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  • Sydney
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  • Sydney Bars with Beautiful Interiors

Sydney Bars with Beautiful Interiors

Because ambience matters, here are the Sydney bars with beautiful interiors.

Rafi
Rafi

Sydney’s no stranger to beauty. We’re surrounded by it – the landscapes, the buildings, the hotels and yes, the bars. Whether they’re bright and airy or dark and mysterious, this city is dotted with bars that have gone above and beyond in the name of good design. It helps that the food and drinks at these top spots are also a delight. 

Here, we round up the drinking holes with the most beautiful interiors. Hello, happy hour and a cheeky selfie with your bestie during the gorgeous golden hour glow.

Hurricanes Cronulla 

Stepping into Hurricanes Cronulla, you'd be forgiven for thinking you were in the Mediterranean thanks to this restaurant's rhythmic, chalky cream curves and arches. Designed by award-winning architecture and design firm Luchetti Krelle, the grill house pays homage to the shoreline of its coastal surrounds.

Featuring a grotto-like setting coated in Ibiza Lime Plaster, a Tadelakt-finished island bar surrounded by table seating and cosy nooks to elevate the experience, guests will feel like they're dining in Portugal or Spain. With assorted leather and fabric accents in rich nutmeg, paprika, olive greens, and cumin it reflects the sharp and spicy notes of the restaurant's unique culinary offering.

The 300-seat eatery feels intimate and spacious at once, with multiple dining zones, including the bar area (perfect for a drink and some nibbles), the main dining room, the outdoor area, and the exceptional private dining space. 

49 Gerrale Street, Cronulla

Cabana Bar

Cabana Bar, a resort-style al fresco venue located at precinct 25 Martin Place, boasts the city’s largest outdoor terrace spanning over 100m. With an interior that draws inspiration from South America choose between the five unique spaces within Cabana Bar: the Aruba Booths, The Cove, Palm Bar, Kokomo Corner or the Cape.

You’ll be on ‘Cabana Time’ from the very first sip. With first class service, inventive food, fishbowls and signature cocktails as well as a wine list curated by restaurant manager and self-confessed wine snob, Katie Murphy, there’s no end of great things to choose from.  

25 Martin Place, Sydney

El Primo Sanchez  

El Primo Sanchez is full of delights from the moment you enter. Brought to us from the good people behind Maybe Sammy, this tequila and street food bar has left no stone unturned when it comes to detail. The deliciously retro interiors, block colours and disco balls suspended from the ceiling are a visual feast that just keeps giving with each nook channelling 1940s Mexico.

Start your night with the creative drink menu and the iconic guacamole before moving onto some larger share plates. Don't miss the Brussel Sprout Tacos, Tuna Tostada and Roast Corn. For drinks, try the Gimlet El Maiz, that uses a cordial made from leftover toasted tortillas, and the Sanchez Paloma made with mandarin soda, agave and lime, before delving into the extensive tequila menu. 

End with a session in the venue's petite soundproof karaoke booth that boasts an on-demand tequila button. Quesadillas with a side of Britney? Heaven. 

27-33 Oxford Street, Paddington 

Kittyhawk

Kittyhawk captures the essence of Liberation Day in Paris – when everyone was out dancing and drinking champagne to celebrate their freedom from WWII. The 1940s theme is continued with hand-dyed khaki leather booths, antique mirrors, vintage French tiles, and upholstery and wallpaper from the era complete with authentic artefacts like WWII squadron hats and Morse code devices. The attention to detail is amazing.

16 Phillip Lane, Sydney

Rafi

Rafi's playful interiors, vast alfresco areas, class drinks, and warm service make this bar an all-round good time. The seasonal menu specialises in sustainably sourced seafood and vegetables cooked over charcoal, while a bright beverage menu pairs local wine and beer with creative custom cocktails. When the sun is shining, head to the expansive tree-lined terrace for rooftop vibes and delicious drinks – minus the hike up.

99 Mount Street, North Sydney

Rockpool Bar & Grill
Rockpool Bar & Grill

Rockpool Bar & Grill

An incredible restaurant experience should begin the moment you step through the doors. Rockpool will have your heart as soon as you step off of the bustling Sydney CBD streets into this classic Art Deco space. Complete with marble pillars and sky-high ceilings, the food and wine list will be the next thrilling discovery. Despite the luxe decor and top-notch produce, there's nothing pretentious about the food here which contributes hugely to its appeal. Cooked over fire where possible, Rockpool's offering exemplifies simplicity executed to perfection. 

66 Hunter Street, Sydney

The Tilbury

The Tilbury very much deserves a place on the best-dressed list. Masterminded by award-winning design firm Luchetti Krelle the interior is bright and fresh, with airy, open spaces, soft pastels, light timbers and brassy details. The new courtyard is another delight for design lovers. It has pops of bold colour, and its varied seating and laidback vibe make it the perfect place to go for a sunny Sunday session.

12-18 Nicholson Street, Woolloomooloo

The moody interiors of the bar at Archie Rose Sydney with one wall lined with barrels

Archie Rose Distilling Co

The Archie Rose space is the definition of industrial-chic, with concrete and wooden accents, a shiny copper bar, booths that look like whisky barrels, and a (very fitting) wall of casks. The fit-out is accredited to ACME & Co (who also designed The Grounds), and the bar itself serves up top-shelf beer, wine and spirits.

85 Dunning Avenue, Rosebery

The Paddington

A bar, restaurant and pub with a minimal yet striking interior. In a nod to Paddington’s past, the space was designed to look like a classic butchery, complete with white glazed ceramic tiles, timber panelling and dark timber furniture in the front bar. An intimate seating behind the bar, and the upstairs pub-slash-restaurant, takes a different vibe: booth seating, mirrored tables, and a leather-fronted cocktail bar. The Paddington is an aesthetic backdrop to plenty of future moments. 

384 Oxford Street, Paddington

Palmer & Co

Palmer & Co is a speakeasy-style bar that’s a throwback to the Prohibition era of the 1920s. And it sticks to its sophisticated theme with the help of exposed brick walls, timber accents, and dim lighting, as well as decorations by the deft hand of Sibella Court. The dapper staff and flapper waitresses add to the basement bar’s speakeasy vibe, as do the live music performances (which are on Tuesday through Saturday).

Abercrombie Lane, Sydney

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