A bar without snacks is borderline criminal. Luckily these bars have come to the party.
The best bar bites demand to be paired with a round of drinks. Be it a textbook version of a toasted sanga or a contemporary take on tapas, here is our guide to Australian bars that are as serious about the food as the drinks.
1. The Botanical Hotel, South Yarra, Vic
Best for: Oscietra caviar, traditional fries or Guindilla peppers with a spicy margarita.
Although you can choose your own adventure at the Botanical Hotel – there’s a Brasserie, Winestore and Bar – you will be primed to party when you start out in the main bar of this refurbished hotel. The Botanical Hotel has been a haunt for South Yarra locals since the mid-1800s.
Head to The Botanical Hotel at happy hour.
Address: 169 Domain Rd, South Yarra, VIC
2. Apollo Inn, Melbourne, Vic
Best for: Martinis and gnocco fritto and making friends with strangers.
Ask Melburnians which restaurant is a must when visiting the Victorian capital and the Gimlet will get a guernsey.
Can’t get a booking at Andrew McConnell’s oh-so-glamorous Gimlet at Cavendish House? Never mind. Corral your friends and get thee to Apollo Inn instead, which is just 50 metres away.
The Apollo Inn is perfect for date night. (Image: Earl Carter)
The menu of snacks and share plates at Apollo Inn is designed with drinking in mind. Order a tray of martinis to start. Follow with raw tuna with grapefruit and fennel seed or the crab bun, which deserves its cult following. Finish with more martinis.
An intimate candle-lit dinner awaits at Apollo Inn. (Image: Jo McGann)
Address: 165 Flinders Lane, Melbourne, VIC
3. Mill Place Merchants, Melbourne, Vic
Best for: A classic bikini sandwich with mortadella, mozzarella and bush tomato relish paired with a classy opera cocktail.
Heading out for a bite to eat has never been so fun. Smooth down your linen ‘fit and order some small bites at Mill Place Merchants, a classic candle-lit speakeasy tucked away in a 19th-century sandstone building in Melbourne’s CBD.
Order some small bites at Mill Place Merchants.
Turn your eye to the salt and vinegar crisps and a glass of something fizzy.
Sip a classy Oopera cocktail with classic bikini sandwiches.
Address: 2 Mill Place, Melbourne, VIC
4. Re’em, Yarra Valley, Vic
Best for: Hainan chicken, puffed rice and pickled cucumber with a glass of 2022 Re’em Chardonnay.
Helen and Joey Xu have leant into their Chinese heritage at their new restaurant Re’em at Helen & Joey Estate in the Yarra Valley. Forget nibbling on Nobby’s Nuts. Culinary consultant Mark Ebbels (ex-The Fat Duck, Bacchanalia) has designed an elevated selection of cellar door snacks such as shiitake mushroom dumplings and lamb belly skewers.
Choose from an elevated selection of cellar door snacks at Re’em.
Address: 12-14 Spring Lane, Gruyere, VIC
5. Pipi’s Kiosk, Albert Park, Vic
Best for: Salt cod croquettes with a Pipis spritz.
Pipi’s Kiosk is somewhat of a quiet achiever. Anchored to the Kerferd Road Pier on the Albert Park foreshore, the venue will evoke childhood memories of going to the beach and doing the pipi shuffle.
Enjoy chargrilled baby octopus at Pipi’s Kiosk. (Image: Jana Langhorst)
The bartenders here make a big impact with cocktails categorised under A Glass of Something Special.
Don’t pass up the chance to try their raw fish in salted plum. (Image: Jana Langhorst)
Address: 129A Beaconsfield Parade, Albert Park, VIC
6. Backroom Bar, South Yarra, Vic
Best for: Empanadas with vegan pork mince and plantain.
Delete all your dating apps. Instead, pop on a pair of scarlet wedges with your high-waisted jeans and enter the clamorous Backroom Bar where there’s a high chance you will meet your vegan soulmate IRL.
The subterranean South Yarra Bar is all Art Deco charm and anti-conformist vibes. It’s also a great venue for a #girldinner or pre-theatre tipple.
Backroom Bar is your place to be for a vegan girl dinner.
Address: 234 Toorak Road, South Yarra, VIC
7. Non Disclosure, Geelong, Vic
Best for: Caviar and oysters and a coupla Business as Yuzu-Al cocktails.
Full disclosure: we haven’t made it to Non Disclosure. But we have heard amazing things about this Geelong bar located in the lively Little Malop St precinct. The bar brought to you by the team behind the 18th Amendment Bar and Manhattan Bar has an old-timey feel meant to evoke the glory days of The Great Gatsby of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 novel. Bring your main character energy to the seductive space.
Bring your main character energy to Non Disclosure.
Address: 2/71 Little Malop St, Geelong, VIC
8. Georgie Wine Bar, Sydney, NSW
Best for: A martini and steak frites after a shopping trip to the QVB.
Hey there, Georgie girl. Say ‘hey’ to a buffed and polished New York wine bar in Sydney’s CBD. By day, the ground-floor bar on the corner of George and Bond streets draws pretzel and bagel aficionadoes to its casual streetside window. But as day turns to night, the 60-seater with the checkerboard floor morphs into a moody bar giving neighbourhood Manhattan vibes. The wine bar – all marble, velvet and accents of gold – serves classic martinis and manhattans in vintage glassware, which sets the tone and pays homage to the building’s handsome Art Deco heritage.
Plates of food laid out on a table with chicken wings and oysters and terrine.
Don’t miss the surf and turf skewers threaded by chef Gil Ghidalia (ex Shell House and Aria) which entice commuters and local office workers to pop in for a quick and casual lunch. There’s also its great Australian bites. The bar menu at Georgie is rooted in provenance with a focus on humble share plates such as devilled eggs, terrine du jour and a classic cheeseburger with wagyu and bacon slathered in a secret sauce.
Georgie’s is all marble, velvet and gilt-edged Art Deco glamour.
Chef Gil also has plans to serve a mystery snack from the streetside window such as Rockefeller toasties or Reuben eclairs. Watch this space.
9. Bottega Wine Bar, Sydney, NSW
Best for: Casual bar bites with a memorable glass of wine in a stunning location.
The Restaurant Pendolino is one of Sydney’s best restaurants. Now those wanting to pop in for a bite to eat pre-dinner or post-theatre can enjoy the more casual offering from Bottega Pendolino, the new wine bar at the front of the restaurant in the Strand Arcade.
Book a table for two at Bottega Wine Bar.
Like its big sister, the wine bar is reflective of its downtown Sydney locale in the charming heritage-listed Victorian-era building.
Choose from an array of casual share plates such as king prawn rye cocktail sandwiches, eggplant fritters and oysters.
Pick from the casual share plates on offer.
Address: Level 2, The Strand Arcade, Sydney, NSW
10. Nick & Nora’s, Parramatta, NSW
Best for: Oysters and Champagne darling.
Have your leopard-print jacket and oversized sunglasses at the ready. Nick & Nora’s at SKYE Suites Parramatta is an Art Deco-styled cocktail and Champagne bar that serves magnificent morsels matched with lively libations for party-ready Parra types.
Nick & Nora’s is a cocktail and Champagne bar with a heritage feel.
Think oysters, caviar, local and imported cheese and cured meats as well as one-bite canapes. The rooftop bar owned by the Speakeasy Group (Mjolner, Eau De Vie) has uninterrupted views across the city skyline from the 26th floor of SKYE Suites Parramatta. It’s a fantastic place to perch and ponder how sophisticated Sydney’s second CBD has become. Book a stay-cay and explore all that Parra has to offer, including the new PHIVE, the award-winning new landmark library and community hub and Parramatta Aquatic Centre.
Dine on cured meats, caviar and more at Nick & Nora’s.
Address: Level 26/45 SKYE Suites Parramatta, 30 Hunter St, Parramatta, NSW
11. Mister Percy, Pyrmont, NSW
Best for: MSC Cantabrian Anchovies with butter and toast and a Mandrake of the Lake gin highball.
The great custom of nibbling and drinking has got a whole lot more sophisticated in Pyrmont thanks to Mister Percy.
Elevate your wine game at Mister Percy.
A good portion of the menu at the neighbourhood wine bar is designed to share. And there’s a lot at the bar that will grab your attention. Keep it simple with the drool-worthy four-cheese toastie.
This bustling wine bar is best for nibbling and drinking.
Address: 139 Murray St, Pyrmont, NSW
12. Bar Infinita, Gordon, NSW
Best for: Italian antipasti and Amalfi sours.
Nab a seat on the pavement outside Bar Infinita in Gordon on Sydney’s North Shore to fill up on tasty bites made to order by ex-Firedoor and Ormeggio chef Francesco Iervolino.
Taste Bar Infinita’s wood-fired pizza. (Image: Chad Konik)
This buzzy neighbourhood bar is all about fire and char: enjoy the thrill of the grill with succulent octopus served with romesco, shishito peppers and nduja.
This buzzy neighbourhood bar is all about fire and char. (Image: Chad Konik)
Address: 10 St Johns Avenue, Gordon, NSW
13. Lumiere on Thirty Five, Sydney, NSW
Best for: Foie gras parfait and beetroot tartlet.
One thing will certainly lead to another at Sydney’s newest bar. Start with the Copper Moon, which will captivate your senses. It’s one of many artisan cocktails concocted by mixologist Jason Lau to be enjoyed over delicately crafted cheffy morsels such as wagyu skewers and the Native Flower Pot.
Lumière is French for light and the running theme for the Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour bar overlooking Sydney’s twinkling skyline.
Enjoy an array of artisan cocktails at Sydney’s newest bar.
Address: 12 Darling Drive, Sydney, NSW
14. Bar Lettera, North Sydney, NSW
Best for: Grilled black tiger prawns with Aleppo pepper and shellfish oil.
North Sydney residents are set to become even more insular with the opening of Bar Lettera. The modern Australian bar led by chef Ryan Perry (The Bridge Room and Momofuku Seiobo) skews toward Italian.
Pop into Bar Lettera.
Pull up a stool at the modern Australian bar that conjures colours of the Australian landscape and has a kind of late-night supper club vibe.
The all-day menu includes light bites such as ocean trout and cobia crudo and rigatoni with Wollemi duck ragu with Davidson plum jam.
Bar Lettera serves light bites all day.
Address: Level 5, Citadines Walker North Sydney, 88 Walker St, North Sydney, NSW
15. Marble Bar, Sydney, NSW
Best for: Lobster rolls and Born Lucky cocktail.
The Marble Bar at Hilton Sydney is one of Australia’s most alluring and opulent venues. The name is a nod to the 35 varieties of marble used in the fit-out for the bar first established in 1893 and later rebuilt in the subterranean level of the Hilton Sydney.
Settle into the dimly lit Marble Bar.
Drape yourself over a lounge in the warm and cosy bar, which celebrated its 130th anniversary in 2023. Head here for wagyu beef sliders and whisky while admiring the stained-glass panels, timber archways, polished mahogany and Julian Ashton’s paintings.
Julian Ashton’s paintings are spread across the timber archways.
Address: Level B1 Hilton Sydney, 488 George St, Sydney, NSW
16. Penelope’s, Sydney, NSW
Best for: A bogan old fashioned with a vegemite caramel and prawn cocktail.
The Quay Quarter is shaping up to be one of the liveliest dining precincts in Sydney. The food and drinks at Penelope’s are inventive and fun. The diners’ eclectic. And the menu conceived to represent a new take on Australian cuisine.
Penelope’s has an eclectic dining scene. (Image: Chad Konik)
Executive chef and owner Cuong Nguyen leans into both his Vietnamese heritage and his experience growing up in Sydney’s inner west.
Belly up to the bar to enjoy elevated offerings of dishes that show the diversity of Sydney neighbourhoods, from Lakemba spiced lamb shoulder to Bakar chicken complimented by wines from around the world.
The dishes at Penelope’s are from Vietnamese origin. (Image: Chad Konik)
Address: Quay Quarter, Level 1, 50 Bridge St (enter from Phillip St), Sydney, NSW
17. Gildas, Surry Hills, NSW
Best for: The famous gilda snack, which arrive speared on a stick as a Gilda, Grillda or Aussie-fied Matilda.
There’s one thing about chef Lennox Hastie: he doesn’t gild the lily. Or in this case, he doesn’t gild the gilda, the name of the venue paying homage to the original pinxtos of the Basque region in northern Spain where the Michelin-trained chef worked for a time.
The name Gildas is a homage to the original pinxtos of the Basque region in northern Spain. (Image: Nikki To)
Expect wildly flavourful dishes and an inspired drinks selection that has made Gildas just as hot as sister venue Firedoor.
Like a proper pintxos taverna, Gildas embraces the Basque tradition of bringing locals together to snack on small plates, share a few yarns and enjoy a drink or two.
Snack on small plates with a drink or two.
Address: 46-48 Albion St, Surry Hills, NSW
18. McRae Bar, Sydney, NSW
Best for: Chicken liver parfait with quince jam and dill pickle with a McRae Negroni.
Capella Sydney’s swanky McRae Bar named in honour of George McRae, the building’s original architect, redefines the classic hotel lounge. This is not the place for a post-punk after-party.
McRae Bar was named in honour of architect George McRae.
The elegant bar has a carefully curated drinks list with contemporary twists on nostalgic-style cocktails that have stood the test of time.
Frock up for the Golden Age of the Cocktail complemented with elevated bar bites such as spring pea tartlets with ricotta and green chilli and bluefin tuna with smoked cream and kombu.
Pair indulgent bar bites with innovative cocktails.
Address: Capella Sydney, 2/4 Farrer Pl, Sydney, NSW
19. Lina Rooftop Bar, South Brisbane, Qld
Best for: Apero O’Clock cocktails with the girls and duck liver parfait.
Could this Brisbane rooftop bar be any more emblematic of the Sunshine State? While the menu at Lina changes with the seasons, thankfully, the Byron Bay burrata has remained.
Soak up the sun by Lina Rooftop Bar’s poolside. (Image: Markus Ravik)
Lina is more French Riviera than South Brissy. The nautical-themed pool deck bar is a draw for bronzed bods with a penchant for socialising in their triangle bikinis and boardies.
Linger a little longer at Lina Rooftop Bar with a cocktail in hand. (Image: Markus Ravik)
Address: 74-80 Tribune St, South Brisbane, QLD
20. Bar Kokomo, Darwin, NT
Best for: A Raintree Park Swizzle with local wild-caught snapper served on crisp tostadas.
It’s a Top End truism that Bar Kokomo is one of the NT’s best watering holes. Sure, the strength of the place has a lot to do with the colourful pilgrims who gather in the bar to exchange gossip. But the bar in multicultural Darwin also gets bonus points for being named after Kokomo, a song by the Beach Boys.
Lean into the lyrics – ‘There’s a place called Kokomo; That’s where you wanna go’ and get a taste of rum culture, past and present, with exciting tipples paired with food inflected with accents from the Caribbean, Spain and France.
Pair exciting tipples with a savoury seafood dish at Bar Kokomo.
Address: 56 Smith Street, Darwin, NT
21. Havza, Rottnest Island, WA
Best for: Halloumi with honeycomb and a glass of something fizzy with friends.
Havza is the Turkish translation of ‘Basin’, which is where you will find this rustic pop-up on Rottnest Island every summer.
Dine al fresco at Havza.
The eatery was handcrafted by owner Glenn Evans using timbers he sourced from his mother’s farm in WA and milled himself. Tuck into tapas-style dishes such as falafel with tzatziki and hummus on flatbread or spicy fishcakes at the pop-up, which operates in summer only.
Tuck into tapas-style dishes at Havza.
Address: The Basin, Rottnest Island, WA
22. Romulus, Leederville, WA
Best for: Snacks with heft such as ox cheeks bites and a glass of big bold red.
A new wine bar in bustling Boorloo (Perth) captures the big-city energy of the suburb of Leederville. Named after Rome’s founding father, the menu at Romulus is a study of local food and wine sourced from farms and vineyards nearby.
As well as being a fine and dandy watering hole, you’ll find great food to match. Kick back on the turmeric-toned banquette for a glass of something funky alongside antipasto and crab bruschetta.
Address: Shop 1/224 Carr Place Leederville, WA
23. Shirley’s, Fremantle, WA
Best for: Taking your nan out for vegetable terrine and the Boozy Shirley cocktail.
Fremantle fave Manuka Woodfire Kitchen has opened a sidecar space named Shirley’s. Belly up to the bar at the new neighbouring venue that lures a cool energetic crowd of 20somethings in sneakers and jaunty hats.
Take in the retro vibes ar Shirley’s.
There are pops of hot pink on the walls, whitewashed bricks, and cosy pockets surrounded by plants. We love the retro vibes with classic prawn cocktails, potato galettes and leek and feta quiches.
Have a tipple at Shirley’s.
Address: 124 High St, Fremantle, WA
