HAPPY HOURS
GET SET FOR THE BEST $20 HAPPY HOUR DEALS IN SYDNEY
NOVEMBER IS YOUR MONTH TO DINE AROUND
A month-long festival of happy hours, long lunches and bottomless brunches is hitting the suburbs of Surry Hills, Potts Point, Darlinghurst and Woolloomooloo in Sydney’s inner-east.
November 1-30, will see over 40 mouth-watering $20 deals across local pubs, bars, restaurants and cafes during the golden hours of 5-7pm.
Dine around and discover a different venue and offering. Each day, salivate over everything from hot wings to pizzas, pasta, burgers and Japanese combined with craft beers, wines, spritzes and jugs.
$20 doesnt go far these days and HAPPY HOURS brings back some good time value with a reason for locals and foodies alike, to explore our iconic neighbourhoods. Why not experiment and discover a new favourite or two?
After work, shuck to your heart’s desire with $2.50 oysters at Riley St Garage; devour burgers and fries + beer at Stonewall; down some margaritas and tacos at Lil Darlin Bar; Feast on steaks and schnitzel deals at Kings Cross Hotel; start your night with an Espresso Martini and empanada at Lilly and Bee; or a gyoza and Sapporo at Goros; beer and fried chicken or cheeseburger at Jangling Jacks; truffle and cream pasta with wine at Giul’s, gourmet cheese and paired wine at Grove Bar; pulled pork slider with fries and schooner at East Sydney Hotel; Highball and waffle at Eileen’s Bar; 12-inch pizza + beer at Ching-A-Lings; French pate + shiraz at Bon Vin; rock oysters and Prosecco at Bar Nina; Ceviche and wine at Beast & Co… to name a few!
The best and most loved venues in the area go above and beyond within the golden hour of 5-7pm - a chance to get excited about a quality offering and absolute value for money!
Also keep an eye out for Lunch-time and All-day deals including Breakfasts and Bottomless Brunches and Drag Brunch dates with entertainment. Well known foodie hot-spot Stanley St and new micro-precinct HQ Sydney in Surry Hills are also offering irresistible menus. If you want to venue-hop $100 is adding up to a great experience in the ‘hood!
This November makes no excuses - it’s the month to drop into that bar or restaurant you’ve always wanted to explore!
Find the $20 deals HERE
Find more information HERE
CASA MERIDA BOTTOMLESS
Tequila tastings, half-price margaritas and bottomless fiestas star at Casa Merida the brand new Mayan cocktail bar and restaurant in Kellett St, Potts Point.
Tuesdays from 5pm to 10pm, you’ll find two-for-one tacos and half-price Patron margaritas and palomas. Book in for tequila tastings paired with a limited edition menu of Yucatan-inspired dishes on Thursdays from 5pm to 10pm and settle in for an all-day bottomless fiesta on Fridays and Saturdays from 12pm - 12am. Every fiesta will have live Latin and world music, including Mexican singer, dancer and harpist Victor Valdes, and Tulum inspired beats by Mexican DJs.
PICCOLO BAR
Piccolo Bar, a tiny little hole-in-the-wall cafe has been in the same spot in a Kings Cross back-street since the 1950’s when long-time owner Vittorio Bianchi was a newly arrived immigrant waiting tables. Many stars famous and infamous have passed through here*, Vito became the owner and was a fixture in the neighbourhood - still waiting tables, having a chat with locals, knitting scarves and passing comments on the passing trade with his acerbic wit.
Covid came along and amongst a prolonged lockdown, locals thought that the shuttered cafe was destined never to open again. But now a new chapter dawns in the life of Piccolo Bar - reopened as our Aperitivo bar & diner, playing Euro tunes and with an updated look that somehow has managed to retain the charm and vibe of the old bar. It’s a little slice of Europe that evokes the authentic Kings Cross vibe.
This space does great cocktails, limited but tasty food options, doesn’t take bookings, and is busy every night. Opens every day, except Monday, from afternoon till midnight.
*David Bowie!
Also fans of RAKE, this is Cleaver’s breakfast cafe with the flat above
VIVID
The bright lights are back with VIVID reigniting Sydney once again. Think light shows, installations, talks, performances and bright ideas!
Whilst the main event is happening in and around the CBD, Eastside venues have some great offers for pre and post VIVID experiences.
light up cocktails at THE WINERY
Try some of the best craft brews in town in this locals favourite and bar with an industrial vibe and cool crew to match.
Drop in between 5-10pm for a Cheese and Charcuterie board with a beer or wine for $49 or add an extra drink (for 2 people) $55. As Vivid lights up the skies and buildings they light up our drinks. Try the cosmic light inspired beer list as you watch the interactive beer bottle led light display, across the whole of the bar area, inspired by the VIVID night time glow.
1/137 Oxford St, Darlinghurst
Pink Guava Imperial Sour at bitter phew
VIVID NIGHTS are coming to life at Alibi Bar every night with three new cocktails, discoverable only to those in the know via blue light. Ramping up the experience every Thursday – Saturday evening, enjoy hidden cocktails and plant-based bites to the tune of Under Control DJs. It’s the perfect spot for pre or post-Vivid drinks.
Ovolo Hotel, 6 Cowper Wharf Roadway, Woolloomooloo
ALIBI cocktails
Look into the NOMAD window and see the amazing LED light display design especially for VIVID. Come inside and Indulge in NOMAD's Caviar Course $100 per person for a limited time only - the perfect pairing of Champagne & Caviar. Featuring a serving of Polanco Grand Reserve Oscietra Caviar, crème fraîche, hash brown + a glass of Michel Gonet ‘6g’ Brut, Blanc de Noirs Champagne, it's the ultimate addition to your NOMAD feast.
16 Foster St, Surry Hills
champagne and caviar at NOMAD
Follow our laneway path and discover a magical glamping experience…
Grab your pals, sip on cocktails and enjoy an intimate grazing experience in a cosy glamping tent. Indulge in our four-course shared tasting menu for $69pp. Take it up a notch with beverage pairings for an additional $39pp.
Throughout Vivid, enjoy $10 Lightbulb Spritzes in different flavours! Mango and vanilla / Rum and mint / Vodka and orange / Vodka, rose and lychee / Gin and grapefruit /
285A Crown St, Surry Hills
GLAMPING AT THE WINERY
Enjoy your drinks with glow-in-the-dark ice cubes and straws, as you feast on a late weekend brunch (finishing at 5.15 just in time for VIVID lights) just a short walk across the Domain into the city.
55 Riley St Woolloomooloo
RILEY ST GARAGE banquet
ET AL
et al. is a small restaurant on Llankelly Place, a bustling laneway joining Kings Cross to Potts Point. It’s the culmination of two hospitality die-hards joining forces to create a place that they would love to go to themselves - Apolline Tomasevic, chef and Stephen Craig, waiter.
The restaurant is casual, down to earth and fun but also created with the highest standards for food, service and creativity in mind. It’s also a good place to go for a long lunch or dinner, with seating inside and out, and caters equally well to singles, couples and groups. The laneway is a passing parade and great for people watching whilst eating their delicious food.
dinners - wednesday to sunday : lunch - saturday + sunday
Llankelly Place Potts Point
POTTS POINT BOOKSHOP
A beautiful and beautifully curated bookshop, with every staff member knowledgable and full of book tips, whether buying for yourself or a gift (free wrapping available too). Stocking classic and contemporary fiction, biography, history, art, photography, design and cook books. Also, have a surprisingly large selection of children’s books from board books for babies to teenage fiction and everything in between.
First and foremost, a community bookstore. a place where readers of every kind are welcome. They host a range of special events, author talks and book launches to keep everyone entertained. Also host a series of book clubs, for lovers of literary fiction and crime novels.
In their own words “it’s all about sharing our love of great books, and that will never change - we love literature and we love talking about it….”
14 Macleay St, Elizabeth Bay
BECKER MINTY
Becker Minty owner, Jason Minty started his career on-board QANTAS and hasn’t lost any of his love for jet-setting around the globe … now he’s buying up items for his fabulous Potts Point design store.
From Paris to Las Vegas and everywhere in between Jason’s discerning eye searches out art, furniture, lighting, fashion, and jewellery. Australian designers and artists are also well represented in store too. There’s also a revolving display or artists work both in the store and the annex round the corner on Macleay St.
Becker Minty is popular with architects, designers and stylists - those arbiters of style who know a good thing when they see it.
Prices range from aspirational to affordable - you could deck out your whole penthouse apartment, find a new artist to love or come home with a fab Trudon candle or vintage brooch. It’s worth a browse!
7, 81 Macleay St (enter via Manning St) Potts Point
SYDNEY WORLD PRIDE
Sydney World Pride is on its way! Coming to Sydney in February 2023,
Sydney will be hosting WorldPride in 2023 and its going to be a big deal! The theme for the festival, GATHER DREAM AMPLIFY.
“We want people to gather here, on the lands of the oldest surviving culture on the planet, to listen deeply. We want people to dream of the future they want and collectively work together to make those dreams a reality. We want to ensure that new voices and perspectives are amplified….” says Ben Graetz, Festival Creative Director, First Nations.
So far plans have been made for landmark events like the Opening and Closing Ceremonies (currently slated to take place in The Domain with 25,000+ attendees), First Nations Gala Concert, a world class Human Rights Conference, and the festival closing party at Bondi Beach (10,000+ partygoers). All with local and international headline artists.
There will also be a Pride March across the Sydney Harbour Bridge with over 50,000 participants – the largest pride march to ever be held in Australia.
Sydney WorldPride spans 17 Feb – 5 Mar 2023, during the usual Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras season. Mardi Gras Festival events will be held within the overall Sydney WorldPride program, including Fair Day, Parade, Party, Laneway and more. More announcements are being made regularly so make sure you check www.sydneyworldpride.com/events.
MOTHER’S DAY
Looking for a lunch option, without leaving the ‘hood? Here’s our top picks for you and mum this Sunday.
Show mum a good time with a Chin Chin feast. Dig in to the mother of all menus – choose from $88pp or $135pp Feed Me Menus and devour all your favourites like Kingfish Sashimi and much more. To keep the celebrations flowing, $11 Piper-Heidsieck champagne and Mother’s Day cocktails will be pouring all day.
11am till late : $88 or $135 pp book here
69 Commonwealth St, Surry Hills
Beloved by its locals, The Old Fitzroy is a pub, brasserie and theatre all rolled into one. Recent renovations haven’t changed the look of the place but a change of chef has certainly changed to food on offer. Mother’s Day set lunch from head chef Anna Ugarte-Carral includes ricotta with grapes, roast chicken, and fig tart. Plus a complimentary glass of bubbles on arrival for mum too.
midday -4pm : $60 per person
129 Dowling St, Woolloomooloo
Show mum a good time with a Chin Chin feast. Dig in to the mother of all menus – choose from $88pp or $135pp Feed Me Menus and devour all your favourites like Kingfish Sashimi and much more. To keep the celebrations flowing, $11 Piper-Heidsieck champagne and Mother’s Day cocktails will be pouring all day.
11am till late : $88 or $135 pp book here
69 Commonwealth St, Surry Hills
If mum prefers a vegan option you cant go past Potts Point’s YELLOW. The set menu is available at lunch and dinner and includes snacks and a five-course individually plated tasting menu. The vegan tasting menu changes seasonally using only of the best Australian produce available. Mother’s Day menu includes Japanese Pumpkin, Pumpkin Seed Miso Sauce, Pickled Ginger with a side of Brussel Sprouts + Sesame Dressing.
When: From noon-3:30pm & 6-10pm
How much: $105 per person
DULCIE’S
Dulcie’s is a stylish subterranean cocktail parlour inspired by Sydney’s 1930’s speakeasies and named after Dulcie Deamer novelist, poet, thespian and journalist. Dulcie was a women ahead of her time, smart, creative and sometimes shocking to society. She was known as the "Queen of Bohemia" due to her involvement with celebrated artist Norman Lindsay’s literary and artistic circle, the Bohemian world of Kings Cross, and vaudeville. A worthy icon to be remembered!
Descend the stairs from Darlinghurst Rd and enter into Duclie’s, a cosy subterranean bar with old world charm, a warm space big on
personalised service and attentiveness to detail. Dulcie herself would approve.
Dulcie’s owner and host Brandon Martignago pride’s himself on using 100% Australian produce. Everything from boutique spirits, and mixers to the locally sourced meats and cheeses that come from dedicated distillers and providers use quality Aussie ingredients. And everything is meticulously scrutinised by Brandon’s discerning eye.
Feels like the home of a very charming and tasteful friend - this is a place to drop in for a drink and find you’ve stayed till the wee hours of the morning.
44B Darlinghurst Rd, Kings Cross
BY FREER
Designer Lesley Watson has been around the fashion industry long enough to know what women really want. Her designs are style-focused, not trend-driven. Think luxurious fabrics in casual silhouettes. Not too precious - can be washed! Classic but with unexpected twists - a dash of neon, or a selvedge edge. Silks with stretch.
They are the pieces in your wardrobe that work hard for you and that you rely on season after season. Lesley calls them “your forever pieces”. And all of them, made to be worn time and time again.
Everything at by freer is designed and made in Sydney. Small batches mean Lesley keeps an eye on the quality produced, and doesn’t make excessive amounts, holding firm to the quality and ethos of the label: sustainable and ethical luxury.
101-103 Macleay St, Potts Point
YELLOW
YELLOW - a vegan bistro located in the iconic Yellow House building in Potts Point. Backed by the award-winning team behind Bentley Restaurant + Bar, Monopole, Cirrus and Ria Pizza + Wine. It is inspired by the European dining scene where contemporary food and wine are served in an informal setting at affordable prices.
The plant-based menu has a focus on interesting and heirloom vegetables, grown by local suppliers. The eclectic wine list balances the familiar and the obscure and perfectly complements the plant-based menu.
Yellow is open five nights a week, Wednesday to Sunday for dinner, with lunch offered on weekends. They offer a 5 or 7 course Vegan tasting menu, changing every eight weeks.
According to the gurus at Gourmet Traveller….. “The most artful expression of vegetarian food in Sydney.”
57 Macleay St, Potts Point
BEST VEGAN
Whether you’re a committed vegan, vegetarian, meatless monday kinda person or just yearning for the tastiness of fresh plant-based food, we got you covered.
SHIFT EATERY lays claim to Sydney’s “first vegan deli, serving up tasty af cruelty-free food”. They’re truly passionate about offering a variety of exciting options for both lifelong vegans and those that are just making the shift. It’s all about tasty options - sometimes you want a healthy wholefood bowl and other times, you just want to go all out and eat otherworldly decadent.
241 Commonwealth St, Surry Hills
BAD HOMBRES, GOOD FOOD is their motto. This Mexican inspired all vegan eatery, in Surry Hills also offers gluten free options, a natural wine list and tequila cocktails. Get in early for Taco Tuesdays (3 for $10) and Wine Wednesday (half price natural wines).
Cosy decor and and 80’s inspired playlists makes a great setting for groups and couples alike. Open every day till late (except Monday) you can always be guaranteed of getting your quesadilla / margarita fix!
40 Reservoir St, Surry Hills
ALIBI - Matthew Kenney, world renowned plant-based chef, is the man behind the Alibi vegan kitchen food, with a simple food philosophy - clean eating need never compromise on taste.
Try a bespoke cocktail or a wine from the expertly curated list. Bar is open 4pm till midnight.
Weekend High Tea (12-4pm) giveS locally sourced plant-based ingredients a creative makeover and features both sweet and savoury options.
At Ovolo, 6 Cowper Wharf Roadway, Woolloomooloo
alibibar.com.au
YELLOW - a vegan bistro located in the iconic Yellow House building in Potts Point. The plant-based menu has a focus on interesting and heirloom vegetables, grown by local suppliers. The eclectic wine list balances the familiar and the obscure and perfectly complements the plant-based menu.
Wednesday to Sunday for dinnerYellow is open five nights a week, with lunch offered on weekends. They offer a 5 or 7 course Vegan tasting menu only, changing every eight weeks.
57 Macleay St, Potts Point
THE GLITTERING MILE
The Glittering Mile is where it all began. In 1978 the party that became a protest started on Darlinghurst road and in 2022 it returns. We’ve come a long way since those days and and for two weeks (Thursday 17th February through to Sunday 6th March), Mardi Gras returns to the Cross to celebrate our LGBTQI community in camp sophistication and glamour amidst the neon.
From bottomless brunches and alfresco dining to cabaret shows and cosy cocktail dens. Retail offerings, history talks and walks or live music, viewing parties and art exhibitions, in 2022 all that glitters will be gold. There’s so much to do from Oxtravaganza to the Glittering Mile this Mardi Gras, so come join the party.
Kick off on Thursday 17th February at ‘Shop Late’ as you stroll the neighbourhood and check out the local style stakes - start with a shopping expedition and finish with a cocktail, a quick snack, or a 5 star meal.
Over the next two weeks take in some art, find a new favourite bar or come to a show. On the night of the Parade, Mardi Gras viewing parties will be at different venues, with fun hostessing and some performances as the parade goes on - it’s next best thing to being there!
SYDNEY SUMMER STREETS
This summer the city streets will be taking on a festive vibe with street closures, al-fresco dining and entertainment all adding to a carnivalé atmosphere for the City of Sydney’s Summer Streets Festival.
Street closures on Darlinghurst Rd, Redfern St and Crown St in Surry Hills will be encouraging locals to come outside and mingle with their community.
Expect marching bands, drag royalty, fire-eaters and plenty of food and drink options.
Check out the City what’s on page for more details.
HAPPY HOURS FESTIVAL
The HAPPY HOURS Festival is back, a month late, happily undefeated by Covid, or recent lockdowns, or rainy El Nina weather! There’s something to suit everyone , during this 11 day festival of food and drinks deals; performances of comedy, cabaret, drag and music; and spoken word, poetry and book launches.
There is nowhere in Sydney as diverse as Eastside and the businesses of Darlinghurst, Surry Hills, and Potts Point are throwing open their doors and preparing to play host and encourage Sydney-siders to once again kick up their heels.
Taking place from 25th November until 5th December HAPPY HOURS is the first festival to emerge this summer and offers over 100 mouthwatering food and drink deals, plus performances in smaller bars and venues - inspiring city dwellers to rediscover their local hoods and support local business.