A-list approved date spots in Sydney, from the exclusive to extraordinary
Short on ideas for your next date night? It’s time to play tourist in your own backyard, and explore Sydney with all the wonder of a global pop star or Kardashian encountering a mammal.
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Celeb-spotting may be more likely in the City of Angels, but it’s not to say you won’t ever bump into a film or pop star at your local. Australia is where the rich and famous go to unwind.
With an influx of stars flying into Sydney this summer for the Australian legs of their world tours, we’ve seen the likes of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, Kourtney Kardashian and Pink turn the Harbour City into their personal playground.
Short on ideas for your next date? Whether you’re trying to impress your spouse of many years and the kids, or Tinder match #487 — skip ‘going for drinks’ and give one of these A-list approved outings a go.
Who knows, you could even look up to find a Jonas Brother seated at the next table.
Drinks at Promenade Restaurant Beach Bar, followed by barefoot lawn bowls at Bondi Bowling Club
Kevin, Nick and Joe Jonas popped into the Bondi Bowlo in February — and no one was more surprised than the club’s president.
“Up until today I wasn’t really sure what a Jonas Brother was,” Matty Graham told The Daily Telegraph. “But they turned out to be a great bunch of blokes.”
The group — including Joe’s new model girlfriend Stormi Bree — enjoyed a pub crawl around Bondi that began at Promenade Restaurant and Beach Bar, and ended with a barefoot game of lawn bowls.
Promenade waitress @livebyalexa posted a video to TikTok saying she was able to take a selfie with Nick, and that One Direction singer Louis Tomlinson had dropped in just a few days prior.
Grab a cocktail in the CBD, wash it down with a Big Mac
Tomlinson also did a spot of shopping on George Street, after wrapping up the Australian leg of his Faith in the Future solo world tour in February, and opted for a late-night feed at McDonald’s with Love Island Australia contestant Phoebe Spiller, posing for a photo with a Maccas staffer. Famous people, they’re just like us.
Hear lions roar at Sydney Zoo or order loads of Italian food at Pellegrino 2000
Global superstar and Time Person of the Year Taylor Swift made not one, but two visits to Sydney Zoo in the Harbour City’s western suburbs near Rooty Hill.
The Blank Space singer inadvertently reignited the city’s longstanding zoo feud between Taronga and Sydney Zoo in the process, to much amusement of netizens.
Swift ventured out of her palatial 800 sqm Crown Presidential Villa — currently priced at $38,888 a night — to see some critters solo on Wednesday, February 22nd.
Then she took NFL star partner Travis Kelce on Thursday, even gushing about the experience at the first of four sold-out Eras Tour concerts at Accor Stadium.
“We’ve been 100 per cent of our days off,” Swift told the crowd. “I’m really all about the red panda. I think you guys don’t understand how cool kangaroos are because you have so many. They are so cool, so strong. So bouncy.”
Mosman’s Taronga Zoo first opened in 1916 while Sydney Zoo in Bungarribee is less than five years old.
A Google search shows Sydney Zoo ranked first, followed by Wild Life Sydney and then Taronga Zoo.
“Dude, those things are majestic, man,” Kelce said about his experience of petting a rhino. “You could tell how heavy that thing is and how it could just f--- you up.”
“It was fun. That was a fun one and then we got to enjoy the Taylor Swift show.”
Swift and her opening act Sabrina Carpenter delighted Surry Hills restaurantgoers on their first night in Sydney, dining at Italian restaurant Pellegrino 2000.
“I’m sitting down at the table with my two friends and there was like a big kerfuffle as this lady was coming down the stairs with all her security guards,” one diner Sarah told 2GBs Ben Fordham.
“And my friend turns to me and goes ‘that lady looks like Taylor Swift’ and my other friend goes ‘damn she’s so tall’.
“And then I look up and see Sabrina Carpenter sitting next to her and I’m like ‘oh my goodness it’s her, it’s her’, and we start freaking out.”
The pair spent $620 on the dinner, which included focaccia, olives, and an array of small pasta dishes, according to Kyle and Jackie O’s producer “Intern Pete”, who managed to catch a glimpse of the receipt. They left a generous $300 tip for staff, despite tipping not being expected in Australia.
Sydney’s iconic Luna Park
When was the last time you went on a theme park ride?
Blink 182 drummer Travis Barker and his wife Kourtney Kardashian shut down Sydney’s iconic Luna Park ‘for a private function’ so they could enjoy the park with Kardashian’s two children.
Mother of four Kardashian, sister of Kim, Khloe and Rob, and Kylie and Kendall Jenner, flew into Australia and was spotted at various sites across town.
She and Barker were married in Italy in 2022 and welcomed their first child together, a son, Rocky, in November. Her first three children are from her long-time relationship with Scott Disick.
The reality TV star, 44, brought her children Penelope, 11, and Reign, nine, along for Blink 182’s first trip Down Under in a decade – and the first time in 20 years they’ve returned with the original line-up.
While Barker toured Australia, Kardashian and the kids stayed behind in Sydney to sample the eastern suburbs mum lifestyle.
Play foodie for a day, and try some of the socialite hot spots: Mimi’s in Coogee, Fred’s in Paddington, Tony’s Burgers in Bondi, and Messina ice cream.
Kardashian was also joined by camera crew on a day trip to Palm Beach, who are believed to be filming for new venture, The K Project.
Bike around Sydney Harbour, lunch at Bills, low-key brewery dinner
Sydneysiders often forget how blessed we are to live among some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. So make like Pink, relish in the simple things.
Bike around Sydney Harbour, or go for a beach walk.
The popular singer, Alecia Moore, headed for tourist spot Bondi with her husband Carey Hart and their two kids, Willow 12, and Jameson 6.
“Bills was delicious, too. Soooooooo happy to be back on this side of the world! Thank you beautiful Australia for being our home away from home. Kids are stoked,” she posted about their lunch at Bills Cafe in Bondi.
The Trustfall singer later dined at brewery 4 Pines after Manly Skiff Club made the devastating PR foible of turning Pink away because she didn’t have identification on her.
Cheer on the Swans at Sydney Cricket Ground
Euphoria star and all-round Hollywood "It" girl Sydney Sweeney was spotted alongside an iconic Hollywood actor and leading Australian actress, at an Aussie rules game at Sydney Cricket Ground.
Sweeney, who filmed romantic comedy Anyone But You alongside Hollywood actor Glen Powell last year, wore Swans red and white for the occasion.
She posed for photos with Australian actress Rachel Griffiths and American actor Dermot Mulroney.
The trio was all smiles and arm-in-arm in the grandstand, as the home side smashed Hawthorn Hawks 118 to 37 in Round 2 of the AFL in March 2023.
The White Lotus actress took to Instagram to share a video of the crowd at the SCG as Mulroney cheered and clapped the Swans players making their way onto the field.
“Our first footy game,” she wrote on the post for her 14.6 million Instagram followers.
There were big grins on Swans stars Chad Warner and Errol Gulden as they hugged and posed alongside the Everything Sucks! actress after their win.
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