Dazzle your date when you take them to one of these hot new Sydney bars and restaurants. Or rekindle the romance with your partner on a memorable evening out, sipping cocktails on a newly opened hotel rooftop or sharing plates in a buzzy wine bar.
Embrace the skyline
Feel like you’re on top of the world — or at least on top of Sydney — at reservations-only Aster Bar, on the rooftop of the recently refurbished InterContinental Sydney in the city centre. Drink in the uninterrupted views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Opera House and Royal Botanic Garden from 32 floors above the ground. Sip a signature cocktail such as the evocatively named Higher Ground, with tequila, a bitter aperitivo, tonic water and three spiced salts, and nibble on oysters with yuzu and soy dressing or cherry-blossom macaron duck pâté.
Go find Alice
Float down an atmospheric stairwell and pass through rich velvet drapes to discover Alice, a sophisticated cocktail bar in the sandstone basement of a heritage-listed former bond store in the historic Rocks precinct. Sink into a plush velvet-lined banquette and admire the sleek decor before perusing a cocktail menu featuring twists on classic concoctions. Or celebrate a milestone with your loved one with a grand cuvée from the impressive champagne list. Indulge in the bar’s caviar service, or share plates such as scallop crudo with a gin, olive oil and burnt-orange dressing.
Pump up the volume
Share a passion for old-school forms of music with your partner? Bond over the curated LP playlists at Rekodo as you soak up the views of Darling Harbour from this Japanese restaurant and vinyl bar. You’ll find Rekodo on level one of the visually striking Barangaroo House at Barangaroo (look for what appears to be three giant bowls stacked on top of each other). Geek out over the top-shelf audio system as a DJ spins records, with popular musicians curating their favourite vinyl tracks on a monthly rotation. Sip from sake flights, choose a sake-inspired cocktail such as a gimlet made with ginger sake and rose and jasmine gin, or pick one of the 50-plus whiskies on offer.
Feel the heat
Experience a wave of umami flavours as you share a series of memorable small plates at Kiln, on the 18th floor of Ace Hotel Sydney in Surry Hills, on the fringe of the city centre. And feel the buzz of the glass-walled communal dining room as tempting wood-fired creations by chef Mitch Orr, formerly of beloved Italian-inspired Sydney restaurants Acme and CicciaBella, are brought out from the open kitchen. Or soak up the warmth of a Sydney summer night on Kiln’s spacious terraces, which feature retractable ceilings.
Bask in the flavours
Embark on a culinary adventure complete with moody lighting and an inner-city buzz at Gildas wine bar, a few minutes’ walk away from the Ace Hotel in Surry Hills. Put yourself in the hands of chef Lennox Hastie, whose Firedoor restaurant is mere steps away down the side street, and settle in for an evening of incredible Spanish and Australian produce expertly prepared in bite-sized Basque-style snacks, or pintxos. Wow your taste buds with grilled squid with ajo negro (black garlic) and fennel, ‘retired dairy cow tartare’ or the namesake Gilda pintxo of guindilla pepper, olive and anchovy as you sip a sherry or a glass of Spanish wine.
Discover new negronis
Savour the difference a good vermouth makes when you order a negroni at Bar Conte, on Riley Street a block downhill from busy Crown Street in Surry Hills. A café by day and a negroni aperitivo bar by night, Bar Conte was named for the cocktail’s inventor, Conte Camillo Negroni. Take your time choosing between variations of the classic Milano-Torino recipe, spice it up with a Mexican version using mescal, or try a chocolate negroni. Then sip your drink as together you take in the dark green marble bar, chic parquet floors and exposed beams overhead of the cosy space.
Experience electric vibes
Feed on the energy of your fellow guests and the flow of traffic far below as you gaze out to the neon-lit inner-city skyline at the Strand Hotel’s rooftop bar. Soak up the bohemian vibe of this Darlinghurst hotel with its prime position on William Street, around halfway between Hyde Park and the famous Coca-Cola sign at Kings Cross. Nibble on charcuterie or splash out on a dozen rock oysters with ponzu sauce as you sip on a Strand margarita (with coconut-infused tequila) or a thyme and basil daiquiri.
Step back in time
Seize the moment and treat your partner to a spontaneous date night at Bar Louise on Enmore Road, Enmore, a short walk from the heart of Newtown in Sydney’s Inner West. (You can book ahead, but this tapas wine bar also welcomes walk-ins.) Take in Bar Louise Salón de Tapas’s distinctive facade, a pink and mauve shopfront dating back to the 1950s, before settling into your seat and browsing a tapas menu that features plenty of seafood such as kingfish crudo and anchovies from the Cantabrian Sea off Spain, as well as jamón and Iberian-style craft sausages. Sip one of the many aperitifs on the wine list or go with the retro flow with a sherry — there are plenty to choose from.
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