Sydney Eat Street: Celebrate New Year’s Eve with great food, drinks
Sydney takes top honours the world over when it comes to celebrating New Year’s Eve and whether you’re by the Harbour Bridge or not, here’s a selection of where to farewell 2019 and welcome in the roaring 20s.
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BAR PATRON
Make your New Year’s Eve a full-on fiesta at this chic authentic Mexican restaurant with passion for Patron.
The magnificent view over Circular Quay is quite impressive but it is food that will really win you over and for a selection of the chef’s faves opt for their special six or eight course set menus ($109pp; $129 pp).
On arrival, you’ll be welcomed with a refreshing cocktail made with Hibiscus granita with Patrón Silver, freeze-dried mandarin and finger limes on arrival.
Follow this with mouth-watering dishes that celebrate South American flavours while featuring native ingredients such as lemon myrtle and bush honey with the dessert plantains or the warrigal greens with the pork belly and mole negro.
Seasonal produce is a standout with the octopus vuelve a la vida topped with a tomato orange and kimchi sauce, samphire, finger limes and avocado or the market fish of the day with crispy tortillas, salsa macha, pickled onions, tomatoes.
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You’ll have a hard time choosing which plate to attack next once the spicy chipotle sous vide duck and black angus short ribs come to the table.
There’s two sitting on the night, the first grants entrance until 9.30pm and has a minimum spend of $150pp the other allows entrance from 9.30pm onwards for $250pp.
DJ’s will be going till late to help you groove into the new year.
— 2 Phillip St, Circular Quay; barpatron.com.au
CRUISE BAR
There are three levels of epic celebrating to be had down at Circular Quay with Cruise Bar’s renowned New Year’s Eve party.
As if the direct view of the iconic Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge weren’t impressive enough, this harbourside hotspot will add even more theatrics to its venue as it channels the fabulous sights and sounds of Carnivàle.
It’ll be a night filled with colour dancing, drinks and plenty more live entertainment. There’ll be two packages on the night: go top tier with VIP tickets (from $399pp) that’ll put you above it all on level 3 with its panoramic view and from 6-9pm, you’ll have three hours of free-flowing champagne from along with canapes such as seared salmon black dashi and wasabi mayo, oysters with ponzu, truffle risotto and even nasi goreng.
General admission tickets grant access to levels 1 and 2 where you’ll be able to dance into the new year with renowned house, funk, pop and R&B DJs, including headline act Ron Carroll (USA), Random Soul, DJ Nino Brown and many more.
From 9pm, along the ground level, there’ll also be food stations with cheese burgers, chicken burrito and truffled mushroom risotto for $10 each.
— Level 1, 2, 3 Overseas Passengers Terminal, Circular Quay West Sydney; cruisebar.com.au/nye
LIGHT UP THE LAKE
It’s a full-on family affair at Grand Flaneur Beach where, once again, Liverpool City Council hosts its New Year’s Eve celebration, Light Up the Lake.
Running from 7pm through to midnight, kids of all ages can enjoy can enjoy an abundance of entertainment including live performances, carnival rides and food trucks galore.
Gates open at 5pm, which gives you plenty of time to tuck into some substantial eats such as dumplings and souvlaki. Performances commence at 7pm.
Come sundown, it’s all about lights, starting off with glow-in-the-dark fairy floss from Fluffy Crunch, a great prelude to the two fireworks shows, 9pm for the earlier lot and midnight for traditionalists.
– Grand Flaneur Beach in Chipping Norton; liverpool.nsw.gov.au/nye
ZEPHYR SKY BAR
At this regal open-air venue with award-wining cocktails, you’d half expect the fireworks display down at Darling Harbour to be part of the design but for this night, the lights, sounds and action are filled with extra frivolity as guests welcome in the new year.
The sleek lines of the curved bar, booth and cream coloured canopy are subtly nautical but clearly luxurious and befitting of their gourmet canapes, dessert table and 4-hour beverage package (beer, wine, sparkling wine) along with DJ entertainment ($399pp) from 8pm to 12.30am.
— Level 12, Hyatt Regency Sydney, 161 Sussex St, Sydney; zephyrbarsydney.com
THE BUTLER
From its lofty and leafy location in Potts Point, The Butler hosts their annual New Year’s Eve dinner party.
Head chef Amber Doig has created a bespoke eight-course shared banquet featuring Ibero-American dishes ranging from Mexico to Argentina.
Take in the stunning city view while enjoying champagne and cocktails while you’re entertained with live music.
There’ll be two sittings for $195pp, optional two-hour beverage package for $55.
— 123 Victoria St, Potts Point; butlersydney.com.au/new-years-eve/
HYDE HACIEDNA SYDNYE BAR & LOUNGE
Party like a rock star with the Hyde Roller Package. You’ll have a designated seating area above the crowd (but close enough to wave to your fans) that affords a stellar view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge across Circular Quay.
Savour two bottles of Dom Perignon champagne, cocktails on arrival, chef platters, seafood towers, canapes and flowing drinks all night.
Even a dedicated staff member to keep the food and drinks coming, which will set you back $10,000 for 10 people.
— Pullman Quay Grand Sydney Harbour, 61 Macquarie St, Sydney; hydehaciendasydney.com/new-years-eve-2019-party/
MANLY WHARF HOTEL
Get ready for two days of waterside partying at the Manly Wharf Hotel’s new decade party.
Hang out on the wharf, enjoy a drink then start dancing away to tunes from local DJs, culminating in an exclusive DJ set from Friendly Fires.
Follow it up the next day with canapes and flowing Chandon and Heineken between 3-5pm, followed by more DJ sets from homegrown heroes Nick Drabble and Stu Turner of Set Mo. Tickets start from $35 (day pass) or $60 for both days.
– East Esplanade, Manly Wharf; manlywharfhotel.com.au
THE BUCKET LIST
Head toward the surf and sand to ring in the New Year with an enviable DJ line-up at this Bondi party hotspot.
“We love NYE at The Bucket as it’s a great place to party if you want to avoid the city congestion,” the venue’s director, Andy Ruwald says.
“You get to watch as the final sun sets on Bondi Beach for 2019 and ring in the New Year at one of Sydney’s hottest celebrations, partying with German powerhouse Lovebirds, local superstar Luke Million and kings of the party Total Giovanni DJ’s.”
And no party is complete without great food such as their crispy Cali Fish Tacos, grilled beef burgers with their special sauce, or crumbed eggplant parmi burger which all go down so well with the SOFI spritz natural wine spritzer.
— The Bondi Pavilion, Queen Elizabeth Drive, Bondi Beach; thebucketlistbondi.com
DARLING HARBOUR
A hub of entertainment, Darling Harbour puts on a pretty spectacular show of its own with two fireworks sessions and plenty of places to eat and drink throughout the evening and into the night.
Along Cockle Bay Wharf at Cafe Del Mar, indulge in their fabulous cocktails and delicious food where International DJ Todd Terry will be on deck.
Baia Italian has a Roman Feast dinner party with canapes, roasts on the spit and desserts from a communal long table ($85pp).
For Blackbird restaurant will be offering two sitting options for dinner, including family friendly ones for those looking to catch the early fireworks at 9pm (from $35pp).
Up at Hunter & Barrel, go hearty with a three-course dinner with of platters, such as crispy pork belly, herbed roasted pumpkin, and beef sirloin skewers with the Huntsmen’s or Kingsmen’s Menu ($149 per adult, $49 per child).
Further along near Daring Square Fratelli Fresh restaurant has a share-style celebratory menu with a two-hour drinks package, including espresso martini, Aperol spritz, and house beers and wines. ($89pp)
— For more details, to go darlingharbour.com
Further up along King St Wharf, Bungalow 8’s Margarita Mansion garden complete with a guacamole station will host a Day of the Dead party featuring international headliners ($29pp).
Head upstairs for and into Bollywood for dinner at Manjit’s Wharf where’ll you’ll be entertained my dancers magicians and DJ from 5-8pm.
George’s Mediterranean Restaurant will also have a VIP package that includes floating canapes and grazing table till 2am.
— For more details, go to kingstreetwharf.com.au
BANKSTOWN SPORTS
Vocalist Monique Montez, The Vallies and The Shy Guys will highlight the evening for this delicious three-course dinner in The Grand Ballroom where you’ll be able to catch the fireworks on the big screen at midnight.
There’ll be tables of 10 with reserved seating and alternate serve entrees, mains and dessert ($130pp, not including drinks). Doors open 7pm, showtime and entree at 7.45pm.
— The Grand Ballroom, Bankstown Sports, 8 Greenfield Pde, Bankstown; bankstownsports.com/new-years-eve
FRANCA BRASSERIE
Find your perfect match this New Year’s Eve at Franca Brasserie where they’ve partnered up with Ruinart Champagne to deliver a gala dinner.
Head chef José Saulog has created a bespoke four-course menu, each dish paired with Ruinart and wines by house sommelier Ambroise Moricea.
There’ll be a live broadcast of the fireworks at midnight then guests are welcome to carry on until 2am. ($495pp).
— Shop 2/81 Macleay St, Potts Point; francabrasserie.com.au