07 February 2025
30 mins Read
The best pubs in Sydney are those that cater to all comers with seriously good pub grub as well as cold beer. But the best Sydney pubs are not just top spots for a sneaky schooey. And they are not all located in Surry Hills! What constitutes a great pub is somewhere that doubles as a community hub where the promise of a casual catch-up over a cold beer draws people from all walks of life. Whether you prefer a cosy, intimate setting or a sunny rooftop, we’ve carved up our list to include the best pubs in Sydney’s north, south, east and west.
BEST PUBS IN SYDNEY’S INNER WEST
BEST PUBS IN SYDNEY’S EASTERN SUBURBS
BEST PUBS IN THE SUTHERLAND SHIRE
BEST PUBS IN AND AROUND SYDNEY’S CBD
BEST PUBS NEAR SYDNEY HARBOUR
BEST PUBS IN SYDNEY’S WESTERN SUBURBS
BEST PUBS IN SYDNEY’S NORTHERN BEACHES
Nag’s Head Hotel dates back to 1836.
There’s nothing more exhilarating than inhaling one of Nelly Robinson’s authentic Lancashire-style fish pies. The British-born chef, of NEL, is also behind the menu at the Nag’s Head Hotel where the dish is bobbing with fresh white fish and a velvety bechamel sauce. While the Glebe hotel has other hearty classics, such as a chicken Kiev, it’s worth the pilgrimage on the weekend for the Sunday Roast experience. The pub built in 1836 recently had a reboot to include Winston’s, which is all warm woods and cosy banquettes and artworks that look like they’ve been pilfered from a copy of Horse & Hound. It’s the inner west so hell yes, it’s dog-friendly.
Best for: Foodies who will froth the $85 five-course tasting menu of British food at Nelly’s gastropub ‘fun’ diner Winston’s.
Address: 162 St Johns Road, Glebe
Join the lively crowd at The Courthouse. (Image: Supplied)
You know you’ve had a great night when it starts or ends at The Courthouse in vibrant Taylor Square. The pub is popular with tourists in Sydney as it’s the perfect pit stop for those exploring some of Sydney’s major attractions. It’s within walking distance of Hyde Park, Centennial Park and Sydney Harbour. It’s also on the parade route for the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras and is right in position for the Taylor Square Takeover. The pub also has plenty more to offer on either side of the annual LGBTQI+ festival. You can unwind with friends over a few drinks in the public bar. Or head upstairs to the cosy bistro for pub classics such as chicken schnitzels or falafel burgers.
Best for: The Courthouse is in prime position to view the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras parade.
Address: 189 Oxford St, Darlinghurst
The aptly named two-storey pub will give you a guaranteed good time. (Image: Supplied)
Trawl the Surry Hills Markets for vintage high-waisted jeans before heading into Mousey Browne to make sure your curly mullet is looking the goods. You know what you’re going to get at The Clock and that’s comforting. Upon entering, you might be ushered into The Whisky Room at The Clock where it’s highly likely you will lose all track of time. The two-storey pub has a wraparound verandah so you can heckle and hoot at your mates trudging past. The Clock is one of the best pubs in Surry Hills for its corner location and, most importantly, is also on point for its woodfired Roman-style pizza, Japanese beers and sick selection of craft beer.
Best for: The Clock deserves our devotion on game day as it’s a short stroll away from Allianz Stadium.
Address: 470 Crown Street, Surry Hills
Gather with friends for Sunday drinks at Vic on the Park. (Image: Yusuke Oba)
Vic on the Park is a very social pub and a great Sunday pit stop after a mooch around Marrickville Markets. Firstly, The Vic is popular with pool sharks who are likely to challenge googly-eyed tourists to a game with the prized promise of a pint for the winner. You’ll find families sitting outside under the trees festooned with fairy lights watching their kids shoot hoops in the basketball court. And groups of friends gathered around share plates of salt and pepper squid or fried chicken bites. The pub welcomes pooches of all shapes and sizes who sit dutifully by their owners, tongues lolling. The mark of a great pub varies in the eye of the beholder, but The Vic gets a tick for pub grub that is not too fussy or fancy. Dress code: crusty chic.
Best for: Legendary live sessions at The Vic every Friday and Saturday.
Address: 2 Addison Road, Marrickville
The Marrickville Hotel is housed in a former $2 shop and teeters on the edge of being a low-fi pub and small bar. The small pub bar is all sepia tones with a large jungle courtyard, rough-hewn walls and ceiling and walls lined with framed images. The backstory behind the moniker is that it’s a nod to a neighbourhood pub that used to trade under the same name but was deregistered in 1979. Enter the team behind Arcadia Liquors, Redfern Continental and Ron’s Upstairs and you have a place to listen to great tunes and speak fondly about how righteous your suburb is.
The Marrickville Hotel is a convivial hang that feels like an extension of some locals’ living rooms. The pub has seen plenty of the modern-day Marrickville madness revolving all around it but there it is, standing strong. There are six tap beers on offer with tinnies from local brewers. And killer toasties and charcuterie plates.
Best for: A place of worship in Sydney’s inner west
Address: 244 Marrickville Road, Marrickville
Head to The Duke of Enmore for woodfired pizza and stay for the cocktails.
Whack on some pink lippie, the one the colour of a pomegranate, so your pout pops while posing with your pooch at The Duke of Enmore. The much-loved Inner West pub is proudly pokie-free and dog-friendly, too. See bands like Choof and Slaughtercult or pick a banger and belt it out onstage with live band karaoke. Odd Culture Group’s head of pub kitchens John Hockey knows the inner-west demographic well with a menu that caters to those feeling a tad dusty. Order Satan’s Finest woodfired pizza laden with potato, confit onion, taleggio and rosemary to fix your face, lopsided in a hangover.
Best for: Fans of groove metal.
Address: 148 Enmore Road, Enmore
The Forest Lodge Hotel is the sort of place where you could easily lose an entire afternoon. Here, the inked-up staff welcome all comers from arty lecturers to random eccentrics, a rabble of uni students and a clot of 20something travellers dressed like Peaky Blinders. Do order the Portuguese chicken burger, which is rich and dripping with peri peri sauce, slathered with coriander mayo, layered with lettuce and served with crisp, fluffy fries. The salmon poke bowl is also superb, with the cucumber, cherry tomato and avocado salad the perfect nest for a delicate slab of salmon. Don’t try to be someone you’re not: order the Toblerone cheesecake with popping candy for afters.
Best for: Weekly pool play-offs with the family.
Address: 117 Arundel Street, Forest Lodge
Bob Hawke Beer & Leisure Centre is part brewery, part portal to the 1980s.
There’s only one thing better than hearing Richie Benaud calling the cricket in the bathrooms at the Bob Hawke Beer & Leisure Centre. And that’s admiring the shrine to Hawkie in the back bar where you will often find lefties ogling the memorabilia which ranges from a pair of broken glasses the former PM was wearing when a cricket ball hit him to a photo of him wearing a pair of budgie smugglers. The pub is part brewery, part portal to the 1980s with its Lucky Prawn Chinese-Australian bistro making the Marrickville boozer one of Sydney’s best pubs.
Best for: Chugging a beer in honour of the late PM and talking politics if you lean toward the Left.
Address: 8-12 Sydney Road, Marrickville.
Tuck into the savoury seafood menu at Red Lion Hotel. (Image: Supplied)
Part of the joy at Red Lion Hotel can be found in the variety of choices on offer. Celebrity chef Manu Feildel, of My Kitchen Rules, is behind the new French Bistro by Manu at the pub, which has been a fixture in Rozelle since 1828. The downstairs bar, open-plan lounge and dining area also has a new look after the recent $1.5 million reno. Upstairs is where you will find the home-style fare Manu grew up eating in Brittany with classics such as a decadent pâté, scallop gratinée, chargrilled pork tomahawk and much-loved matelote (fish stew). You can also enjoy casual Aussie pub grub in the lounge, which has a roaring fireplace in winter.
Best for: Cocooning yourself downstairs around the working fireplace in winter; sitting on the verandah in summer.
Address: 726 Darling St, Rozelle
Google ‘great English-style pubs in Sydney’ and the Lord Dudley Hotel will be up there on your search list. This Eastern Suburbs institution has been going strong since 1889 and is a popular place for poms who are pining for home. The pub is a must for classics such as fish ‘n’ chips, bangers and mash and lambs fry and bacon. And don’t miss out on the perennially popular old-fashioned pork pie served cold with Branston pickle and mustard. Tradition mingles with nostalgia in the downstairs dining area, which has had a refresh. Head to the family-run pub in winter to gather around the fireplace. Or bring your doggo and sit on the footpath with a pint and pork pie in the summer.
Best for: Ping-pong poms who are trying to decide whether to stay in Australia or return home.
Address: 236 Jersey Road, Woollahra
Make a pit stop at The Old Fitzroy Hotel for a cosy alfresco meal. (Image: Supplied)
The ever-inclusive Odd Culture Group became stewards of the Old Fitz in 2021. And while there might have been has been a few grumbles when the news first broke, the hospitality group has done Woolloomooloo locals proud. Indeed, the vibe of the pub that has operated for more than 150 years remains intact. The Old Fitz is still home to Australia’s only pub theatre and remains one of the cosiest pubs in Sydney. The upstairs dining room has had a facelift and so has the menu led by the group’s head of pub kitchens John Hockey. Keep it simple with steak au poivre and frites or the lamb neck provencal pie.
Best for: Spotting A-list actors who often make cameos here to workshop their next Netflix series.
Address: 129 Dowling St, Woolloomooloo.
The Woollahra Hotel has been an Eastern Suburbs favourite since the 1930s. (Image: Supplied)
Head to the Vinnies in Paddington to upgrade your wardrobe so you look the part when you make your pilgrimage to this iconic Sydney pub. Nothing is more exhilarating than feeling your best when wandering around a new pub, pint in hand, meeting locals who greet you like old friends. Listen closely for the soft melodious dialect of luvvies from the Eastern Suburbs who hold court here and add to the lively chatter. The Art Deco pub, all timber and terrazzo, is home to the renowned Bistro Moncur, one of the best French restaurants in Sydney. But there’s also pan-Asian pub food on offer and diverse dining spaces to choose from. Check the weekly specials such as $20 Steak & Chips.
Best for: Sunday sessions where you can enjoy a $15 spritz cocktail with live music on the terrace from 2pm.
Address: 116 Queen St, Woollahra
The share plates are generous with both flavour and serving sizes. (Image: Supplied)
Coogee is a draw for backpackers so the dress code at the Coogee Bay Hotel is suitably pedestrian chic. Think pretty, summery dresses. And Euro-chic culottes and jandals. The warmer weather rouses Sydneysiders to flock to the beaches. Go for a swim and then settle in at one of the tables in Marra Bar & Grill or in The Garden overlooking the twinkling sea. There are share plates of grilled octopus and burrata paired with ox-heart tomatoes and toasted focaccia. Or more substantial mains such as pizza and grilled swordfish with tomato and fennel. The signature watermelon margarita is also a must.
Best for: Enjoying the high ratio of Euro eye candy at the family-friendly pub established in 1873.
Address: 253 Coogee Bay Road, Coogee
Linger a little longer after drinks by booking a stay at the Hotel Ravesis. (Image: Supplied)
Expect the music at Hotel Ravesis to be on point as the Bondi hotel is led by operational owner Aya Larkin, lead singer of alt-funk band Skunkhour. The pub is in prime position on the corner of Campbell Parade and Hall St where it is emblematic of the laid-back vibe of the beachside suburb. Under Aya, the venue has been restored to its former Art Deco glory with the interiors a synthesis of Miami meets Mediterranean with arched doorways and brass, marble and wood balanced with a retro palette of flamingo pinks, denim blues and jungle greens. Soak up the seaside vibes and enjoy cheeseburgers or whole tiger prawns with tarragon aioli and lemon. She’s a Bondi beaut.
Best for: Those looking for a ‘Dine Inn’ by staying upstairs in one of the 12 boutique hotel rooms home for the night.
Address: 118 Campbell Parade, Bondi Beach
Spend a few hours enjoying brews on tap. (Image: Supplied)
Sydney has a lot of microbreweries and there are more than 20 beers on tap here as well as a wine list that favours small-batch producers. The three-level corner pub in Darlinghurst gives ‘holiday in Ibiza vibes’ with its reimagined rooftop blending vintage charm with modern Mediterranean touches such as the custom beach umbrellas and a beach-inspired colour palette. The effortlessly cool atmosphere of the Taphouse is reflected by the Darlo demographic. There’s a classic but classy Cantonese menu curated by head chef Sam Ng and weekly specials such as the $12 hawk chop that has a cult following.
Best for: This is one of the best pubs in Sydney for its Sunday Shenanigans.
Address: 122 Flinders St, Darlinghurst
Soak up the city skyline from the rooftop bar at The Light Brigade. (Image: Supplied)
The Light Brigade has been a beacon for beer connoisseurs since the 1880s. This atmospheric ale house is craft beer heaven for hopheads who converge here to enjoy up to 30 beers on tap as well as elevated pub food. Literally. The beloved landmark hotel spans four levels and has a rooftop bar that is one of Sydney’s best, some 83 metres above sea level. Meals are served in the Brigade Lounge, Brigade Rooftop, and Brigade Bistro and the food, the wine, and the ambience all make for a unique Sydney pub experience. The iconic Light Brigade pub in Woollahra reopened in 2024 and it has gone up in the world with Italian-inspired dishes like woodfired pizzas and pappardelle carbonara.
Best for: Those who hate the beach and want a Miami pool club vibe minus crumbs of sand in crevices.
Address: Corner of Oxford St and Jersey Rd, Woollahra.
Hotel Harry is a vibey pit stop in Surry Hills. (Image: Supplied)
It takes a while for the eyes to adjust when you enter the 1912-built Victorian building that is now Hotel Harry. Once they do, what you’ll find is an absolutely epic place to get a stiff drink and a decent feed with an eclectic Cuba meets Los Cabos decor worth coveting. Hotel Harry is everything you could ever want from an inner-east Sydney pub. There are chuggable beers on tap. A dangerous selection of cocktails. And the best French rotisserie rolls this side of the 7th arrondissement. There is a cosy back bar giving Costa Rica jungle vibes. A fireplace. And an intimate upstairs terraza and killer cocktails like the Bees Knees or the Jungle Rum Punch. It’s fun and colourful. Don’t invite that grinch from work. It’s good vibes only at Hotel Harry.
Best for: Date night when you’re not looking your best as the lighting is very flattering. You can also ‘get a room’.
Address: 40-44 Wentworth Avenue, Surry Hills
Enjoy an indulgent bottomless lunch at The Forrester’s. (Image: Supplied)
The Forrester’s, known affectionately as Forry’s, is an iconic inner-east Sydney pub that has been going strong since 1921. The pub operated by Applejack Hospitality since 2020 remains on the radar for those in need of refreshment in Surry Hills. And while it’s best known for its generous roast dinners, it’s the accompanying Big Yorkie crafted by chef Patrick Friesen that has put Forry’s on the map. Available daily until sold out, the giant indulgent Yorkshire pudding serves as an edible dish. It is filled with meltingly tender roasted meat, fresh-cooked veg and crisp, bronzed potatoes surrounded by a moat of gravy. Additionally, the daily Bottomless Lunch includes a variety of small and large sharing plates like hummus dotted with chilli oil, lamb koftas, BBQ chicken with Forry’s hot sauce and a traditional Greek salad.
Best for: Forry’s is dog-friendly and welcomes pups throughout the entire venue.
Address: 336 Riley St, Surry Hills
This is one of Sydney’s best pubs for a booze-up by the beach. It’s a short stroll away from the Bondi to Coogee coastal path and a top spot to enjoy Sydney’s famously bluebird weather. The cocktail menu at The Cloey includes fun bevvies like the Beach Bum – which you’ll see a lot of down at Bondi – and there is a great selection of local Sydney beers on tap. Foodwise, you can expect all the requisite pub classics such as pepperoni pizza, beef nachos, chicken parmies and steak sangers. The Cloey has been drawing big crowds consistently for decades and its stylish reboot has made it even more of a lure. If you spend an extended period of time in Sydney without visiting the Cloey then that’s a fail.
Best for: Harried parents who need a night off the pans: Kids Eat free Mondays from 5-9pm
Address: 381 Clovelly Road, Clovelly.
Swing by The Beresford for day drinks.
Expect the 12-inch remix of a contemporary Aussie pub at The Beresford, which is perennially packed. This is despite the fact Surry Hills is home to some of Sydney’s best pubs. The Beresford is a convivial place for day drinking and caters to all comers with seriously good pub grub as well as cold beer. It also makes a case for the fact Sydney knows how to beer garden. Those still freaked out by the notion of airborne pathogens will enjoy rubbing elbows outdoors with a diverse inner-urban crowd. Meet your mates in the courtyard at The Bero for Beresford Sundays. Or head here for pub classics such as the Bero Burger, Vinnie’s Pizza and Banana Sundae.
Best for: Ditching the dating app and trying your luck at meeting a potential partner in person.
Address: 354 Bourke St, Surry Hills
Pick your poison and then take up a perch near the cut-out window at The Paddo Inn where you can watch the hip hordes hustling up the hill toward the best boutiques in Paddo. The Paddo Inn has perked up since it had a makeover more than a decade ago but the real estate of the pub established in 1814 remains priceless. People treat a weekend visit to The Paddo Inn a bit like church. Frock up if you want to feel fancy before coming to pay your respects at the iconic watering hole. The interiors of the inn celebrate the classic Sydney terrace house with the front bar funnelling guests through to the much-loved il Baretto out back. The pub is a short walk from the SCG so go on game day to yell at your favourite team on the big screen.
Best for: The Paddo Inn bar menu is curated by the chefs at il Baretto. For the full il Baretto experience, book the restaurant.
Address: 338 Oxford St, Paddington.
This casual bistro serves elevated pub-style meals. (Image: Supplied)
The Prince typically attracts families taking advantage of its regular Two-for-One deals on dinner as the Rewards Program makes eating out more affordable during the #cossylivs crisis. The family picnic area and kids’ play area are also a draw. The new(ish) pub has a little bit of everything for everyone, making it a hub for Sutherland Shire locals. There’s a modern bistro, one of the largest beer gardens in Sydney’s southern suburbs, a lounge bar with 25 beers on tap and a line-up of live music. There’s also a packed roster of entertainment from drag bingo to themed trivia nights and a bottomless lunch offer, too. The Prince also has a newly renovated sports bar so sporting tragics can catch all the action on the big screen.
Best for: Big family gatherings as the menu includes a whole spit roast pig option for smaller functions.
Address: 533-541 Princes Hwy
Choose from the creative drinks list.
Highfield is a posh public house for Sutherland Shire locals who are a bit parochial about leaving Sydney’s southern suburbs. It’s fair to say they are onto a good thing at Highfield which is run by the Feros Group, who are behind hospitality venues scattered between Shellharbour and Cronulla. Head to hidden-away Huxley’s, which is all dude food and Americana diner decor. Enjoy cocktails on the terrace after enjoying lunch at The Botanical. Or plump for the Public House, a sports bar where all the big sporting events – from the Superbowl to Test Cricket – are screened and there are live bands and DJs.
Best for: Good vibes and consistently good pub grub.
Address: 22-24 Mackay St, Caringbah
Enjoy relaxed drinks in this sunny venue. (Image: Supplied)
You might feel like you’re at a casting call for MAFS Season 11 when you rock up at Northies on a Sunday arvo. Find a nook tucked into a corner of Northie’s where the pub’s ode to Old Joe’s flows as an undercurrent around the Sibella Court-designed space. Order the chicken palmie, which arrives blanketed with a cheesy sheen and generous salad on the side. We love the electric brightness of the signage in the main bar, and the family-friendly feel of the freewheeling bistro. There are so many bleached blonde mullets and dirty moustaches that the space feels like a time capsule to Cronulla in its Puberty Blues era.
Best for: Giving due respect to Cronulla as a destination to rival Manly and Bondi.
Address: Kingsway &, Elouera Rd, Cronulla
Verandah Bar has an extensive menu featuring much-loved pub grub. (Image: Supplied)
Ask where you should go for a steak sanga in Sydney’s CBD and chances are you’ll be pointed in the direction of the Verandah Bar in Sydney’s CBD. Set aside a solid amount of time to tackle the sourdough steak sandwich stuffed with tender sirloin, tomato, beetroot, rocket, caramelised onion and Swiss cheese. Billed as ‘pub fare with flair’ the Public at Verandah and Verandah Bar make up the beating heart of the Verandah Precinct. Head here for handcrafted cocktails, 14 beers on tap and refreshing spritzers while watching sport on the big screens.
Best for: A catch-up with your corporate mates who like to loosen the cravat after work.
Address: Best for 55-65 Elizabeth St, Sydney
Pull up a chair for a cold pint at The Bristol. (Image: Steven Woodburn)
Forget taxidermy and fusty carpet. The Bristol Arms has had a reboot, reinvented as The Bristol by creative director Paul Papadopolous of DS17. While the late-night boozer was once best known for its retro dance parties, The Bristol has evolved into somewhat of a club for corporates and city dwellers who want to eat dinner and then let their hair down. At a glance, the multi-faceted pub (formerly a waterhole for wharfies) includes the sleek new Public Bar & Sports Bar, the Midtown Bar and The Rooftop, one of the best new bars for city views in Sydney. There’s also Calypso, a nightclub that nods to the venue’s past with its fit-out featuring 200 glittering disco balls, and elegant Ela Ela by Peter Conistis which demonstrates Sydney is a long way from hitting peak Greek.
Best for: A midtown meet-up with your expat mates.
Address: 81 Sussex St, Sydney
Pop by Sydney’s largest beer garden for post-work drinks.
The Sussex Hotel’s new rooftop bar has prised open a new bit of sky in Sydney. Look up from the street and you’ll spy pops of juicy orange hues from the umbrellas that provide shade to pub patrons who prefer their bevvies way up high. The Sussex is said to have Sydney’s largest beer garden. Test the theory by measuring its circumference and then settling into this inner-city oasis with a Garden Spritz and a coupla skewers with green goddess dressing. Hungry for more? Head to the restaurant Suriya for a Thai banquet. Avoid the surge pricing on Uber and walk back up the road to Wynard Station to feel even more smug about your big city life.
Best for: A pub crawl that is conveniently located near public transport.
Address: 20 Sussex St, Sydney.
Hotel CBD is an ideal spot to grab an after-work tipple.
Pubs like the Hotel CBD have changed the way Sydneysiders feel about the city centre. The five-storey multi-venue Hotel CBD is a top spot to grab an after-work bevvy with your suit-clad colleagues. The sprawling hotel, housed in an old Victorian building, has impeccable playlists on rotation around the five venues. While bopping along to Biggie Smalls, you can delve into the beverage menu which includes robust list of amber ales on tap. The hotel has been welcoming people to drink and be merry for more than two decades. Make like your European avatar and sit outside on the pavement while sipping a chilled red and bites from shared plates of spicy fried chicken wings and skin-on chips with aioli. Or head to the dedicated sports bar on the second floor for a $7 schooner.
Best for: Blowing off steam after a long day being a corporate schlub.
Address: 52 King St, Sydney
This airy pavilion-style pub offers a relaxed yet refined brunch experience. (Image: Chad Konik)
Whether you are looking for a relaxed catch-up with the girls or are hoping for an IRL meet-cute, this airy pavilion-style pub is a crowd-pleaser. Darling Pavilion is a not-so-hidden gem on the fringes of Darling Quarter. And while it’s known for its bottomless brunches it also has a simple and concise menu of gastro pub grub such as chicken schnitzel parmigiana, crisp-skinned salmon, spicy pepperoni pizza and 12-hour BBQ brisket sandwiches. Sit outside on a sunny day and watch people pootling past the restaurant and the oh-so-charming waiters wheeling around between tables. The pav also has a roster of live music and DJs and a roster of live sport.
Best for: A bottomless brunch with the girls.
Address: 1 Harbour St, Sydney
Slink into Pumphouse Sydney for a cocktail or two. (Image: Supplied)
This former pumphouse turned pub was built back in 1891 by the Sydney & Suburban Hydraulic Power Company. And it presents like something from a show-and-tell of Sydney’s past and present, both of which are woven into the two-storey space. Enjoy having the decision-making power in your hands when choosing your adventure in the multi-faceted venue. Pumphouse Sydney is in the heart of Darling Square, one of Sydney’s buzzy new precincts. Grab your gal pals and sit on The Terrace, a lush oasis filled with trailing greenery and flower-filled vases. Or meet the lads for a lunch of flatbread stacked with Mortadella Madness. Plan your evening around what’s on at the Pumphouse Sydney, one of the best old-meets-new pubs in Syd Angeles.
Best for: Sea Life Specials – cocktails that go toward the Sea Life Trust foundation to preserve our oceans.
Address: 17 Little Pier St, Darling Harbour
Enjoy pub classics and Mediterranean bites. (Image: Jarod Lyons)
With all due respect to the signage out the front, the Woolloomooloo Bay Hotel is simply the #woollybayhotel. The pub has undergone a creative transformation at the hands of Laundy Hotels and it’s the perfect distillation of the heritage pub’s spirit. Head upstairs to Arturo’s Restaurant & Rooftop for Mediterranean-style food and wine served in a very civilised manner in a very elegant environment. Downstairs has more of an old drinking den vibe with a short wine list and rotating roster of beers on tap. There are also inventive pizzas such as the chilli garlic prawn and pub classics such as the fried chicken burger on a voluptuous milk bun. The Woolly Bay should be a tourist attraction in its own right.
Best for: Simple pub classics served with attention to detail.
Address: 2 Bourke St, Woolloomooloo
Feast on an Asian-inspired menu at The Governor Hotel. (Image: Supplied)
The Governor Hotel is a thoroughly modern take on what constitutes a great pub in 2025. Cath the metro to Macquarie Park to get to The Governor in the heart of Sydney’s northwest. The so-called super pub incorporates a garden terrace, bistro and large rooftop bar made bright with wall art and hanging greenery. The interiors at The Governor also enchant with a mix of eucalyptus and terracotta hues and a soaring portrait of the pub’s namesake Governor Macquarie. Don’t even think about leaving before ordering the build-your-own bao buns and a few things on sticks from the Asian-skewed menu. This is exactly the kind of venue Sydney’s suburbs need.
Best for: Large groups who catch the courtesy bus from the surrounding apartment blocks
Address: 9 Waterloo Road, Macquarie Park
Eat with your furry friends in the spacious dog-friendly outdoor deck. (Image: Supplied)
Originally founded in 1826 as a rest stop for weary travellers, The Log Cabin has morphed into a thoroughly modern inn. While the impetus for expansion and the subsequent $24 million renovation was the devastating fire that destroyed the building in 2012, Laundy Hotels has done a top job in keeping the pub’s spirit alive as a cornerstone of the Penrith community. Head to the Regatta Bar for classic pub fare, to the spacious dog-friendly outdoor deck to watch the sunset over the Nepean River and the beer garden with the ‘Loggie Train’ play area for kids. Head chef Lauren McKenna is committed to curating menus that respects the seasons and her flair in the kitchen helped earn Sinclair’s restaurant upstairs a coveted Good Food Guide hat in 2024.
Best for: Sydneysiders who appreciate hearty pub classics prepared with care.
Address: 20 Memorial Avenue, Penrith
Are you fantasising about starting a podcast about pubs? Kill two birds with one stone at Bella Vista Hotel where you can sink a few schooners for research and then record content for your new pub poddy. The Hills Podcast Studio is free to hire seven days a week. But there’s a lot to dazzle here that might get in the way of your mic drop. The entertainment venue in The Hills District hosts everything from long lunches to high teas, trivia, bingo and live entertainment. Bella Vista also has a pizzeria that doles out metre-long pizzas with Italian-Australian toppings such as ham and pineapple (don’t judge us; it’s delicious). Be it a spritzer on a sunshine day or sticky chicken wings while watching the Super Bowl play-offs, it’s time to head for the Hills.
Best for: Sports fanatics who want to tune into one of the 97 flatscreen TVs while cheering on their favourite team.
Address: 13-15 Lexington Drive, Bella Vista
The whitewashed Harbord Hotel oozes coastal charm. (Image: Supplied)
The best pubs in Sydney’s northern beaches are those with expansive views of sky, sand and sea. Harbord Hotel in Freshwater looks like it’s been plucked from an almanac of ‘The World’s Best Beachfront Pubs’. Meanwhile, although Manly is certainly on tourists’ radars, its near neighbour Freshwater tends to fly under the radar. And that’s how the locals like it. Harbord Hotel wears its laid-back beach chic attitude as loosely as a mesh cover-up from Cotton On. Head to the Freshwater Beach House for Bingo, Bangers, Beers and Burgers on Wednesdays. Catch live acts such as Ruby Fields or Lime Cordiale. Or go for a high-brow panel discussion with architect nerd, comedian and author Tim Ross.
Best for: Surfers and those who enjoy a sundowner by the sea.
Address: 29 Moore Road, Freshwater
Catch up with friends at this much-loved Mona Vale pub. (Image: Jared Lyons)
If a pub by the ocean in the Northern Beaches is what you had in mind, then meet The Mona. Local Ben Hanson quietly took over the much-loved Mona Vale pub (formerly known as The Old Rex and, most recently The Park House) in 2024. The lifelong Northern Beaches local is the nephew of pub mogul Arthur Laundy so ‘pub as passion project’ is in his DNA. The pub’s newly introduced Ben’s Bakery Cafe & Pizzeria deserves a nod as does the mural celebrating Sydney’s surf culture. Above all, the Mona is memorable for its live music, beer garden, upgraded courtyard and play area for kidlets.
Best for: Live bands such as the Dune Rats, The Terrys, The Grogans along with weekly specials.
Address: 2 Park St, Mona Vale
Warm up by the bonfires at The Newport.
One of the enduring pleasures of living in Sydney is going out for a pub lunch with friends and family. The Newie is all things to all people and the antithesis of the kind of dark, cosy pubs you’ll find in Britain. The pub has an al fresco marketplace feel. That is to say, you can wander around the various eateries to see what’s doing. Pull up a stool in The Arms Bar to catch your favourite team being pummelled by Penrith. Enjoy a few small bites from The Shack. Or seat yourself at Bert’s Bar & Brasserie overlooking Pittwater to make the most of Sydney sunshine.
You will find the pub packed with punters enjoying the freshest seafood imaginable from the Seafood Market. As a result, a palpable buzz emanates from the large beachside venue, located on the northside of Sydney. In addition, it is filled to the rafters with everyone from families to 20somethings who don’t want to commute into the city to get a piece of the action.
Best for: The welcoming atmosphere and outdoor eating area. A Sydney pub with waterfront views = prime real estate.
Address: 2 Kalinya Street, Newport
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