gifted a brand new small bar with a special affliction for whisky. The Doss House comes oozing in history, former tenants including a bootmaker, boarding house and opium…
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Employees Only brings a slice of the big apple to Sydney with a new bar opening this November. When one of the world's best bars gets set to open a Sydney rendition, it is bound to spark some interest. Employees Only, an alluring speakeasy cocktail joint, first opened in New York in 2004. Since then,…
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Maybe Sammy adds plenty of 1950s glitz and glamour to The Rocks. The Rocks has been gifted a brand new watering hole, and it comes with a particularly talented team in the hospitality realm. Introducing Maybe Sammy, the first cocktail bar from the owners of Maybe Frank. With doors officially opening Wednesday 9th January, Maybe Sammy…
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The ground floor of the much anticipated Shell House has opened. Say hello to Menzies Bar & Bistro. Sydney-based hospitality collective The Point Group is about to open the first level of its new multi-storey venue inside the historic CBD building, Shell House. The hospitality group who also have The Dolphin, Bondi Beach Public Bar…
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Door Knock Sydney, the hidden bar beneath Pitt Street with a French twist Door Knock isn't just a hidden bar; it's arguably Sydney's most hidden bar. If you can find the York Street entrance, venture underground. Follow the unassuming, candlelit hallway and, just when you start thinking, surely this can't be it? You're probably nearly…
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Bligh Street Welcomes Restaurant Hubert There is so much more to creating a unique dining experience than just good food. Wine, music, lighting, seating and the right staff can all make or break a restaurant. There are plenty of great restaurants in Sydney ticking all of those boxes but none quite like the new French…
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It's all about the whisky at Baxter Inn, the new subterranean Sydney CBD bar. They've won countless awards and after almost 2 years running you'll still find a line of people snaking down the dark lane way behind Oxford St dying to get in to Shady Pines Saloon. A simple concept of whisky and shots…
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Inspired by love at first sight built from Mario Puzo's The Godfather, Apollina is a "Sicilian bandits' drinking den" located in the basement of Hinchcliff House. The bar boasts an extensive spirits list, and classic favourites like negronis. There's also delicious twists on Italian cocktails divided into chapters of Apollonia's story.
Half the fun of going to Palmer & Co is the task of finding this hidden, underground bar. Beyond the unassuming door, a debaucherous world of 1920s glamour awaits. Toe-tapping live jazz tunes play five nights a week, with refined cocktails, charcuterie and cheese boards guaranteed to keep you there all night long.
Nestled next to the Grand Brasserie, The Charles Bar brings a sense of neighbourhood into the hustle and bustle of the CBD. It's a chic and moody all-day dining cafe and bar, serving breakfast and long lunches with an impressive 600+ wine list. You can also order cocktails by Jonothan Carr (The Gidley), designed to
Could this be Sydney's smallest bar? This shipping container-sized bar situated just off Clarence Street can accommodate a maximum of 20 people standing at any one time, with not a seat in sight. Head in for the impressive mezcal offering, cocktails and tight snacks list.
This dark mahogany and leather rich bar and rooftop is fast becoming a CBD favourite. Don't be fooled by the fancy, bookshelf lined interior, Old Mate's boasts casual vibes, and a venue that is bound to be a great time.
With a 250+ bottle wine list, focusing on small and unusual wines from around the globe, wine aficionados need to put this cosy CBD bar and restaurant on their list.
83 floors above Sydney CBD lies Bar 83, with a vibrant nod to retro decor. The 70's inspired cocktail lounge rotates a seasonal cocktail menu, featuring locally sourced ingredients. With floor-to-ceiling windows, you can get a 260-degree glimpse of Sydney's stunning cityscape. Relax, unwind and order a drink away from the hustle and bustle of
Walk downstairs into this underground bar and be transported to a vibrant party in the heart of the Caribbean. With rattan chairs and vintage furniture, banana palms and rum flights on offer you're in for some fun at Lobo Plantation.
PS40 is a boundary pushing, CBD bar that should top all drinks lovers hit list. PS40 is renowned for their creative drinks list featuring ingredients you won't find at most other bars, great bar snacks, and awesome hospitality. Plus whilst you drink observe the action of the in house soda making plant.
Tucked alongside Felix Restaurant, you'll find the small intimate bar of Little Felix – a moody French-style cocktail bar with a dark sage interior and bartenders who know how to pour the perfect drink. The cocktail menu is inspired by early 20th Parisian hotels and perfectly paired with bar bites like cheese, charcuterie and truffle
