Southern NSW & The Murray
Relax in the Birdhouse's cosy brick-lined interior or make a beeline for the combo of street art and corrugated iron out the back. Check Facebook for…
Must-see nightlife in New South Wales
City Centre & Haymarket
Establishment’s cashed-up crush proves that the art of swilling cocktails after a hard city day is not lost. Sit at the majestic marble bar or in the…
South Coast NSW
Nights get messy at split-level Heyday, an uber-friendly lounge bar and nightclub themed around the roaring '40s, with tiled floors and leather sofas. It…
New South Wales
This friendly old pub in Gulgong exudes character – plants, corrugated iron, open fire and sloping floors – and has decent pub-grub at reasonable prices: …
Newtown & the Inner West
One of many great old art-deco pubs in Newtown, the Marly has a front sports bar with live bands on weekends and a shady beer garden. Head upstairs for a…
Manly
Local brewing concern 4 Pines has set up this handsome double-decker venue opposite the ferry wharf. Some of the beer is brewed here, and you can sip it…
Mid-North Coast
Despite being in a shopping strip, Florian – taking its name from an iconic cafe in Venice – is a welcoming bar with a stylish European feel. Italian…
Hunter Valley
This iconic pub at the road junction in Wollombi is the home of Dr Jurd’s Jungle Juice, a dangerous brew of port, brandy and wine. Sitting out here on the…
Surry Hills & Darlinghurst
Cup of tea, a croissant and a leisurely read of the paper? Not here; this back-to-basics corner cafe does just one thing: coffee. No tables, no food, no…
Sydney
Attached to the restaurant of the same name, casual-chic Icebergs Bar is a brilliant place for a drink. Colourful sofas and ritzy cocktails do little to…
Newcastle
Once the grain and keg store for the old Tooheys beer factory, this rustic bar-cafe is an atmospheric place to refresh yourself with one of the great…
City Centre & Haymarket
No, it's not a themed bar but a real barber's. Walk on past the blokes getting a short-back-and-sides and you'll find a seductive spot peddling gin,…
Byron Bay & Northern NSW
With its lush leafy courtyard garden and dangling fairy lights, this is where you want to be on a balmy Mullumbimby evening. Sip on refreshing cocktails…
Sydney
This Returned and Services League bar ain’t fancy, but with views no one can afford and drinks that everyone can, who cares? The kitchen serves decent…
Sydney
Popular with rich older geezers and block-shouldered rugby union types, the Lord Dudley is as close to an English country pub as Sydney gets. The exterior…
Surry Hills & Darlinghurst
The wood cladding and vaguely piratical theme means you could be below decks on a galleon at this upbeat but cosy small bar. Seriously comfy and…
Surry Hills & Darlinghurst
Lockout laws closed landmark Oxford Street nightclub complex the Exchange, but green shoots have emerged from the ruins in the shape of this lushly…
Darling Harbour & Pyrmont
Occupying what was once one of Sydney's older hotels, this small bar has a pirate theme and a feel of the Spanish Main. It's got plenty of interesting…
Newtown & the Inner West
At heart the Friend in Hand is still a working-class pub with a resident loud-mouth cockatoo and a cast of grizzly old-timers and local characters…
Mid-North Coast
Morphing effortlessly from cafe to bar, this vibrant venue stages an eclectic roster of live music, movie nights and community gatherings. The menu (mains…
Coffs Harbour
Inspired by Melbourne's laneway bars, Dark Arts is set in a nondescript CBD lane with a moody Goth interior and splashes of '80s-style graffiti on the…
Blue Mountains
On the highway, the Alex is a gem of an old pub, with lots of character, including cosy fireside nooks, a breezy dining area and a convivial outdoor space…
Surry Hills & Darlinghurst
Beer lovers can test their palates against the tasting notes as they work their way through dozens of craft beers at this angular old pub. There are…
Newtown & the Inner West
The name exaggerates this bar's skinniness, but not by much. Downstairs the bartenders serve old-fashioned cocktails and some zingy, fruity ones – the…
Darling Harbour & Pyrmont
On the top floor of the Barangaroo House building, Smoke has a most pleasant outlook over the busy comings and goings at the ferry wharf below. It takes…
New South Wales
Craft beer has a home in Armidale now, with this buzzy little streetcorner bar offering its own classic brews, quality drops from around Australia, and…
South Coast NSW
Sharing lovely grounds with the wholesome Oaklands Cafe, the Sapphire Coast's hottest new microbrewery sets a cracking pace on Friday and Saturday when…
Sydney
A renovated megalith on the hill above Clovelly Beach, this pub has a shady terrace and water views – perfect for post-beach Sunday-afternoon bevvies …
City Centre & Haymarket
On hot summer nights, Ryan’s outdoor courtyard is packed with after-workers and travellers launching their evenings. Sexy anticipation laces the air, put…
Surry Hills & Darlinghurst
Bright colours and a reggae vibe…yes, it's a Jamaican-themed bar bringing some Caribbean good times to Surry Hills. Jerk chicken and other tasty dishes…
Byron Bay & Northern NSW
A roastery first and foremost, Old Quarter Coffee sits in an industrial estate, but it's a great place to grab a well-made single origin filter coffee or…
Newtown & the Inner West
Fancy a place where you can sip on a craft beer while your kids play safely and make lots of local friends? This is it. A former bowling club (though you…
Coffs Harbour
The aroma of coffee hits you as enter this vast cafe with high ceilings and hessian sacks of coffee beans lying around. The barista on hand will deliver…
Circular Quay & The Rocks
This casual summer pop-up cabin will infuse you with the picnic spirit as you lounge on deckchairs or on the lawns of the Botanic Gardens. There's a…
City Centre & Haymarket
With great craft beers available in a regularly rotated tap selection, this place should keep you off the streets for a while. Pull up a stool and work…
Circular Quay & The Rocks
All corridors and slightly awkward spaces, this heritage building in the heart of the Rocks is now a rather lovely brewpub with restrained 1920s-feel…
Sydney
Surfers, backpackers and the local cool kids slurp down icy margaritas at this bustling bar at the south end of the Bondi strip. It sports a dark-wood…
Newcastle
With a genuinely convivial vibe and a handsome interior of exposed brick and wooden fittings, this is a successfully characterful refurbishment of an old…
Newtown & the Inner West
Once one of Sydney's most famous gay pubs, this is now a two-level forum for craft beer – there's a huge range of the stuff – and reliable food. The beer…
Manly
With something for everyone, the Steyne is a Manly classic that's big enough to get lost in: it's like a village of its own with various bars and eating…
