Subscribe 
Best Pubs in Sydney 2026: Craft Beer, Beer Gardens, Sunday Roasts and More
Next time you're looking to sink a pint with your pals, keep this edit of the best pubs in Sydney, divided by category, handy.
The best pubs in Sydney in 2026 include nostalgic neighbourhood pub The Bat & Ball for classic pub grub and a discerning crowd, The Dolphin Hotel in Surry Hills for natural wines and Italian and Forrester’s in Surry Hills for the iconic Big Yorkie.
Beyond the CBD, you’ll find each suburban enclave has its own favourites to boast about, from Freshwater’s The Harbord Hotel to Petersham’s Public House Petersham.
Updated for 2026, this guide highlights which Sydney pubs are the cream of the crop — curated by Sitchu editors and refreshed regularly to reflect what’s genuinely worth booking.
- The Best Pubs in Sydney For Craft Beer
- The Best Pubs in Sydney For a Sunday Roast
- The Best Historic Pubs in Sydney
- The Best Pubs in Sydney With Beer Gardens
- The Best Pubs in Sydney For Live Sports
- The Best Local Neighbourhood Pubs in Sydney
- The Best Dog-Friendly Pubs in Sydney
- The Best Waterfront Pubs in Sydney
- FAQs About The Best Pubs in Sydney
The Best Pubs in Sydney for Craft Beer
Keg & Brew, Surry Hills
Minutes from Sydney’s Central Station, Keg & Brew is a meeting place for everything from knock-off pints to pre-game brews. It’s a no-frills, classic Aussie pub with the food menu to match — all comfort food classics, paired with an energetic atmosphere. There are 50 beer taps on the go on any given day, with an emphasis on local and Australian beers. Regularly rotating, you should be able to try something new each visit.
Suburb: Surry Hills
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Pub fare
Best For: Group dining, Locals, Weekend plans
The Noble Hops, Redfern
If you’re after the best of the best when it comes to craft beers, The Noble Hops is it. The craft beer menu shifts so regularly, you might even catch the letter board being updated as you sip. You can expect to find plenty of unusual and limited-release brews, alongside local legends.
Suburb: Redfern
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: No Kitchen
Best For: Date night, Late night, Weekend plans
Need to Know: The Noble Hops doesn’t have a kitchen but guests are welcome to order in takeaway from the plentiful eateries surrounding the bar.
The Best Pubs in Sydney for a Sunday Roast
The Duke of Clarence, CBD
Tucked in an alleyway next to The Barber Shop, The Duke of Clarence offers a quintessentially British experience in the heart of the CBD. This 19th-century-inspired English tavern boasts a 500-strong line-up of spirits and British eats that tick every comfort food box. Their traditional Sunday roast is available weekly, with a couple of different options up for grabs, Yorkies included, of course.
Suburb: CBD
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Pub fare
Best For: Date night, Weekend plans, Late night
Forrester’s, Surry Hills
Sydneysiders are so smitten with Forrester’s Sunday roast, served in a giant Yorkshire pudding, that the Surry Hills institution now serves them up every day, with a rotating roast. Enjoy the revamped heritage interiors with a pint of local lager. The event schedule here is particularly packed, with special days out for the dogs and rotating live music sets.
Suburb: Surry Hills
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Gastropub
Best For: Group dining, Locals, Weekend plans
Need to Know: Forrester’s serve up their roast every day of the week so there’s no need to wait for Sunday.
The Royal Paddington, Paddington
The Royal Paddington’s Sunday royal roast is the big, hearty comfort meal you need in your life. Expect generous portions of fluffy Yorkshire puddings, beef dripping roast potatoes, honey-roasted carrots, sautéed sprouts, cabbage and bacon and gravy with either a porchetta, beef or pumpkin roast.
Suburb: Paddington
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Pub fare
Best For: Group dining, Locals, Weekend plans
Click through for a full edit of our favourite Sunday Roasts in Sydney.
The Best Historic Pubs in Sydney
The Lord Nelson Brewery Hotel, CBD
Historic and trendy at once, Sydney’s oldest continuously licensed pub is also an award-winning brewery. Fittingly located in The Rocks, The Lord Nelson has an old-world English charm, harbour views, and a loyal bunch of locals.
Suburb: CBD
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Pub fare
Best For: Late night, Weekend plans, Locals
Need to Know: The Lord Nelson also host their famous pie night from 5pm every Monday.
The Glenmore Hotel, The Rocks
For some of the best harbour views and great pub grub, The Glenmore Hotel is an old favourite. A tourist hotspot, from the heritage bar downstairs to the happening rooftop, there is always a good time to be had.
Suburb: The Rocks
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Pub fare
Best For: Cocktail lovers, Late night, Weekend plans
The Best Pubs in Sydney With Beer Gardens
The Newport, Newport
With sweeping views across the Pittwater and a choose your own adventure approach to eats, The Newport is a people-pleasing pub. They offer live music from Friday to Sunday, four different food outlets, and plenty of space to stretch your legs.
Suburb: Newport
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Pub fare
Best For: Weekend plans, Families, Locals, Waterfront, Group dining
Vic on the Park, Marrickville
With a sweeping back deck, street art and its own basketball court, The Vic has plenty of space to kick back and enjoy a craft beer in the sun. They often host events and live music and serve up exceptionally moreish pub grub.
Suburb: Marrickville
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Pub fare
Best For: Locals, Families, Outdoor dining, Dog-friendly, Weekend plans
The Erko, Erskineville
The Erko offers all the things you want from a local pub — laidback vibes, a suntrap beer garden, dog-friendly approach, local brews, natural wines and an elevated menu of pub classics.
Suburb: Erskineville
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Best For: Locals, Families, Group dining
Discover more of the best beer gardens in Sydney.
The Best Pubs in Sydney for Live Sport
Bristol Sports, CBD
Formerly known as The Bristol Arms, The Bristol has just undergone a major glow-up. If you like your sports bars sleek, this is the pick for you. Premium interiors set the scene whilst a Greek-inspired menu is yours to explore. Think halloumi burgers, fried baby calamari and the iconic Bristol spice bag for good measure.
Suburb: CBD
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Gastropub
Best For: Late night, Solo dining, Weekend plans, Quick bite
Looking for more places to watch the game? Click through for our full edit of the best bars for live sport in Sydney.
The Best Local Neighbourhood Pubs in Sydney
The Dolphin Hotel, Surry Hills
The Dolphin Hotel is a multi-level venue on the bustling Crown Street of Surry Hills. With plenty of indoor seating, spaces available to book for groups, and alfresco tables spilling onto the pavement, it’s a pub for all weathers. The food is exceptional here, consisting largely of Euro-inspired small plates, wood-fired pizza and bowls of pasta. The drinks list is also extensive, with wines taking centre stage.
Suburb: Surry Hills
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Modern Australian, Italian
Best For: Wine lovers, Group dining, Weekend plans, Locals
The Bat & Ball, Redfern
The Bat & Ball is a Redfern institution, serving up nostalgic pub grub, live music on weekends and plenty of live sports. Expect a classic Australian boozer, with a distinctly laidback atmosphere. Best of all, the portions are big and the prices approachable.
Suburb: Redfern
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Pub fare
Best For: Locals, Group dining, Budget-friendly, Late night
The Harbord Hotel, Freshwater
Freshwater’s favourite watering hole, The Harbord Hotel, is the epitome of laidback coastal dining. Having retained its beachside spot for over 100 years, it’s a neighbourhood pub firmly entrenched in local memories. The elevated decor is the backdrop to everything from many a milestone celebration to weekly Sunday sessions with friends.
Suburb: Freshwater
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Modern Australian, Pub fare
Best For: Weekend plans, Families, Locals, Waterfront
The Best Dog-Friendly Pubs in Sydney
Public House Petersham, Petersham
Let Public House Petersham’s sunny beer garden set the scene to your next pup-friendly day out. Snack on wood-fired pizzas and pub classics to your heart’s content whilst your furry friend enjoys pats aplenty. A truly local pub, you’ll find every member of the family catered for, from the kids to the fur kids.
Suburb: Petersham
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Italian, Mediterranean
Best For: Dog-friendly, Outdoor dining, Group dining, Locals, Families
Need to Know: Dogs are allowed inside in the care of wet weather.
The Carrington, Surry Hills
Local favourite The Carrington features both indoor and outdoor dog-friendly spaces, perfect for a day out with your favourite four-legged friend. They even have a dedicated doggy menu that includes steak and veggies, pup cakes and beer tartare.
Suburb: Surry Hills
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Pub fare
Best For: Dog-friendly, Group dining, Weekend plans, Locals
Explore more of our favourite dog-friendly pubs.
The Best Waterfront Pubs in Sydney
The Oriana Beer Garden, The Rocks
The Oriana Beer Garden pairs some of Sydney’s best harbour views with fresh beers, crisp wines and an elevated pub menu. The always-festive vibe makes for a great atmosphere for everything from after-work drinks to large group special occasions.
Suburb: The Rocks
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Pub fare
Best For: Waterfront, Late night, Outdoor dining, Group dining
Need to Know: If you’re looking for something a little more elevated, head upstairs to The Oriana Restaurant for the same great views and food that’s a little fancier.
Watsons Bay Hotel, Watsons Bay
A local favourite for special occasions, Watson’s Bay Hotel’s prime position on Sydney Harbour ticks all the boxes for an atmospheric lunch. Here, it’s all about the seafood, from the iconic platters to buckets of Australian prawns and the Three Sheets Pale Ale battered fish and chips.
Suburb: Watsons Bay
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Seafood, Modern Australian
Best For: Waterfront, Special occasion, Long lunch
Need to Know: Depending on which direction you’re coming from, it may be easiest to catch the ferry over.
FAQs About The Best Pubs in Sydney
The best Sydney pubs for craft beer are Keg & Brew in Surry Hills and The Noble Hops in Redfern. Keg & Brew runs 50 rotating taps with a strong focus on local and Australian breweries, making it a reliable destination for discovering something new each visit.
The Noble Hops takes a more curated approach, with a constantly shifting menu of unusual and independent brews displayed on iconic letter boards. Both are affordable and welcoming to solo drinkers and groups alike.
If you’re not too fussed about volume of options, Sydney has a strong craft beer culture, so you can expect to find a handful of local beers at most Sydney pubs.
Three Sydney pubs consistently stand out for Sunday roasts: The Duke of Clarence in the CBD, Forrester’s in Surry Hills, and The Royal Paddington in Paddington. The Duke of Clarence serves a traditional British roast with Yorkshire puddings in a 19th-century-inspired tavern setting. Forrester’s is famous for its roast served inside a giant Yorkshire pudding and now offers this daily with a rotating protein. The Royal Paddington delivers generous portions with beef dripping roast potatoes, honey-roasted carrots and a choice of porchetta, beef or pumpkin.
Sydney’s most historic pubs include The Lord Nelson Brewery Hotel in The Rocks, recognised as the city’s oldest continuously licensed pub, and The Glenmore Hotel, also in The Rocks. The Lord Nelson combines old-world English charm with an award-winning in-house brewery and harbour views. The Glenmore offers heritage interiors on the ground floor and a bustling rooftop with some of the best views of Sydney Harbour. Both sit within the historically significant Rocks precinct, making them ideal for visitors wanting atmosphere alongside their pint.
Top Sydney pubs with beer gardens include The Newport in Newport, Vic on the Park in Marrickville and The Erko in Erskineville. The Newport has sweeping Pittwater views and ample space across multiple outdoor areas. Vic on the Park features a large back deck, street art and even a basketball court, with regular live music. The Erko offers a suntrap courtyard with a relaxed, dog-friendly atmosphere and a strong selection of local craft beers and natural wines. All three cater to families and groups.
Yes, several Sydney pubs welcome dogs. Public House Petersham in Petersham has a sunny beer garden where dogs are allowed, and also permits them inside during wet weather. The Carrington in Surry Hills goes a step further with both indoor and outdoor dog-friendly spaces and a dedicated doggy menu featuring steak and veggies, pup cakes and beer tartare. Vic on the Park in Marrickville and The Erko in Erskineville are also popular dog-friendly options with spacious outdoor areas.
Sydney’s best waterfront pubs include The Oriana Beer Garden and Watsons Bay Hotel. The Oriana, located in The Rocks, offers views of Sydney Harbour Bridge alongside fresh beers and an elevated pub menu, making it a strong choice for both after-work drinks and group occasions. Watsons Bay Hotel sits directly on Sydney Harbour and specialises in seafood, including prawn buckets and beer-battered fish and chips. It’s particularly well suited to long lunches and special occasions, and can be reached by ferry depending on your starting point.
Looking to discover more of our favourite places to explore in Sydney? Explore more with our Ultimate Sydney Travel Guide. Whether you’re a local or a visitor, there’s plenty to keep you busy.
