Sydney’s Best New Bars

In the five years since New South Wales relaxed its liquor laws, Sydney has seen many new bars open. Often staffed by enthusiastic owners, and with an emphasis on customer service, they have given new vibrancy to Sydney’s bar scene.

Bulletin Place

When Tim Philips–voted best bartender of 2012–opens a cocktail bar with partners Robb Sloan and Adi Ruiz, it’s going to be good. With its emphasis on fresh produce, and a drinks menu that changes daily, you won’t find commercial fruit syrups here. Freshly juiced or pureed mangoes, figs, apricots, grapes and quince from local suppliers are all likely to put in an appearance. Bulletin Place is all about the cocktails, but you’ll find a selection of wines and beers here too. The service is personal, the cocktails matchless, and this bar is one of the top new places to go in Sydney.

Tapavino

Next door to Bulletin Place you’ll find Tapavino, a sherry bar which serves a selection of tapas. In this bar, spread over two floors, owner Frank Dilernia is happy to give the newcomer to sherry the benefit of his expertise. With over two hundred wines on hand, pick your favourite tapas and he’ll be able to recommend you a sherry to complement your selection. You’ll be spoiled for choice foodwise, too, with over fifty items on the menu. Work on three or four dishes to share between two people. Tapavino claims to be the first sherry bar in Australia, and it’s certainly proving a big hit.

Mojo Wine Bar

Mojo Wine Bar, in Danks Street, is the headquarters of restaurateur Luke Mangan. One of a chain of restaurants across Australia and the Far East, this bucks the trend for the small owner-run bar, but it warrants a visit for the food and decor. This is another tapas bar, but with an urban vibe. It is themed around a New York warehouse look, with graffiti covering one wall, caged lighting and concrete floors. The tables and seating echo the industrial style, and the overall feeling is of casual chic. Patrons sitting at the bar can watch the Mangan test kitchen prepare the food, which is designed for sharing. While other wine bars may have a more extensive wine list, the ones on offer here are selected to complement the food, and give the customer plenty of choice.

Frankie’s Pizza

If your tastes run more to pizza, beer, and rock and roll than tapas and jazz, Frankie’s is your place. Follow the flashing neon sign down to the Hunter Street basement bar and you’ll find yourself in the food area, where they serve pizza and nothing but pizza. Out back there is a bar, with the usual selection of wines and spirits, and a list of bottled and cask ale and beer that runs to several pages. 70s and 80s rock music plays, though unobtrusively, and a row of pinball machines complete the vintage feel. This bar is popular with cool youngsters and the pin tables and music are older than most of the clientele.

The Wild Rover

It seems nowhere is complete without an Irish bar these days, and Sydney hasn’t escaped the invasion. The Wild Rover has taken over an old warehouse in Campbell Street. Downstairs it’s a traditional Irish pub, with comfy armchairs, big wooden tables and bench seats. Upstairs big windows give a lighter, airier feel perfect for a relaxed drink with friends. The drinks selection has something for everyone, from draught and bottled beers and stouts, wines and cocktails, to a range of Irish whiskeys. The food is hearty and tasty, as you’d expect from an Irish pub.

Wherever you go in the city these days, you’re likely to find a new bar, and many are targeting a particular niche, whether it’s in food, drink or atmosphere. And with many airlines providing cheap flights to Sydney now, it’s easier to get out there and enjoy the nightlife of this unique city firsthand.

About the Author

Brad Riley is a freelance writer and craft beer enthusiast.