Get out and about this summer and experience the best new Sydney venues.
Sydney’s hospitality industry has proved incredibly resilient during 2020, and these new openings are a testament to that. From casual wine bars to Middle Eastern charcoal chicken joints, discover the best new Sydney venues to add to your bucket list.
Above Par, CBD
Above Par is the brainchild of Turkish-natives Topuzlu and Sefkatli who both grew up in Istanbul and met in Sydney. Wanting to bring affordable Middle Eastern eats to the heart of the Sydney’s CBD, this proves the pair’s first joint restaurant venture (bringing together their extensive experience across venues such as The Factory Grind, Four Seasons, Hyatt and Marriott across Sydney). Find out more here.
Atomic Beer Project, Redfern
Meet Atomic Beer Project, the newly opened venue from the crew behind WA’s Gage Roads Brewing Co. Finding its home in Redfern, this new venue is a microbrewery, brewpub, co-working space and Pan-Asian restaurant. Find out more here.
Arms Length, Redfern
Straddling the border between Redfern and Surry Hills, Arms Length finds its home in a bustling area of the inner city. At this friendly neighbourhood spot, expect a wine bar-style menu of share plates and a few substantial options. Find out more here.
The Bagel Co, Surry Hills
Situated on Reservoir Street in the ever-trendy foodie hotspot of Surry Hills, The Bagel Co is a sun-drenched, hole-in-the-wall eatery with a whole lot of heart. Find out more here.
Banksia Bakehouse, CBD
If you’re looking for some of the best-baked treats Sydney has to offer, make sure to swing by the exciting new CBD opening, Banksia Bakehouse. Set at 225 George Street (in Grosvenor Place located blow Rosetta by Neil Perry), Banksia Bakehouse hopes to be the city’s go-to cakes store with a selection of sweet and savory baked goods on offer. Find out more here.
Borrachos, Leichhardt
Meet Borrachos, the new taco-slinging Mexican cantina located inside Leichhardt’s Crowbar. This new spot delivers top-notch authentic Tijuana-style tacos, crafted using hand-pressed tortillas. In fact, everything served at Borrachos has been made from scratch in-house using fresh, seasonal ingredients. Find out more here.
Calita, Bondi Beach
Meet Calita, the new beachfront Mexican restaurant coming to Bondi this November. This 26-seat marisqueria (seafood restaurant) is rubbing shoulders with established dining rooms including Sean’s Panorama and Bondi favourite Porch and Parlour. At Calita, expect fresh, sustainably sourced local seafood to be the star. Find out more here.
Chi by Lotus, Barangaroo
Meet Chi by Lotus, the new dining concept from the Lotus Dining Group. Finding its home on the ground level of International Tower One, this casual new eatery delivers sweeping harbourside views and a fun, relaxed menu to the heart of the city.
Chi by Lotus takes inspired by the bold, colourful markets of Beijing’s Ghost Street, bringing the best of Chinese street food to the shores of Sydney. Arriving just in time for the festive summer season, this lively new spot will be the perfect place to celebrate this summer. Find out more here.
Esteban, CBD
Swinging open its doors on October 27th, Esteban is the second venue for the Atticus Hospitality Group. Finding its home inside an old printing shop, expect an innovative menu of authentic Mexican dishes to take you from street-food inspired bites all the way to larger share plates. Find out more here.
Finders Distillery, St Leonards
Finding it’s home in a converted industrial unit in St Leonards, Finders Distillery is headed up by Aussie duo Kyle and Georgia. After successful careers in engineering and fashion, the pair decided to make a dramatic change in 2016 by resigning from their jobs, selling almost everything they owned and set off for a 2 year round the world trip. During their adventures abroad, the pair found themselves drawn to distilleries and local produce, which is where the idea for Finders Distillery was born. Find out more here.
Forrester’s, Surry Hills
This beloved local watering hole has reopened following a $1.5 million renovation. Earlier this year, the team from the Applejack hospitality group (responsible for the likes of The Botanist, SoCal, The Butler, Bopp & Tone, and more) took ownership of the Forrester’s. They wanted to deliver a community-focused pub with a trio of drinking and dining spaces housed within the one venue. Find out more about this exciting reopening here.
Hendricks Cognac & Wine, Crows Nest
For Crows Nest locals Jakob Overduin and James Knight, opening a Cognac-fuelled bar in the suburb felt like a natural decision. The pair are co-owners of local creative advertising agency The Shed Agency, and now the duo behind Crows Nest’s newest small bar, Hendriks Cognac & Wine (both of which occupy the same building at 29 Holtermann Street). Find out more here.
Henrietta’s, Surry Hills
Henrietta is the new Middle Eastern-inspired charcoal chicken eatery landing in the heart of Surry Hills. Swinging open its doors in early July, Henrietta is the latest project from sister venue Nour (in fact, the venues are located right next door to each other on Crown Street). Finding its home in the space formerly occupied by Pizza E Birra, the spot is owned and operated by Ibby Moubadder and Jorge Farah. Find out more here.
Mountain Goat Brewpub, Newtown
Meet Mountain Goat Newtown, the first Sydney brewpub from this established Melbourne craft brewery. In fact, Mountain Goat is one of Victoria’s first craft breweries and has been slinging delicious craft brews from their inner-Melbourne brew pub for over 20 years. Find out more here.
Nighthawk Diner, Alexandria
The story behind Nighthawk’s first brick-and-mortar outpost began in the thick of COVID restrictions. With bookings canceled and their trucks parked, the team started a ghost kitchen in Alexandria to keep their business going. Now, they’ve complete a big reno on the space to create a dedicated spot for dine-in lunch and dinner as well as takeaway eats. Find out more here.
Pilgrims, Bronte
Say hello to Pilgrims Bronte, the new vegetarian cafe that has swung open its doors in recent weeks. Well-traveled foodies will probably be familiar with the name. In fact, the spot was opened by eastern suburbs locals Ashlea, Jade and Ben Quigley, along with their partners Nick Bardetta, Luke Stewart and Deb Quigley, all of whom were big fans of Pilgrims Milton (a long-standing coastal diner). Find out more here.
The Pines, Cronulla
Meet The Pines, the new coastal dining experience now open in Cronulla. Set just footsteps from North Cronulla beach, this airy new restaurant will be the perfect spot to sip your way through leisurely long lunches this summer. With sweeping views of the coastline, The Pines takes its name from the famous Norfolk Pine trees that line the vista below. Find out more here.
Pocket Pita Pop-up, Neutral Bay
For over 12 years, the site was home to Neutral Bay’s beloved wine bar Firefly. The spot was frequented by guests looking for a delicious drink and eats, and sadly closed its doors earlier this year. But now, the space is home to an exciting new dining concept: Pocket Pita Pop Up. Find out more here.
LILYMU, Parramatta
Meet LILYMU, a contemporary pan-Asian restaurant now open in Parramatta Square. This new dining room, created by the crew from Nour and Henriettas, is combining influences from China and South East Asia with an innovative Asian-inspired menu. Find out more here.
Mary’s On Top, The Lansdowne
Meet Mary’s On Top – the new rooftop bar-meets-restaurant opening atop the historic Lansdowne Hotel. Expect a raw, no-frills beer and burger bar serving up both the Mary’s meat and vegan alternatives on the rooftop overlooking our glorious city. Find out more here.
Meu Jardim, CBD
It’s not hard to spot Meu Jardim, located down Skittle Lane in the heart of the CBD. This glowing futuristic oasis looks like a scene straight out of Blade Runner, with the restaurant aglow with neon lights and glossy white pearl finishes. The venue is the latest project from restauranteur Ussi Moniz Da Silva, helping to bring this epic $4.1 million fit-out to life. Find out more here.
The Mayflower, Darlinghurst
Introducing The Mayflower, a new luxe cafe that has just landed in the heart of Darlinghurst. If you’re searching for a beautiful dining experience, look no further than this luxe new spot. The Mayflower finds its home inside a converted 90s Art Deco space (once home to a florist), which has now been lovingly renovated into a lush cafe setting. Find out more here.
NOMAD, Surry Hills
While not exactly a new opening, we couldn’t help but share the news that NOMAD is returning to its original Surry Hills location this spring. Find out more here.
Sopra, Potts Point
It’s been just over a year since La Bomba landed in the heart of Potts Point, bringing Mediterranean-style drinks and dining to the inner city. Now, the suburb has just welcomed an exciting new venue from the same husband and wife duo Nick Stone and Aparna Gehlot with the opening of Sopra bar and restaurant. Find out more here.
The Sporting Globe, King Street Wharf
The Sporting Globe is a popular and loved Melbourne institution with 15 venues down south, originating in Geelong. But now, The Sporting Globe has taken advantage of open borders and has crossed from Victoria to New South Wales to arrive in Sydney just in time for the silly season.
Boasting the title of Australia’s first sport and brewpub, The Sporting Globe is a huge venue with a 4 Pines microbrewery inside, 50 screens to watch every sport you could think of, booths and tables for families and friends, and also a huge beer garden overlooking the water on King St Wharf. Find out more here.
Sugarlane, Lane Cove
Fans of Coogee’s Sugarcane will be delighted to find the same much-loved flavours available from their new Sugarlane outpost at The Canopy, Lane Cove. The new venue emulates the Eastern Suburbs favourite laid back dining style but with its own stylish touches and outdoor area overlooking the beautiful park.
Pull up a seat outside to catch the last of the sun as you take a peek at the vibrant sharing menu. As you decide, choose from a delicious selection of signature house cocktails like the pomegranate margarita ($20) or choose from their list of local and international wines and beer. Find out more here.
The Sunshine Inn, Redfern
The crew from Golden Gully have taken over the ex-Redfern Continental digs, opening a gastropub, cocktail lounge and dining room. Find out more here.
The Villa at The Longueville Hotel, Lane Cove
While a visit to California’s Palm Springs may be off the cards for 2020, step foot on the deck of the Longueville Hotel’s Villa, and the fun, tropical holiday vibes will transport you there. The popular outdoor terrace underwent a glamorous facelift earlier this year, and it’s well worth a visit. Find out more here.
Vini Divini, CBD
Say hello to Vini Divini Wine Lab, the new CBD wine designed for good food, delicious wine, and great company. This new spot hopes to bring Sydneysiders together with a place to transport yourself to the sweet life – ‘la dolce vita’. Since swinging open its doors earlier this month, the wine bar has proved itself a major attraction at the revitalised Wynyard Park Precinct by Brookfield Properties. Find out more here.