If opening a cafe attached to a landmark harbourside location doesn't come with enough pressure, the owners of Oh Boy at Andrew (Boy) Charlton Pool even managed to squeeze some nostalgia on its menu.

At the tail-end of the menu is its version of the post-swim treat enjoyed by a generation of young pool visitors, the Sunnyboy. But being the 21st century, and Sydney, the remake is delivered as an orange and ginger sorbet.

"Childhood memories are some of our inspirations," co-owner Emma Marshall tells Good Food. "When we were [planning] the menu we were looking at Mediterranean, but there's so much wonderful Australian food. So we decided to go local and sustainable."

With Eatable magazine editorial director Lisa Featherby onboard as menu consultant, Oh Boy serves a chicken schnitzel on old-school white bread and minute steak is served with Vegemite butter.

Barramundi is matched with a fennel and preserved lemon salad and green almond sauce. The crumpets are from Merna, and LP's Quality Meats provides the smallgoods.

Emma and Adam Marshall have built a sizeable empire of waterside venues at their Bird & Bear Group, which includes Foys Kirribilli and Mosman Rowers as part of their food fleet, but it's difficult to top the location of its newest site, perched above the iconic pool on Woolloomooloo Bay.

And they've delivered an inclusive medley of a menu, which flits between cornflake cookies, cheese jaffles for the dog-paddlers and an espresso martini for post-swim seniors.

"Our objective here is to become the locals' new local and the pool-goers' ritual. This is a landmark Sydney location but we want it to feel familiar and relaxed," Emma Marshall says.

Open daily 7am-4pm.

1c Mrs Macquarie Road, Sydney, birdandbear.com.au