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Our Go-to Spots for Elite Drinks and Snacks
Not quite dinner, not just drinks. These Sydney bars strike the perfect balance with standout cocktails and snacks worth ordering a second round for.
Sometimes all you need is a really great drink and something delicious to nibble on. Across Sydney, bars are elevating the in-between, pairing crisp martinis with oysters, natural wines with just-baked focaccia, and spicy margaritas with perfectly shareable small plates. The best Sydney bars for drinks and snacks include Bar Tilda in the CBD, where cacio e pepe popcorn meets $9 happy hour Pinot Grigio, and Arms Length in Potts Point, with its $15 Thursday cocktail-and-snack deal. In Marrickville, Doom Juice Cellar Door loads crisps with prosciutto and hot honey, while Bar Conte City in the CBD pours 30-plus Negronis and Caravin in Potts Point leans into minimal-intervention wine.
From CBD cocktail dens and Surry Hills wine bars to breezy harbourside terraces, consider this our editors’ shortlist for nights that are not quite dinner, not just drinks.
In This Guide:
Best Happy Hour Drink and Snack Deals in Sydney
Bar Tilda
There are some hotel bars that don’t have a great reputation, but Bar Tilda isn’t one of them. Housed inside the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth, it has a really cool hotel bar energy that’s a far cry from those dated/stuffy ones you might be picturing. It’s a CBD location so the energy is buzzy and high, drawing in a good after-work crowd.
As for snacks, the cacio e pepe popcorn is a must-try. It’s exactly what the name suggests; fresh popcorn topped with a very generous amount of sharp pecorino and cracked black pepper. Believe me when I say it possesses a highly addictive quality that’ll have you reaching into the bowl without even realising, and it pairs perfectly with a glass of Pinot Grigio (which is just $9 during happy hour).
Suburb: Sydney CBD
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Cocktail bar
Best For: Wine lovers, Budget-friendly, Group dining, Quick bite
Need To Know: Located inside the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth. Pinot Grigio is $9 during happy hour.
Bar Conte City
Bar Conte is Australia’s first dedicated Negroni bars and has been showcasing Italian aperitivo culture since it opened in 2021. Then, in 2025, it opened an outpost in the CBD for the after-work drinkers. As the name implies, Negronis are the star here, so you can choose from 30+ variations that go well beyond the classic, from mezcal-leaning twists to Campari-forward riffs and rare Italian vermouths you won’t find anywhere else.
The food isn’t an afterthought either. Think charcuterie and Negroni-infused salami, burrata caprese and freshly shucked Sydney rock oysters to pair with a well-made cocktail. We wouldn’t sleep on the house-made focaccia with olive oil but that’s just personal preference. The venue also hosts an aperitivo hour from 4-6pm daily where you can enjoy a spritz for $16 and wine for $10, if you really needed another excuse to drop in.
Suburb: Sydney CBD
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Cocktail bar
Best For: Cocktail lovers, Budget-friendly, Group dining, Quick bite
Need To Know: Aperitivo hour runs daily from 4pm to 6pm, with $16 spritzes and $10 wine.
Arms Length
Tucked away with a speakeasy edge, Arms Length has been killing it on social media lately and you’ve likely already seen them on TikTok or Instagram. The vibes here are unmatched, with a big tree overhanging the outdoor deck and a deceptively large indoor space that just seems to keep going.
The venue has absolutely nailed the sips and snacks brief, with a range of rotating weekly offerings that are just too good to pass up. Our favourite is the Thursday night mini meal deal which offers one cocktail and one snack for just $15 (think a Gin Martini paired with a fresh oyster and a Paloma paired with fries). If this is the way you love to eat and drink then you’ll absolutely love it. Plus, everyone knows that Thursday is the new Friday, so it’s the perfect excuse to catch up with friends. We’ll save you a seat.
Suburb: Potts Point
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Cocktail bar
Best For: Cocktail lovers, Budget-friendly, Outdoor dining, Group dining
Need To Know: Drink and snack offers rotate weekly, so check socials before visiting.
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Doom Juice Cellar Door
This Marrickville cellar door has been making a splash ever since opening, and the fit-out alone is worth the trip. Think glowing neon out front, church pews and plush booths inside, a Doom Juice claw machine at the door, and presiding over it all… a skull-shaped disco ball inspired by the live-action Scooby Doo film, Spooky Island. It’s a place to sit, chat and enjoy the iconic Doom Juice wines, house-made vermouth, and a snacks list that’s been curated very well. A standout is the parma and chips, which sees perfect crisps topped with prosciutto, guindillas, parmesan and the option to add hot honey (a non-negotiable for us). We paired it with a glass of their famed chilled red and it was the ultimate combo. We’re already planning a trip back.
Suburb: Marrickville
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Wine bar
Best For: Wine lovers, Group dining, Weekend plans, Locals
Caravin
Tucked along a leafy Potts Point strip, Caravin is the kind of low-lit, Euro-leaning wine bar you wander into for one glass and leave several snack plates later. The focus here is small-batch and minimal-intervention drops, with a tight, rotating list that champions local and international producers who excel in chilled skin-contact whites and light, juicy reds.
On the food front, it’s all about refined-but-relaxed plates. Think freshly shucked oysters, silky beef tartare with crisp shards for scooping, and warm focaccia served with whipped butter or anchovy. The vibe is intimate, softly buzzing and effortlessly cool, making it one of those transformative places that makes it feel like you’re somewhere else entirely.
Suburb: Potts Point
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Wine bar
Best For: Wine lovers, Outdoor dining, Date night, Locals
Need To Know: The wine list rotates regularly.
Best Cocktail Bars in Sydney for Small Plates
Paski
Tucked along the Darlinghurst strip, Paski is the kind of bar you stumble into for one drink and end up settling into for the night. The vibe leans intimate and a little Euro with low lighting, polished finishes and just enough buzz to feel fun without shouting over your martini.
On the drinks front, expect a tight, considered cocktail list that balances classics with clever twists, alongside a thoughtful wine selection that champions interesting producers. Importantly, snacks are far from an afterthought. Think elevated small plates designed to pair perfectly with what’s in your glass like the eggplant caponata and tuna tartare.
Suburb: Darlinghurst
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Cocktail bar
Best For: Cocktail lovers, Wine lovers, Date night
Love, Tilly Devine
A Darlinghurst favourite for effortlessly cool cocktails and refined small plates, Love, Tilly Devine has built its reputation on a solid drinks list and a buzzing late-night atmosphere.
The menu changes depending on what’s seasonal, so it’s hard to know exactly what you’ll be getting, but it will definitely appeal to anyone who enjoys a bold flavour and the chance to try something new. We’re currently thinking about the sardine sandwich, the beef tartare with crisps and the pigs head sausage on a potato bun. But, if you’d prefer to stick to what you know, there’s plenty of meats, breads, cheeses and olives for a little DIY charcuterie plate.
If the weather’s nice, be sure to pull up a seat outside and enjoy the sights and sounds of the street.
Suburb: Darlinghurst
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Cocktail bar
Best For: Cocktail lovers, Late night, Outdoor dining, Date night
Need To Know: The menu changes seasonally.
Frequently Asked Questions about Sydney’s Best Drink and Snacks Spots
Some of Sydney’s best bars for drinks and snacks are Bar Tilda in the CBD, Arms Length in Potts Point and Doom Juice Cellar Door in Marrickville. Bar Tilda, inside the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth, is known for its cacio e pepe popcorn, while Arms Length pairs cocktails with oysters and fries. Doom Juice Cellar Door serves crisps topped with prosciutto, guindillas and parmesan alongside its own wines. For Negronis with focaccia and charcuterie, Bar Conte City on Clarence Street is a strong pick, and Caravin and Love, Tilly Devine cover the wine bar end of the spectrum.
Several Sydney bars pair a happy hour with food worth ordering. Bar Tilda at the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth in the CBD offers Pinot Grigio for $9 during happy hour, which goes well with its cacio e pepe popcorn. Bar Conte City on Clarence Street runs an aperitivo hour from 4pm to 6pm daily, with spritzes for $16 and wine for $10. In Potts Point, Arms Length’s Thursday mini meal deal pairs one cocktail with one snack for $15. Offers can change, so check each venue’s website or socials before heading in.
Sydney’s bar snack standouts go well beyond chips and nuts. At Bar Tilda in the CBD, the cacio e pepe popcorn comes loaded with pecorino and cracked black pepper. Doom Juice Cellar Door in Marrickville tops crisps with prosciutto, guindillas and parmesan, with hot honey as an optional extra. Bar Conte City serves house-made focaccia and Negroni-infused salami, while Love, Tilly Devine in Darlinghurst runs a seasonal menu that has featured a sardine sandwich and beef tartare with crisps. Caravin in Potts Point is known for oysters and warm focaccia.
For wine with food that holds its own, Caravin in Potts Point focuses on small-batch, minimal-intervention wines, including skin-contact whites and light reds, alongside oysters, beef tartare and focaccia. Doom Juice Cellar Door in Marrickville pours its own wines, house-made vermouth and a chilled red that pairs well with its parma and chips. In Darlinghurst, Love, Tilly Devine offers a seasonal small-plates menu plus meats, breads, cheeses and olives for a DIY charcuterie spread, while Paski on Oxford Street pairs an interesting wine list with plates like eggplant caponata and tuna tartare.
Two of the best CBD bars for after-work drinks with snacks are Bar Tilda and Bar Conte City. Bar Tilda sits inside the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth on Phillip Street and draws a lively after-work crowd, with cacio e pepe popcorn and $9 Pinot Grigio during happy hour. Bar Conte City on Clarence Street is a dedicated Negroni bar offering more than 30 variations, plus charcuterie, burrata and Sydney rock oysters. Its daily aperitivo hour runs from 4pm to 6pm, with $16 spritzes and $10 wine, making it an easy stop after work.
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