Elizabeth McDonald

There is a lot to get excited about on the streets of Sydney at the moment. The calibre of restaurants making their grand debuts is nothing short of awe-inspiring. While there are myriad restaurants to choose from in our fair city, we've picked our brains and put together a short-list of the ones we think should be top of your hit list.  We hope you're hungry Sydney. Looking for something to wash it all down with? These are the best bars in Sydney right now.

Japanese food fits into the Sydney climate like soybeans fit into their little pods. Subtle, delicate, and fitting for every season, it's little wonder that Japanese restaurants are as easy to come by in Sydney as an ibis in Hyde Park.  And so it’s good that, thanks to all of the incredible Japanese chefs gracing our shores, we know how to do it right. From the sushi roll lunch-run to the full sashimi-laden dego, here’s where to do Japanese in Sydney. Want more? Check out Sydney's best ramen. 

Craft brewing has grown up a lot since pioneering Young Henrys came along in 2012. Gone are the days when small-batch pale ales were shrouded in mystery and looked upon with suspicion; craft beers have made their way into the mainstream, and we are here for it. The Australian beer landscape is now truly world class, and while we’re pretty darn spoiled for choice when it comes to places to drink craft beer in this city, there’s something special about going straight to the source. Fresh is best, after all, and it doesn’t get any fresher than that. From Sydney’s south to the Northern Beaches, there’s always a brewery close at hand – so leave the car keys at home, set aside an afternoon and make tracks to these excellent establishments pouring the top brews in town.  Prefer the pub? Head to one of Sydney's best pubs instead. Yearning for water views? Check out the best waterfront bars in Sydney.

With fragrant, rose-scented desserts, warm spiced kofta and smoky grilled skewers of tender meat, Turkish cuisine is far more than just a late-night kebab or a sad tub of hummus at a backyard party. A huge wave of new Turkish restaurants have been taking over Sydney in recent years, and frankly, we're thrilled with the regional and specific dishes to discover as well as the classics that know no borders.  To make life easy, we've rounded up the best of the best so you can get your fix any time. Can't get enough of Sydney's finest? Check out our picks for the best new restaurants in town here.

Sure, you can't get something good, fast and cheap when it comes to architecture or web design, but when it comes to tasty treats to cram into your face on the fly, Sydney delivers in every corner of the city. In fact, some of our best eating is of the hand-held variety, be it a pastry, something sandwiched between bread, crunchy fried parcels or a little sweetie to cap things off. If you're short on time or money but still want your food to spark joy, these are 45 of the most delicious snacks you can get for under $15. Want to support your favourite Sydney restaurants? Don't forget to vote in our Time Out Bar and Restaurant Revive Awards.  

Nothing says 'who's a good boy' quite like a lush beer garden and a big silver bowlful of water. So, to treat yourself and your pooch, we've compiled a list of the most dog-friendly pubs in Sydney. Bonus points: even if you don't own a hound, you're likely to run into a few of them at these joints. So if you're desperate for a bit of canine bonding, here's where to come to play with other people's pets.  Want more? Here's our guide to Sydney's best dog-friendly beaches.

We’re all too aware that Sydney isn’t a cheap place to call home, but if you know where to look you can find dinner any night of the week for under $15. Whether they're two-for-one pub specials, all-week cheap eats, or require a little lateral thinking, Sydney is awash with budget friendly feasts if you know where to look. Here’s our hit list for frugal dining. Want to squeeze those pennies on date-night? Check out these cheap and free date ideas here. Got a couple of bucks spare? Make it a meal with the 70 best cheap eats in Sydney.  

While the days of hard lockdowns are but a distant memory (for now. Please guys, wash your hands!) since we got bored of reporting on Covid case numbers, we're still required to stay indoors for seven days when that second pink line shows up on your RAT. The "new normal" that we are apprently just doing forever now can be a real bummer when it comes to your weekly date night. There will be no booking of babysitters, no squeezing into some Spanx and heading out for dinner and a movie. But! What there will be, are plenty of fun and sexy activities to keep things spicy when you've got the spicy cough. The stay-at-home orders have played mayhem with our love lives and as for having a successful date night? Let the legs remain unshaved and leave the flattering undies in the washing basket, all is not lost for your 2022 isolation date. We’ve put together a dummies' guide to date night at home so you can bring cupid out of iso and forget about the world (screaming intensifies) for a while. Gearing up for that sweet, sweet freedom? Check out the best things happening in Sydney here.

Make it a French feast at this historic bistro No matter how many restaurants I go to (which is many in my line of work) I will never get over the romance of walking into a "grown-up" eatery. By that I mean, a fancy restaurant where you're referred to as miss/madam, the decor is oppulent and chic, and the menus are leatherbound and, often, written in French. That's exactly how it feels to wander into Beckett's on Glebe Point Road, the new home of Bistro Moncur chef Jeff Schroeter. Set in a historic subterranean bunker of sorts, this relative newcomer is ticking all the right boxes. From elegant and professional service, to delicious French classics and even a grand piano played nightly, Beckett's isn't here to make love to arachnids. An extensive bible of a wine list and thickly clothed tables match the cloched Sydney rock oysters and escargot en cocotte, and will make you feel like a sophisticate of the golden era of Parisian bistros that you were born to be. Photograph: Supplied While you're in the area... Take things down a notch and grab a brew at the Friend in Hand just around the corner. The Glebe ecclectic corner pub has been the watering hole of Glebe locals for decades and for nearly as long, a not-so-friendly cockatoo has been spooking punters with sudden squawks from its perch at the bar. The Friend in Hand is essentially a Slim Dusty song, come to life, and would fit just as well in an outback small town as it is in the inner city.  Photograph: Time Out

From light-as-air crepes to seafood bouillabaisse and rich steak tartare, Sydney has a lot to offer the Francophile. Here’s our ranked list of where to indulge your Gallic side in Sydney, so you can get oh so French any day of the week. Prefer to snack? Try the best places for cheese and wine. Or for something simpler order one of Sydney's best pizzas. Want more top European eats? Check out Sydney's best Italian fine diners.

Whether it’s a simple spaghetti with garlic, oil and chilli, ravioli stuffed to the high heavens, or lovingly layered lasagne, few foods give us the feels quite like pasta. Let’s be real – Sydney’s Italian restaurant game is seriously strong on all fronts, but when the hour calls for carbs, these are the spots that turn flour, eggs and water into small miracles.  Note: we've double-checked that all of our favourite places are open again plating up pasta, but be aware that opening hours may be different at the moment and bookings may be required. Need an aperitivo before you chow down? Knock back a cocktail at one of the best bars in Sydney.

Melbourne may pride itself on its Italian heritage, but Sydney is no slacker when it comes to Italian food. We have amazing delis, high-end purveyors of pasta and a raft of gelato and pastry shops that will keep you riding high on sugar all year long. But it's our pizza game that shines brightest. We know a thing or two about what it takes to make excellent pizza and these are the places that are topping the class with their pies. Hungry for more? Here's our pick of the very best restaurants in Sydney right now.

The beautifully preserved Campbell's Cove in the Rocks has a new kid on the block: contemporary Asian premium dining experience, Luna Lu, joining fellow newcomers Ploos and Bay Nine Omakase, at the waterfront dining destination. Heading up the kitchen is chef Lucas Doan (Mr Wong) who has created a menu inspired by the flavours and favourite dishes of his own Chinese and Vietnamese heritage. The star of Doan’s show is a marble 9 Black Opal striploin with grilled asparagus, and cold-smoked soy and wasabi relish. High-quality Australian ingredients abound on the menu, with oysters from Merimbula, Mooloolaba swordfish, Queensland Moreton Bay bugs, and beef from the Ranger Valley. No Chinese-inspired restaurant would be complete without a live lobster tank, and Luna Lu's takes pride of place right in front of the kitchen. Tankmates of Shark Bay green abalone make good company, made even better after being braised in Japanese sake with whiteseaweed and dashi. Truffle and shiitake spring rolls are a must alongside vibrant pink beetroot and seafood fried rice, the only thing more eye-catching than those spectacular harbour views. Sydney, you little stunner. If you really want to live that luxe life, check out the private dining room, that's fully curtained if you don't want to deal with the riff-raff while you enjoy your meal.  Like your lunch with a side of discretion? Check out the best private dining rooms in Sydney here.

Two former Merivale chefs have opened a high-end yet approachable diner in Castlecrag, serving up raw scallop crudo, lobster pasta, and Siberian caviar with all the trimmings. "Big" Sam Young (Mr Wong, Totti’s and Lotus 2.0) and partner Grace Chen (Est, Queen Chow and Poly) are the pair behind venue, where the emphasis is on luxury. Think oysters, truffles, wagyu beef, live lobsters and salted duck egg yolks, all complete with sexy low lighting and linen napkins, in one of the most unexpected locations. The Castlecrag strip mall is well and truly in the 'burbs and a welcome addition to the north shore neighbourhood. The small menu changes frequently to take advantage of fresh produce, and a little birdy tells us we can look forward to fresh sea urchin and in-season coral trout, steamed with tomato dashi and spinach. S'more is borne of a pandemic scheme whipped up by Chen and Young, when restaurant closures had the two pivot two at-home catering with eye-wateringly expensive produce, and the ethos has transferred to the bricks and mortar version. Alongside $14 wines by the glass you will find Bordeauxs for well over two grand, and the wagyu steaks come from Coal Queen Gina Rinehart's own herd. If you're after OTT dining, S'more had better be on your hit list. Want more of the high life? Check out Sydney's most extreme burgers here.

On Thursday, September 8, the Love Tilly Group are pulling out all the stops to raise funds for R U OK? Day out of their Darlinghurst home, Love, Tilly Devine.  All five of the group's restaurants will band together to bring guest favourites out of retirement like Dear Sainte Éloise's roe boats and Love, Tilly Devine's Japanese Vegemite toasts. Tickets are just $100 and will get you a six-course dinner and non-alcoholic drinks on arrival.  Dishes from the ever popular Ragazzi, Dear Sainte Éloise, La Salut and Fabbrica Pasta will all be on the roster, so this has got to be one of the most delicious ways you can support those among us struggling with their mental health. The groups decision to support a charity whose focus is targeting depression and suicide was inspired by desire to raise awareness of mental health issues affecting the hospitality industry. "We know from experience how challenging working in hospitality can be on one’s mental health," says Matt Swieboda, hospo veteran and co-founder of the Love Tilly Group. "Depression, anxiety and addiction are, unfortunately, not uncommon in the industry, but they’re issues that haven’t always been publicly acknowledged."  Head to the Love, Tilly website here to book your spot. This is a run, don't walk situation folks. If you are struggling with your mental health, help is available. Reach out to R U OK? here.Call Lifeline on 13 11 14In an emergency, dial 000

Over a liquored-up nine days, the Rocks and the CBD will transform into a Negroni-swilling, tequila-sipping wonderland of film, culture and of course, cocktails galore. From September 9-18, the World Class Cocktail Festival will bring the best of the world's small bars (and the most knowledgeable of its boozehounds) to Sydney.  The event, put on by liquor giant Diageo, is set to be a music festival-style bonanza: events will radiate out from the Rocks district and spill over into Newtown and Surry Hills, with some of the world's most innovative bars headlining and a sprinkling of support acts coming along for the ride. No craning your neck or lining up for hours for a taste of your favourites, though. There's set to be enough activity spread throughout the neighbourhood to go around.  Hailing from the world's number one bar, the Connaught's 'Master of the Martini' Ago Perrone will be jetting in from London to create magic with Tanqueray No. Ten at Bennelong, for a one-night-only collaboration that will see the world's best bar meet the world's best view to deliver the world's best Martini. Guests will be served a special menu prepared by the legendary Peter Gilmore, paired with cocktails by Perrone.On the other side of Sydney Harbour, a sparkling whisky lounge brought to you by celebrated London bar Lyaness, hosted by none other than the world's most awarded bartender, Ryan Chetiyawardana (aka Mr Lyan) will come to life. For a few days only, Mr Lyan will transform the Green

Grab your pocket change, gang! Off the back off the success of its pop-up wine and cheese bar, Aldi is back at it again with a food truck serving up super-cheap dumplings for one night only. On Friday, August 12, the Aldi truck will be serving up a takeaway dinner for just $1.44 – that’s a family of four fed for just $5.76. That's a bloody bargain in anyone's book. The truck will be open from 5-7pm (or while stocks last) in the Aldi Bankstown Central car park, with hungry Sydneysiders able to swing by to pick up a box of six delicious dumplings, including fan-favourites prawn gyoza and a tasty new addition, chicken dumplings – all for less than a two bucks.  As if a basement bargain wasn't good enough, all proceeds from the pop-up will be going towards Aldi's national charity partner, Camp Quality, supporting kids facing cancer.  If you live under a rock and happened to miss it, last month Aldi hosted a super-limited run wine and cheese pop-up where glasses of vino were just 83 cents, gin for just over a dollar, and cheese portions for just 90 cents. In these trying times, it's nice when a little spare change can finally go a long way. Check out the full details at the Aldi website. Squeezing every penny? Then you'll love our list of the best cheap eats in Sydney.

Exciting, delicious news ahead: Rosa Cienfuegos of the Tamaleria and Mexican Deli in Dulwich Hill is launching a series of intimate and nostalgic taco nights, celebrating all things about the bite-sized staple. To kick things off and celebrate her partnership with Jarritos, on (Taco) Tuesday, August 16, Rosa will be giving away 50 tacos for the first 50 people that come into the Redfern store. To add to the fiesta, from 6pm there will be live Mariachi performances. After a two-month stint exploring and eating her way through Mexico, Cienfuegos will launch her very own culinary adventure at her Redfern Itacate venue that will explore the flavours, preparation, origin and importance of a variety of tacos. Introducing "Rosa's Taco Journeys", a celebration of Mexican culture and cuisine – inherently intertwined and rich in history. Over six special nights throughout August and September, diners can get involved in a taco making master class.  Kicking off on August 16, learn about the history of the tacos al pastor, then on August 23, the traditional Mayan pork taco of conchinita. August 30 will have the ever popular slow-cooked brisket taco, suadero; September 6 is all about the Guadalajaran quesadilla-style birria taco with goat; September 13 means it's time for tacos de Barbacoa, an ancestral dish that uses an earth oven to slow cook a whole lamb wrapped in agave leaves. The final night of the festival comes on September 20, when you'll get amongst the fatty, unctuous and delic

Located at 60-120 Oxford Street, Oxford and Foley is reinvigorating the street life of the historic precinct, famous for its LGBTQIA+ heritage, awesome bars and funky fashion boutiques, with an exciting new workplace, retail, creative and dining precinct. Slated to open in 2023, works are already underway on the massive three block space. Alongside existing retailers and creative spaces like the Oxford Art Factory, Sandoitchi, Eternity Playhouse, Brix Distillery, Shady Pines Saloon, and Chaco Ramen, the new precinct will have a 75-room luxury hotel, a swathe of new restaurants and bars, and plenty of places to shop 'til you drop. This new development will respectfully integrate into the existing Darlinghurst surrounds while injecting new working, creative, and hospitality spaces to the area. It's just the latest in a huge revamp that has been spreading across the city, where precincts in historical spaces have been cropping up. Oxford and Foley join the ranks of Quay Quarter, 25 Martin Place, Barangaroo, and YCK Laneways, to name just a few. Want to check out the best things happening in Sydney this weekend? We've made a handy list for that.

What Nomad may lack in intimacy, with its cavernous spaces and industrial-chic-cum-Nordic fitout, it certainly makes up for in warmth: by way of food from the heart, friendly service, and enough garlicky aromas to take any first date to a next-level relationship. At the helm of the expansive open kitchen is Jacqui Challinor, who stepped up from sous-chef a few years back when Nathen Sasi moved on to open Mercado. In the time that she has been running the show, the food here has gone from good to great. She fuses her Maltese heritage with the usual Nomad Middle-Eastern flavour to create exceptional dishes – like skewers of chorizo-esque calves' tongue with fresh zingy yoghurt and chilli, or the wood-roasted mushroom and bone marrow empanada, which has all the heartiness of a big squeeze from your nan.  The bold and extensive wine list has always been geared toward the minimal intervention side of things, but a clever balance of more New World numbers means there's something for your wacky friend just as much as there is for your parents if they fancy a crisp savvy b.  Though there's a lot to be said for the larger dishes – such as a take on Portuguese spatchcock chicken, which is more subtle in heat than its charcoal takeaway counterpart, and the marron with charcuterie XO butter – the snacks are where it's at. Nomad has long been famous for its housemade charcuterie, and the selection is truly exceptional. Petuna ocean trout basturma rubbed with dill, Tathra Place duck mortad

We've said to before and we'll say it again: Sydney is obsessed with banh mi. Our love is such a passionate one that loyalties are challenged, pub debates are frequent, and most of us will fiercely defend our favourites to our last breath. One of Sydney's absolute favourites is the tiny and unassuming Marrickville Pork Roll, easily identified by its simple red and white sign and a long queue snaking around the block on Illawarra Road. There are no surprises on the menu here, which is exactly how we want it. Crisp on the outside, fluffy on the inside, the baguette maketh the sandwich, which is loaded with crackling, pork belly and pâté, or shredded soy chicken with all the trimmings. Veggie lovers can also have a killer sandwich on their lunch hour, with salad sandwiches and loads of rice paper rolls to keep you going through the afternoon. These renowned banh mi won't break the bank, with almost everything coming in under ten bucks, and the OG's popularity has even spawned a few offshoots, including another shop down at the newly revamped Quay Quarter.

It ain't easy getting by in Sydney at the moment; with lettuces for six bucks, unrelenting costs of housing and unpredictable and increasingly expensive public transport, it's hard enough for those of us who can work full time, let alone those who are working their way through uni. All is not lost, however, as the food vendors at Broadway Shopping Centre are pulling together to offer students 100 free meals every Tuesday between August and November. Kicking off on Tuesday, August 2, venues like Guzman Y Gomez, Din Tai Fung, Hero Sushi, Zeus Street Greek, Ben and Jerry's and plenty more will be offering eligible folks (that's anyone with a student card) a bit of reprieve with mini chicken burritos, steamed pork buns, avocado rolls and heaps more. All you've gotta do is show your student ID, scan a QR code and fill your tummy. Students who take advantage of the offer will automatically go into the draw to with a $1,000 voucher to spend at any Broadway store. Think of the possibilities! Towels for your sharehouse from Kmart? Bucket loads of the fancy laundry detergent from Coles? More packets of mi goreng than you can poke a stick at! Head to the Broadway Shopping Centre website here for the full list of participants. Feeling the squeeze? Check out our guide to dining out in Sydney every night for less than $15.

When chef Tetsuya Wakuda and his team first swung open the doors of Tetsuya’s back in Rozelle in 1989, it sent shockwaves through the Sydney dining scene. With unconventional textures, exceptional flavours, reverent ceremony and a price tag to match, Tetsuya’s arrived with a splash and secured a place among the best restaurants not only in Australia, but the world. A move to a gated compound on Kent Street in 2000 allowed that luxury to flourish even further. And while Sydney’s palate has done a lot of growing up in the more than two decades since Wakuda set the benchmark, and some of the drawcards of the tranquil fine diner might not be as revolutionary as they once were, there’s still a lot that’s really, very special about Tetsuya’s.  The energy in the space is a statement of intent: this is serious dining for serious foodies, and while the service is friendly and polished (a couple of well-meaning jokes about diners and their phones, patient explanation of dishes and quick answers to the questions we excitedly throw their way), the silent dining room, void of music or conversation above a hushed whisper, feels a bit like walking into an art gallery rather than a restaurant.  The gallery effect is in full swing when the first of eight courses arrives in the form of two perfectly sized, perfectly shucked and super-cold Pacific oysters, dressed in rice wine vinegar, ginger and warm sesame oil. It is clear from the contrast of chilled bivalve and a comforting coating of smoky

There are certain dishes that stick in your head, like a catchy pop tune you find yourself humming for days after hearing a snippet on the radio. These dishes can be few and far between, but when you find one, it’s almost impossible to stop thinking about it. Jane, the little sister to chef Tristan Rosier's Arthur, provides more than one of these catchy dishes. The biggest hit, however, is a super retro recipe reimagined: potato galette. A staple of ‘fancy’ restaurants, potato galette is often underwhelming, a bit naff, and rarely ticks both markers of a completely cooked and smooth interior and crisp and flaky exterior. This is not the case here. Impossibly thin wafers of desiree potato are stacked high, smooth and starch-fused in the centre, with an exterior so buttery, caramelised and crisp that it is reminiscent of a freshly baked croissant. The combination of this textural delight, the umami-packed salted egg yolk on top, and a puddle of whey sauce, satisfyingly thickened from slow cooking, makes for a dish you’ll go back for time and again.  But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. Who is Jane? Jane is the more laidback but equally charming sister restaurant to Arthur, a nostalgic, degustation restaurant just down the road on Bourke Street, named for chef Rosier's grandfather. Jane, an à la carte hole in the wall, resides in former Ume and Bistrode space and is an homage to Rosier’s nanna. While the menu is certainly inspired by childhood memories and dinner parties of yo

If there's one thing that's bound to raise the collective Sydney heartbeat, it's news that the Porteño Group is opening a new venue. This time around, the team is repurposing the former Stanbuli site, which closed back in April 2022. (Don't worry, you can still get chef Ibrahim Kasif's exceptional food over at Nomad's cool little sister venue, Beau.) Now the heritage-listed pink and purple façade will host Bar Louise, a Spanish-style tapas bar, due to open in September. The all-star lineup includes Porteño founders Ben Milgate, Elvis Abrahanowicz and Joe Valore as well as Mikey Nicolean of the Continental Deli. Heading up the kitchen is Marcelo Munoz hailing from the OG Porteño, Bastardo, and most recently, the Continental, with long-time deli veteran and P&V wine legend Melvin Haxaire-Christophe running front of house day to day.  The hospitality pedigree of the group, with extraordinary styling by Sarah Doyle practically ensures that this new venture will bring elegance, top-notch service, great drinks and above all, deliciousness back to the Enmore block. We love Sydney's dining scene, and we reckon you do too. Here we count the ways.

It's happening, it's really happening! Melbourne's famous bakery, Lune, is finally getting a permanent Sydney home. Scheduled for 2023, the purveyors of those buttery, flaky beauties will set up shop in the new Oxford and Foley precinct in Darlinghurst.  The shopping, dining, drinking and working hub is part of a huge overhaul of three blocks between 60 and 120 Oxford Street and aims to reinvigorate the area that was once a vibrant hub for party-goers and the LGBTQIA+ community.  What screams inner-city life more than a boutique pastry shop?  In case you missed it, Lune croissants have been heralded as some of the best in the world, with fans queueing around the block at their Fitzroy and South Brisbane shops. Now it's finally time for Sydney to have its own taste of those unbelievable layered goods. Can't wait until 2023 for your croissant fix? Check out the buttery babies at AP Bakery's Newtown outpost.

The Bureau of Meteorology has this week predicted another wet spring across the eastern seaboard, citing a weather phenomenon known as a negative Indian Ocean dipole. It is believed to be the first time since reliable weather tracking began in the 1960s that the event has occurred two years consecutively.  The Indian Ocean dipole is determined by sea surface temperature differences between the eastern and western Indian Ocean. The climate phenomenon affects rainfall and usually begins in winter. The weather event is caused by warmer waters concentrated eastern Indian Ocean, causing moisture-rich air flows towards Australia. In layman's terms, the rains are coming and they won't stop coming.  The last negative Indian Ocean dipole began in July 2021, the first in five years. This is yet another 'unprecedented weather event', which, if we're being totally honest, is starting to feel like the terrifying new normal. The Bureau of Meteorology said in a statement that "all five international climate models surveyed… anticipate a negative IOD is likely to persist through to November" and that "it also increases the chances of warmer days and nights for northern Australia". In tandem with two consecutive years of La Niña, with a third anticipated for later in 2022, the IOD spells more disastrous weather for states that have already been hit hard. Rain, rain, go away! Well, at least there are heaps of fun things to do in Sydney when it rains.  

Paddington's beloved late-night pit stop, Indian Home Diner has been saved thanks in large part to a mammoth show of support by the Sydney community at large. In case you missed it, a decision was made by Woollahra Council back in April to enforce the diner's trading hours to their DA approved 11.30am-midnight, despite the popular business trading until 3am for the past decade. The diner applied in November 2021 to Woollahra Municipal Council to make their usual opening hours – Friday and Saturday 11.30am to 3am, and Monday to Thursday and Sunday 11.30am to 11pm – official. However, the application was rejected in March 2022. A few reasons were given in the refusal – including that the application didn’t demonstrate satisfactory crowd and litter management, didn’t "protect the amenity" of the adjoining residential properties and is "not deemed to be in the public interest".  The community-focused group Bondi Lines (which became a household name in late 2021 and early 2022 with its real-time updates on wait times for Covid testing facilities) kickstarted a petition to save the beloved eatery, citing that the shop is much more to the community than just a place to get a feed. The funds raised allowed owner and operator Robert Chowdury to stay afloat while the new shortened trading hours were in effect, as well as to cover the costs of appealing the council's decision. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Indian Home Diner (IHD) (@indianhomediner)

What kind of madman would think to stuff a garlic cheese naan with a curry as well as potatoes? More importantly, what drunken reveller at 3am would say no to such a Frankenstein's monster of a feed to soak up the night's sins? For over a decade, Oxford Street post-party favourite, Indian Home Diner, has been serving such delights to weary clubbers until the wee hours, providing an important service as far as we're concerned to the nightlife of our fair city. It would appear, however, that Woolahra Council has others plans, finding that the late-night trading breaches Indian Home Diner's DA agreement. And while this may technically be the case, we're not sure how a curry and kebab house tending to the carby needs of the post-pub crowd really does any harm.  The diner applied in November to Woollahra Municipal Council to make their current opening hours – Friday and Saturday 11.30am to 3am, and Monday to Thursday and Sunday 11.30am to 11pm – official. However, the application was rejected in March. A few reasons were given in the refusal – including that the application didn’t demonstrate satisfactory crowd and litter management, didn’t "protect the amenity" of the adjoining residential properties and is "not deemed to be in the public interest".  The saga feels a lot like history repeating itself in the no-harm-no-foul realm, with parallels to back in 2020 when Enmore's late-night LGBTQIA+ haunt, the Sly Fox had its trading hours slashed when a council do-gooder pointed out t

Though it pains us deeply to report this, Chippendale's favourite smoked-meat masters LP's Quality Meats will close its restaurant doors for good. For eight years, the streets of Chippo have been filled with plumes of delicious cherrywood while chef and owner Luke Powel,l alongside partner and manager Tanya Houghton, served specialty snags, cold-smoked trout, mash and gravy and just about everything you can think to smoke to the eager masses.  A brief closure back in 2020 to revamp the converted warehouse space into a full-on production kitchen began the evolution away from casual fine dining. More recently, chef Isobel Little took over the reins, but the pandemic hasn't made life easy for the team. Fortunately, Sydney's appetite for the famous smallgoods has stayed strong, and the restaurant's closure is an opportunity for production to ramp up out of the Chippen Street warehouse space. In a post on the LP's Instagram, a special shout-out was made to the extraordinary staff, both current and past, who made dining at LP's a seriously fun experience, while citing the difficulties of the last few years. We're so fortunate to have had this incredible restaurant in the Sydney arsenal and are missing it already. Bookings will be closed on August 21, so if you want one last crack, head to the LP's Quality Meats website here to snag a spot. Not ready to say goodbye? Check out the team's awesome pizza parlour, Bella Brutta.

For 18 glorious years, World Bar in Kings Cross was a den of debauchery, house music, random hook-ups and, for better or worse, boozy teapots. Now, in a glorious act of the party gods, a huge new 900-person capacity venue will take its place. The Kings Cross Pavilion comes from the folks behind neighbouring Potts Point venues Maali and Eros, as well as Double Bay's Sinaloa and Meu Jardim in the CBD. As with its predecessor, the Pavilion will sprawl across every level of the Bayswater Road icon, with five separate bars, a bunch of dancefloors, and they're even bringing back those notorious sugary teapots. There will be weekly club nights (please come back to us, Teenage Kicks) and house DJs spinning well into the small hours. Opening on Friday, August 5, the space will echo the Maali and Eros ethos, with a Med-inspired fitout. The following night you can get down to the beats of Melbourne house DJ Somersault. After four years lying in wait, this Kings Cross institution is back, baby!  Can't stop, can't stop that beat? Check out our list of the best dancefloors in Sydney.

One of Sydney's greatest and most historic pubs is up for sale for the first time in over 50 years. The Oaks Hotel in Neutral Bay, famous for its fairy light-covered, 80-year-old English oak tree, beer garden, and general good times, will pass hands from the Thomas family by expressions of interest over $175 million. Now's your chance for that business pitch to Dad, you guys. For 135 years the pub has held a special place in many Sydneysiders' hearts, from the regulars who frequent daily to school leavers getting their first jobs and families looking for a peaceful place to have a pint on a sunny afternoon. Time Out readers proved their love of the hotel when it took out the 2021 People's Choice for favourite pub in Sydney. The Thomas family’s ownership of the hotel commenced in 1975 when David 'Taffy' Thomas acquired the leasehold interest in the hotel, who then passed the pub onto his son Andrew. In the half-century since acquiring the 2,188-square-metre property, the family has lovingly and meticulously upgraded elements of the hotel while keeping the bones of the art deco building intact.  Sydney has an absolute boatload of places to grab a beer. Why not check out our list of other amazing pubs?

It has just been announced Maybe Sammy has collected two prestigious international bar awards at the Tales of the Cocktail 2022 Spirited Awards, held in New Orleans overnight. The slick "hotel lobby bar, without the hotel", which draws its inspiration from the Golden Age of cocktails with overt nods to the Rat Pack, has taken out top spots for Best International Bar Team and Best International Brand Ambassador, Martin Hudak. The Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards is held annually in New Orleans and brings together the best of the best in the booze industry. From distillers to brand ambassadors, bartenders and everyone in between, this highly prestigious award recognises absolute excellence in the field. This is a huge accolade for the Maybe Sammy team, who took out the top bar team spot from a shortlist of four bars from across the globe including Alquímico (Cartagena, Colombia), The Clumsies (Athens, Greece) and Two Schmucks (Barcelona, Spain), Maybe Sammy were selected as the best of the best when it comes to bar talent from an international bar. The collective experience, professionalism, hospitality and consistency of service combined with the delivery of high-quality cocktails from the Maybe Sammy bar team was judged to be the best. Maybe Sammy co-founder Martin Hudak, brand ambassador for Mr Black Spirits, was awarded Best Brand Ambassador, an accolade recognising an international bartender whose creative use of brand communication combined with personality has the m

As far as breaking news goes, we think we can file this one under the "duh" category, but Sydney has just been voted the eighth best city in the world for beer drinkers, beating out sud-guzzlers of Berlin and Manchester. In a global study conducted by Hey Discount in the UK, based on breweries per capita, it's been found that the Harbour City is up there with the best of them.  As we Sydneysiders know, it's hard to go thirsty when you've got a craving for a frothy one. Our craft brewery scene is top-notch, so it's no surprise (but still nice) that we've been recognised for our fondness of a cold one. The top spot went to Edinburgh, which probably played a hand in the Scottish city taking out number one in the Time Out Best Cities in the World index, with Vancouver named as runner up.  Want to see what all the fuss is about? Check out Sydney's best craft breweries here.

Ok folks, it's time to open the party vault and share your wildest stories from messy nights at Frankie's Pizza by the Slice. In a call out on the late-night den of iniquity's Instagram, the good folks at Swillhouse want the fun, frantic, and often loose stories to live on after the bar's demolition at some point later this year, which will make way for a new Metro station. While previously reserved for toilet graffiti and hushed tones when Mum's not listening, now is your chance to get it off your chest, relive the bad old days, and share your memories of everyone's favourite pizza parlour. While "memories" might be generous, given the strange time-warp that punters seem to enter whenever they descend the Hunter Street steps, a loosely-detailed project is in the works to ensure the party doesn't go down with the ship. Whether it be that time you accidentally ate two pizzas by yourself, your favourite mosh pit, an eye-opening beer or other things that cannot be written here for legal purposes, Frankie's (and the rest of us, tbh) want to hear all about it. Note: the post is public and your stories are to be submitted as a comment on this here post, so might be safest to fire up the Finsta if you're particularly concerned about your political future. So far, local legends from Double Deuce have shared their pants-free stories, and even former staff have weighed in. So what are you waiting for? Grab a beer and spill the tea. Like it loud? Check out our favourite places in Sydney

In a post announced on Instagram, Chippendale favourite Automata is set to close for good come December. Head chef and co-owner Clayton Wells said of the move: "I always wanted to walk away from Automata when I still loved everything about it... I always move onto the next challenge once I have something just how I like it." After seven highly successful years, the doors will close on December 17 of this year. The restaurant won Time Out's 2016 restaurant of the year award and has been a citywide favourite for some time. The fun, low key fine-diner is all about being approachable while serving outstanding food, and that high energy is reflected in their snappy two-hour degustation and friendly service.  Wells says he's excited to take on new challenges and explore new opportunities and while we're sad to see Automata go, we are confident that we'll see great things to come from the acclaimed chef. Snap up one of the final bookings at the Automata website here.    Feeling sad and hungry? Head over to our list of the 57 best restaurants in Sydney right now for the best kind of pick-me-up.