Eating Out in Sydney, Bars, Cocktail Bars, Best Restaurants, Sydney Restaurants, Wine Bars Sydney’s waterside venues are the perfect top-rated restaurant locations for eating out. Whether it’s by Sydney Harbour, in a beachside café or on a dramatic cliff-top overlooking the ocean – Sydney serves up some of the best restaurant and café experiences in the country. In fact three Sydney restaurants and chefs – Quay (Peter Gilmore), Marque (Mark Best) and Tetsuya’s (Tetsuya Wakuda) – have now been recognised as world class in the 2010 San Pellegrino World’s Best 50 Restaurants awards. As one of the world’s most multicultural cities, Sydney has dining experiences that span the globe. The strong Asian influence, fresh seafood and a laid-back lifestyle give this city’s food and wine culture a flavour all its own. The wave of wine bars in recent years has opened up a whole new scene in the city. Visit any of these cosmopolitan and stylish venues to experience wine flights, wine education and food matching.

Now there are small, intimate bars that are perfect for a cocktail or glass of wine before a show or after eating out.The Best of Hong Kong 7 of the Best Wine Bars in Hong KongThere’s something extremely alluring about discovering a discreet door in a dodgy laneway with stairs that lead a vigilant you to the best night of your life. If reading that was trying, wait till you attempt to find these hidden bars scattered all around Sydney. Small bars have always been a part of the Sydney drinking scene, but this demand for secretive, intimate watering holes has developed only in the past few years.best wine bar greenwich Local connoisseurs and entrepreneurs alike have met these calls with great panache with the likes of popular speakeasies such as The Baxter Inn, Grandma’s, Shady Pines Saloon and Mary’s. best wine bar venice beach

Our Xplorers then took it upon themselves to uncover the top five obscure bars around Sydney you never knew existed. York Street is fast becoming the most popular location for small bars. Already home to Mojo Record Bar, Stich and Spooning Goats, Uncle Ming’s is a peculiar basement bar with an oriental twist. It’s probably better to keep your eyes on the ground to look for chalk signs eading to this underground den. Once you get over the slap of incense and adjust to the crimson interiors, you’ll appreciate the  Eastern ambience, reminiscent of downtown Hong Kong. new age wine pairingTry the excellent selection of cocktails named after underworld drug lords or range of Asian beers and spirits, and if you’re feeling peckish, sample Ming’s famous pork dumplings. This decadent dive is laidback and comfortable, the perfect setting to lose yourself to a drink or five. Hit – Gangster themed teapot cocktails, dumplings

Pro tip – Soft red mood lighting makes the venue a favourite for first dates, head over on a slightly less packed Saturday and snag a corner table. Lower Ground, 55 York St Monday to Friday 12pm – 12am | Saturday 5pm – 12am This bar probably ranks highest as being the most difficult bar to find*. If your stars are aligned, there will already be a queue outside the door. If not, you’ll find yourself having to find an unassuming door where you’ll see a note with a phone number on it. Text or call the number and you’ll be provided with a password to enter with. When you’re finally in, you’ll find yourself admiring the wingback leather couches, black chandeliers and the white baby piano amongst other curious items that add to the tearoom’s charm. The vibe is slightly illicit, yet rich and attracts a slightly older pack than one would imagine at this quaint bar. Hit – Imaginative cocktail list Pro tip – Get in a little early or not only will you not get a seat;

you’ll be standing awkwardly in front of everyone Level 2, 182 Campbell Street, Surry Hills (Enter via Taggarts Lane) Wednesday to Saturday 6pm – 12am * So hard in fact, that you can no longer find it – refer to Author’s note below. If you’ve frequented the likes of Frankie’s and Baxter’s, you will find Ramblin’ Rascal is like coming home. Despite the walnut finishings and rich interiors, the basement bar has an unpretentious, comfortable atmosphere. Expect a quirky, bearded bar tender in denim overalls to have a chat with you as you wait for your drink, while you help yourself to free spicy kernels. Look for the blue door and three skulls on the corner of the Park St convenience store. If you’re lucky, you and your mates will find yourselves huddled in a snug leather booth, if not you’ll either be sitting in the middle of the room or at the bar. The mood of the bar can change from country to hip hop depending on which night of the week you decide to step in, but rest assured if you love your drink and your bar tenders boisterous, this is one party you don’t want to miss.

Hit – Snap Crackle and Pop cocktail Pro tip – Sit away from the entrance as the door tends to slam while closing Where: Basement, 60 Park St When: Monday to Saturday 4pm – 12am | Sunday 4pm – 10pm The first thing you notice when you enter this Parisian salon is a giant gargoyle on the bar and the second, a poster of Marilyn Manson. This unusual bar is an exclusive experience. Dressed like a gothic circus character, your hostess will explain how dissolving a sugar cube placed on a slotted spoon by dripping cold water on it releases the herbs and aromas in the absinthe and how you must wait till it clouds before you savour it. A personal favourite of all the haunts visited, this olde world parlour is slightly fringe. Adorned with a black lamppost, baroque walls and Parisian curtains, the space feels like Dracula’s underground lair, bizzare, yet weirdly compelling. There’s a three drink maximum due to the interesting and complex nature of the alcohol, but second round down and you’ll probably be dancing with the fairy herself.

Pro tip – Don’t be fooled by the three drink maximum, take it slow and enjoy your night 87 Albion Street, Surry Hills Wednesday to Saturday 4pm – 10pm This particular bar was nothing short of a revelation. It’s one of those rare wine bars where the wine list actually exceeds the food menu. In fact, the range is so complex it would faze the most seasoned oenophile. This sordid back alley bar pays homage to Tilly Devine, a notorious brothel madam and drug lord from the 1930s. A trick to spot, go through Yurong Lane, take the first left and look for the stripped brick façade. A page staright out of Sydney’s dark history! With the weather warming up as summer heads our way, hitch yourself a seat by the front window and enjoy the gentle breeze with a deep glass of red or a crisp white. Once a dank little storeroom, the split level bar is now an impressive space complete with an open kitchen and wine wall. If wine’s not your poison, enjoy the selection of pale ales and ciders instead.