Sydney bars with the wow factor
These fresh city watering holes deliver designer cocktails with spectacular views.
Bar 83, Sydney Tower
The Jetsons. I Dream of Jeannie. Mad Men. There’s a little bit of them all in the retro stylings of Bar 83 on the 83rd floor of Sydney Tower. It was a good call by the designers. The lipstick-red and sunflower-yellow seating and bright gold accents need to be bold to compete with the real star of the room: the 360-degree panorama of Sydney. The bar, along with revolving restaurant Skyfeast and the higher-end Infinity restaurant, are part of a push to make this central city landmark less of a tourist trap and more appealing to locals. It mostly succeeds; the cocktails are fine, the snacks are good and the service is great, but the prices are a reminder you’re paying a premium for the view. Then again, considering there’s nowhere else to see the Harbour Bridge, Bondi and the Blue Mountains in one spot, it’s probably worth it; bar83sydneytower.com.au.
TWR at Crown Towers Sydney
Sydneysiders can be wary of developments that fiddle with their skyline, particularly if it’s near the harbour. The new Crown Towers, currently operating sans casino, certainly makes a statement, rising from the shore at Barangaroo like a shiny, twisting pen. Whatever you think of the exterior, it’s difficult to fault what’s happening inside. TWR (The Waiting Room) is a luxury hotel lobby bar, complete with acres of marble, elegant herringbone motifs and a glossy baby grand piano. The indoor space feels cosmopolitan, as you’d expect from lauded New York design team Meyer Davis, while the patio, with its lush trees, plush couches and views to Pyrmont Bay, is distinctly Sydney. The wine list leans local with an excellent selection from some of the more under-the-radar regions such as Canberra and Gundagai. The steak tartare, the classic dish served at any hotel bar worth its chopped cornichons, is very good; crownsydney.com.au.
Terrace Bar at Little National Hotel
Not many people would choose a hotel because of the appeal of its common areas. That might change when visitors and staycationers find out what’s at the top of Sydney’s 230-room Little National Hotel, above Wynyard Station. The top-floor lounge, library and bar is an unexpectedly spacious indoor/outdoor venue featuring soft sofas, work desks, lots of greenery and a chic circular gas fireplace for winter. The view is of nearby highrises, which could feel claustrophobic; instead, it brings an inner-city sophistication to the experience. Drinks and snacks are served from 7am til late and there’s even a microwave for those planning to work here all day and have the foresight to bring lunch. The area is accessible only to hotel guests but there’s a sneaky workaround: a $105 day-rate includes access to a hotel room and the Terrace Bar from 10am to 4pm; littlenationalhotel.com.au.
The Roof Top at Cruise Bar
If there’s ever been a moment to spend time at Circular Quay, it’s now. The usual throngs of tourists and the view-hogging cruise ships are nowhere to be seen, and the area is being reclaimed by locals. The Roof Top at Cruise Bar has changed tack from being a space reserved for special events, and is opening to the general public from 2pm til late, Thursday to Sunday. It’s a relaxed afternoon spot to watch the ferries shuttle in and out of the wharves, especially for patrons who get there early enough to secure one of the outdoor sofas in front of the bar windows. From 11.30am Wednesday to Sunday, the bar on the ground floor has excellent Opera House vistas and plenty of that clean, salty breeze international visitors come a long way to savour; cruisebar.com.au.
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