Time Out Sydney

If there was ever a time to do it, 2020 was the year to open a bar unashamedly geared towards the local set. The buzz of Potts Points' cosy wine bar Bar Sopra – which came into fruition right after lockdown – is amplified by its close quarters. Friends titter at the alfresco tables outside on Challis Avenue; low-key first dates are well underway; locals in chic, blocky sunglasses saunter past with a wave. It's not the Bar Sopra team's first time making magic in a tight squeeze.

What do Mick Jagger, Frank Sinatra, ABBA, Harrison Ford, Rihanna, Kerry Packer, Neil Armstrong… and my mum and her ex-boyfriend all have in common? They have all dined at Beppi’s – Australia’s oldest continuously owned Italian restaurant in Darlinghurst. I find this out when I mention to my mum where I’m off to for the evening, her eyes starting to glaze over with Barolo-laced memories.

For the thousands of Sydneysiders who head for the ocean year-round (guilty), we’ve got reassuring news: shark-spotting drones will soon be watching over every ocean beach from Palm Beach to Cronulla, 365 days a year. From July 1, the NSW Government is expanding its aerial shark surveillance program, increasing year-round drone coverage across Sydney from 26 beaches to all 38 ocean beaches.

How good are road trips? A few hours on the open road, fuelled with servo snacks and the excitement of what’s to come. That’s how I feel driving south to Huskisson, a pretty, laid-back coastal village found in the Shoalhaven region of NSW, near the world-famous beaches of Jervis Bay.

According to the stats, more than 41 million people pass through Sydney Airport each year – so it's hardly surprising that travellers leave behind a staggering amount of stuff. From laptops and jewellery to skateboards and wedding dresses (!!), the airport's lost property office sees thousands of forgotten belongings every year. Behind the scenes, a dedicated team works to reunite passengers with their missing items, successfully returning more than 6,000 lost belongings last year.

We’ll be honest: there was a time when finding somewhere seriously good to eat at Sydney’s Entertainment Quarter was a bit of a struggle. Thankfully though, that’s no longer the case, and a major new player has just entered the equation. Earlier this year, the doors opened at King Dynasty: the second iteration of the beloved yum cha palace that first opened in Chatswood back in 2016 (and sadly closed its doors in 2024).

Sydney's nightlife might not have quite the same global rep as Ibiza or Berlin, but according to the data, one local club is pulling in a world-class level of intrigue. We’ll be honest, we’re a little surprised – but the people have spoken (or, technically, typed). According to new research analysing Google search data for more than 140 internationally recognised nightclubs, Sydney's Home The Venue has landed among the ten most searched clubs in the world.

Sydney has well and truly embraced the bathhouse boom. From steamy social saunas to hyper-luxe wellness hubs, it seems every corner of the city has signed up to the hot-and-cold therapy club – and I’m a card-carrying member. Now, the Harbour City’s bathhouse obsession is heading to the Hawkesbury – and this one comes with a Champagne bar and option to stay the night. Sign us up.

Back in May, sommelier Nick Hildebrandt and chef Brent Savage announced they would be closing their fine diner Bentley Restaurant and Bar this winter after more than 20 years at the top of its game (and five-star reviews from Time Out).

I think it’s when I’m onto my second Negroni, armed with a plate of snacks (warm pita, creamy taramasalata, lemon-spritzed asparagus and salty prosciutto), watching my colleagues-turned-friends in our tennis grand final (I was robbed), the sun starting to turn pastel, that I think: team retreats can’t get much better than this.