Sydney’s hotel bars run the gamut from glitzy rooftops with panoramic views to underground drinking dens with stellar wine lists. Here are the city’s best hotel bars to have a cocktail, champagne and a meal.
May 2025 -
6
min readKiln at Ace Hotel
Where: Surry Hills
At Kiln, innovative menus for food and drinks come with a view of the city lights. Stirring drinks on the top floor of the boutique Ace Hotel in Surry Hills, Kiln’s bartenders run a short list of unique cocktails mixed with anything from 12-year aged scotch and Caribbean-style spiced syrup to mescal, mandarin and chilli. The tightly curated wine list is just as inspired, featuring old- and new-world options, plus a selection of skin-contact “orange magical wines”. Ex-Noma chef, Beau Clugston, helms this kitchen, so ordering food is essential. Try kingfish tart with lemon myrtle and briny samphire; or kangaroo tartare with blue mussel to go with your spiced yuzushu spritz.
Aster at InterContinental Sydney
Where: CBD
Level 32 of InterContential Sydney is home to Aster, a CBD rooftop hotel bar with near-panoramic harbour views. The stunning backdrop is inspiration for cocktails like the saffron-hued Golden Hour, with gin, turmeric, citrus and chilli. That’s just the start of a tome-like menu offering whisky flights, a diverse range of wines, a hefty Champagne list and almost 10 pages of spirits. Celebrate with Sydney rock oysters dressed in a finger lime mignonette plus a bottle of Taittinger Comtes de Champagne.
Aster bar at InterContinental Sydney, Circular Quay
Grain Bar at Four Seasons Hotel Sydney
Where: CBD
Multiple Australian Bartender Hotel Bar of the Year winner, Grain Bar has one of the largest selections of whiskey in Australia with Irish, Japanese, Australian and US selections covering scotch, bourbon and rye. That plus a tight wine and beer list; and playful cocktails. Some drinks pair literally with food, like the Pot au Feu gin cocktail that incorporates wagyu. Others are designed to impress, like the lychee and yuzushu Heart of the Garden served under a bell jar on a tray of grass.
Grain Bar at Four Seasons Hotel Sydney, Sydney CBD - Credit: Four Seasons Hotel Sydney
Dean and Nancy on 22 at A by Adina Sydney
Where: CBD
With 360-degree views of the CBD and bartenders in double-breasted jackets, Dean and Nancy on 22 will transport you to another time. Sister to one of the World’s 50 Best Bars, Maybe Sammy, Dean and Nancy serves theatrical cocktails: the vodka and Aperol Bubble Dream Spritz is topped with oversized bubbles; and the Lotus Old Fashioned, laced with pepperberry, is served in a jade bowl. Food spans east and west. Think fried chicken with gochujang; burrata with smoked peach and wasabi leaf; and rigatoni with stracciatella, miso and black garlic.
Dean and Nancy on 22 at A by Adina, Sydney CBD
Bar Morris at Hotel Morris
Where: Haymarket
The heritage-listed Hotel Morris, with its opulent chandeliers and marble-topped bar, creates a luxurious shift from the bustling Thai eateries on Haymarket’s Pitt Street. The drinks list is succinct, with classic cocktails alongside a range of negronis, Australian wines and Bar Morris’ own lager made in collaboration with Young Henrys.
Bar Morris at Hotel Morris, Haymarket - Credit: Hotel Morris
Gowings Bar & Grill at QT Sydney
Where: CBD
Taking cues from New York’s ritzy steakhouses, Gowings Bar & Grill at QT Sydney offers impeccable service with a touch of tableside bravado – choose to have your steak carved tableside and see Signore Cardini’s salad made live. The rest of the menu is filled with handmade pasta and Italian-inspired bistro flavours (there’s also a full vegan menu). A finalist for the 2024 NSW Sommelier’s Wine List Awards, Gowings’ menu champions the best of Europe, Australia and New Zealand, with an extensive Coravin offering.
Gowings Bar & Grill at QT Sydney, Sydney CBD - Credit: QT Sydney
Bar Julius at The EVE Hotel
Where: Redfern
This all-day hotel bar from the Bistecca team is about luxury and comfort. The room mixes marble, timber and leather, and has an eclectic and abundant approach to art styling, making a lovely backdrop for a visit, day or night. Have a pastry and espresso for breakfast; crab salad with salt-baked kohlrabi and crisp chardonnay at lunch; or celebrate over dinner with a bottle of champagne and oysters topped with Bloody Mary granita.
Bar Julius at The EVE Hotel, Redfern - Credit: Dexter Kim
Percy at Hotel Woolstore 1888
Where: Pyrmont
Capturing the social and casual essence of Spain’s dining culture, Percy is a modern tapas bar located at Pyrmont’s historic Hotel Woolstore 1888. Imagine charred bread spread with crushed tomatoes; jamon serrano sliced paper thin; and mussels with carrot escabeche. The space layers modern design over heritage features like wood beams and weathered brick walls, making the moody bar the right fit for a few Gildas alongside a Spanish wine or two.
Percy at Hotel Woolstore 1888, Pyrmont - Credit: Percy
Cibaria's 55 North Bar at Manly Pacific
Where: Manly
Escape the city at Cibaria's 55 North Bar, Manly Pacific’s relaxed hotel bar where booths are intimate, drinks flow and, over the road, waves crash on one of Sydney’s most iconic beaches. The inspiration is Italian all-day dining. Meals can be light with freshly shucked Sydney rock oysters and a glass of pinot grigio, or substantial with wood-fire grilled wagyu sirloin to have with a Tuscan sangiovese. Live music completes the weekend atmosphere.
Cibaria Manly - Credit: Cibaria Manly
Henry Deane at Hotel Palisade
Where: Millers Point
Sydney has breathtaking views, but Henry Deane, located on the Hotel Palisade rooftop, has one of the most special, taking in the city, Sydney Harbour Bridge and Parramatta River. Drinks match the sunny outlook, with refreshing cocktails like the tequila-based Fuzzy Peach, or the John Lemon, featuring vodka and lemon sorbet. Food is for sharing: a short menu features a half dozen raw scallops on the shell; glazed pork belly portioned out for easy eating; or whole roasted chicken with garlic and lemon.
Henry Deane at Hotel Palisade, Walsh Bay - Credit: Anna Kucera
Bar Tilda at Sofitel Wentworth
Where: CBD
Bar Tilda has an epic drinks menu, including an elaborate cocktail offering (including a specialised martini menu and cocktails made only with spirits from the year 1966), and a curated selection of wines. Take your pick from savoury bites to pair with your tipple too.
Bar Tilda at Sofitel Sydney Wentworth, Sydney CBD - Credit: Steven Woodburn
McRae Bar at Capella Sydney
Where: CBD
Like the hotel that houses it, McRae Bar focuses on the fine details: from the Australian art hung on the walls and the botanicals crowning the elegant room, to the cocktail menu that mixes native ingredients and classic recipes. The food menu is succinct but covers different dining options with octopus skewers, charcuterie, crumbed swordfish and steak frites with red wine jus.
McRae Bar at Capella Sydney, Sydney CBD
Wilmot Bar at Kimpton Margot Sydney
Where: CBD
Whether you’re stopping for a quick aperitif before the theatre or settling in for a dinner of refined, casual dishes, Wilmot Bar is a classic hotel bar to fit the scene you need. Located in the Kimpton Margot’s grand lobby, there’s a marble bar, plush velvet seating, and a drinks list that covers international whiskies, spritzes and creative cocktails.
Wilmot Bar at Kimpton Margot Sydney - Credit: Wilmot Bar
Marble Bar at Hilton Sydney
Where: CBD
Few designs in Sydney are as memorable as the Victorian archways, carved mahogany back bar and stained glass at Marble Bar at Hilton Sydney, originally built in 1893 and restored in 2005. It’s a beautiful backdrop for an Australian-inspired drinks menu. The Aperol-and-citrus-laced Tasman Sparkler celebrates Tasmanian sparkling wine; while the Three Sisters gin, pink lady apple and lychee cocktail pays tribute to the Blue Mountains. Order a couple or a whiskey (there’s a wide selection) while settling in for a set of live music.
Dancefloor at Marble Bar at Hilton Sydney, Sydney CBD - Credit: Hilton Sydney
Golden Age Cinema & Bar at Paramount House Hotel
Where: Surry Hills
Golden Age Cinema & Bar is a lot of things – underground cinema, live music venue and bar. Grab a table and tuck into European-style dishes that incorporate Asian ingredients like ribbons of mafaldine pasta glossy with XO sauce or matcha-infused crème brûlée. The drinks menu is well curated with almost as many non-alcoholic options as there are cocktails. If you come for a film, food and drink are welcome in the small theatre.
Golden Age Cinema & Bar - Surry Hills
Pier Bar at Pier One Sydney Harbour
Where: Walsh Bay
Located just a short stroll from the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Pier Bar has water views, boat access, a harbour pool and a beachside feel. Cocktails are made for sunny Australian weather, like the Harbour Breeze of yuzu soda, Jasmine tea and gin or the whisky-based Piermite with orange bitters and Vegemite. Shared charcuterie plates suit the convivial atmosphere, and there are also seafood options like lobster rolls, oysters and salt-and-pepper squid. Everyone is welcome at this sunny waterfront bar – there are menus for kids and pups.
Pier Bar at Pier One Sydney Harbour - Credit: India Leonard
Lumière on Thirty-Five at Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour
Where: Darling Harbour
Sitting at the top of the Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour, this swanky hotel bar serves bespoke cocktails, French-inspired small plates and views for days. Start with a Purple Rain with butterfly pea infused grapefruitcello, Campari and tonic water before choosing a bottle from the champagne list or the wine cellar. A short menu of snack plates round out the experience: like the cockerel liver pate with brioche toast, scotch quail egg with romesco or a selection of cheese.
Busby’s at Oxford House
Where: Paddington
Unwind at Busby’s moody bar with smooth vinyl and stellar wines. The unique list has plenty of naturals and is organised not by grape varietal but by palate. For example, a Clare Valley Riesling falls under “fresh energetic whites”, while a celebration-worthy Gippsland chardonnay is a “richer, fleshy white”. The approach to food is equally accessible and fun. Potato buns stuffed with LP’s mortadella are spread with hot honey; there’s a take on a fish finger sandwich, while the steak frites comes with a native pepper sauce.
Busby's at Oxford House - Credit: Steven Woodburn
