JimAtTheBeach

Hi everyone--will be visiting Sydney in late April and was hoping to get some recommendations as to the best bars & clubs to visit. Arriving on a Sun, in town until Thursday. Woud also greatly appreciate any particularly good restaurant tips (straight or gay). Tried searching recent posts, saw a lot of Mardi Gras threads, but will be there with my boyfriends during a much more sedate time! Thanks in advance. And if I can return the favor for any tips here in Miami Beach, it would be my pleasure!

wiredboy10003

You sound fun!

SFO_Chad

My favorites from the recent Mardi Gras are:

My 2 favorite bars were the Midnight Shift and Beresford Hotel. I enjoyed ARQ a couple of years ago for late night dancing - but didnt hit it this time with everything else going on. The Oxford and Columbian hotels are just fine in my opinion.

As for restaurtants: Spice I Am is amazing Thai. Din Tai Fung has the fantastic soup dumplings (xiao long bao?). Fratelli Fresh in Potts Point had great italian (the carbonara was super yummy).

Have a blast!

JimAtTheBeach

Thanks for the tips! Had also heard about ARQ from an Ozzie I met visiting here in Miami a few weeks ago for Winter Party, will have to check it out.

And yes, it is just the one singular boyfriend I'm travelling with to SYD, but who knows what souvenirs we'll pick up along the way

H_AND_M_IN _LONDON

We did ARQ this year and had a great time....

Did not do any gay bars....

We did find a really lovely little straight cocktail bar in the Surrey Hills called "The Red Door" on Foveaux street. A tiny little basement bar with an awesome and sexy gay cocktail mixologist called cam. He made the nicest yummy cocktails....

Restaurants - we loved Bodegas which is a spanish tapas restaurant on commonwealth street - a really nice local eatery with incredibly intense flavours. We also love Fratelli Paradiso in Potts Point.... no bookings are taken so get there early but really authentic italian food. Service is a little brusque - but only in an italian way.... and some sexy waiters too....

Have fun....

H

davar98

Fratelli Fresh is a small chain of food shops specialising in superb ingredients including fruit and vegetables. There is a location in Potts Point which does have an attached Cafe. But if you are after the best Italian Bistro in Potts Point (Sydney's up-market Gay Town), then go to Fratelli Paradiso. You can't book, but the food is sensational, and the italian waiters skilled, and alluring.

Suggest you order the Sydney Good Food Guide online, or download the app for your iPhone. It catalogues all the best in restaurants and bars in Sydney using a 'Hat' rating system which is very reliable.

JimAtTheBeach

Thanks again. Anybody had any experience at Icebergs in Bondi? Had heard about that one, is it worth checking out?

SFO_Chad

I went both trips ('06 and this March). The view is great and the people watching is amazing. It might be worth it - but it is just overpriced drinks if you ask me.

If the weather is good - go. If the weather is bad - skip. Just my humble opinion.

DCartist

If you want a real treat for dinner - consider the Rockpool Bar and Grill at 66 Hunter St, downtown Sydney. This is the latest Neil Perry restaurant (Neil Perry does menus for QF and its lounges). This is the IN place to go for dinner. Food and service is excellent - anything from coat and tie to casual dress goes. Neat space with 3 story columns. Open kitchen - very trendy. Reservations are needed.

http://www.rockpool.com.au/sydney/bar-and-grill/

We went during MG. On the pricey side, but if you download the menu and wine list and plan ahead you can get by for under $100 per person.

I would recommend for a white wine:

Semillon 01037 2008 Margan, Hunter Valley, NSW $45

Most affordable (and excellent). Wine is their specialty with bottles up to $7,000.

The same owners also have a neat asian restaurant in the basement below Rockpool.

JimAtTheBeach

Thanks, had actually meant to ask here specifically about Rockpool. We're flying down on QF in F, had heard they designed elements of that menu onboard. I take it it's worth it to try the real thing in person in Syndey after the in-flight teasers?

alanslegal

For all things gay ..... head straight to Oxford Street, you can't go wrong at some of the bar suggestions so far like 'the shift' which it is locally known as, and then there are plenty of bars around there as well... including The Columbian which you can't miss.

Other bars I'd recommend, but not so gay focused, would be Establishment, Opera Bar, Blu Horizon Bar, Cruise Bar, Ivy .. dress code for these places is is very smart casual & black shoes. For the more casual approach, bars would be around Cockle Bay (eg. Pontoon Bar, Helm Bar) .. or nearby at King Street Wharf (eg. James Squire) would fit the bill whilst overlooking Darling Harbour.

For restaurant options, you are in Sydney for the great views! Elegant setting but great food would be at the Harbourside Kitchen at the Park Hyatt Hotel Sydney .... with direct views to the Opera House. If you want to be on top of the city, either think of the Summit Restaurant which is a revolving restaurant, or Altitude Restaurant on the top of the Shangri La Hotel Sydney. It's very late to book, but if you can, Tetsuya's is consistently one of the best restaurants in Australia. No views but superb food.

More casual food choices, are scattered around the city..... Chinatown for example serves great chinese food, head to East Ocean Restaurant would be my suggestion. Again King Street Wharf gets a mention with it's variety of foods on offer but to me, think of The Malaya (malaysian-chinese, which is a restaurant I bumped into The Gladiator himself, Russell Crowe one time). Darling Harbour, I'd suggest Criniti's for Italian, try their 1metre long pizzas! Or even Hurricane's for their famous barbeque ribs, full rack no less!

What's more, whever you go, there will be a bar / pub nearby with great atmosphere and lively fun. Good luck with your trip!

seanp7

I'd skip the Midnight Shift.

Columbian & Oxford are both great.

Clubs? There's something upstairs near Stonewall with a younger crowd...forget the name of it, only about a year old. Went in Nov and it was fun.

Restaurants (I've said these before on FT): Longrain for upscale Thai & great Caipiroska's (Commonwealth St, near Oxford), and Bill's for breakfast / brunch.

seanp7

I think it's worth a visit (in good weather) too. If you're not in for the overpriced component, go to the RSL club within for lunch and have steak & beer. Inexpensive, same view. ^

Fritz

Agree about the RSL at Icebergs; same view and great fish and chips as well as decent, cheap wine. And Bondi beach is worth a quick stroll
Otherwise, Rockpool is good and I like the Harbour Kitchen at the Park Hyatt for the view alone. If you want views, Guillaume at Benelong is also great for a drink or a meal as is Doyles (tho it's touristy of course). I also really like the Bathers Pavillion in Manly which has great food and plenty of people-watching (we sat next to Toni Collette when we were last there).

H_AND_M_IN _LONDON

We went for lunch. The view is beautiful. The food is lovely. The service is attentive. The bill large... but we were expecting that....