Refresh and recharge after a memorable day taking in the splendours of Sydney with a cocktail or a glass of wine at one of the city’s many great bars. Venture down inner-city laneways to uncover hard-to-find speakeasies or broaden your horizons at one of the many rooftop bars around town. Wherever you end up, sit back and relax as award-winning mixologists whip up a wonderful creation that perfectly suits the mood.

Revel in the theatre at Maybe Sammy

Kick off your evening with an expertly made cocktail at Maybe Sammy in The Rocks, which has won a multitude of global awards for its impeccable cocktails and dazzled locals with bright jazz and dapper besuited bartenders. Cocoon in the vintage-styled lounge — polished brass, dusty pink velvet sofas, white marble, leather stools — and hail over the martini cart for a Gibson, or order a ‘mini’ (pint-sized versions of classic cocktails) to discover what you’re in the mood for. Peckish? Be sure to order the truffled-cheese toastie.

Seek out The Doss House

If you can’t find a seat at the super-popular Maybe Sammy, continue deeper into the Rocks, walk through a cobblestone courtyard, down a flight of stairs and back 170 years to The Doss House, a bar with a small frontage but a big personality. Tap into a sense of adventure as you try one of the more than 150 whiskies on offer, best paired with a tasting platters of native delicacies, like kangaroo prosciutto, wild boar salami and smoked tomato relish. Enjoy your tipple in one of the intimate themed rooms, including Chinese-inspired Un Quoy’s Den, The Boot Maker’s (think leather Chesterfields and a fireplace), and The Sailor’s Garden, an outdoor garden with high-top seating.

Catch the glow at Sky Bar

Gaze out at Sydney’s skyline through the floor-to-ceiling glass of the rooftop Sky Bar, opposite Wynyard Station in the heart of the city. The crowning glory of the Shell House building housing four venues spread across three levels, Sky Bar is a great spot for taking in ‘golden hour’, as the setting sun lights up the surrounding towers.

Feel the heat with a spicy watermelon margarita, or share a round of Rolling Thunder Punch, which combines 12-year-old rum with tropical fruits for a golden drink to complement golden hour. Indulge in Sydney rock oysters with your cocktail before heading downstairs for Mediterranean-inspired deliciousness at Shell House Dining Room and Terrace.

Learn to love mezcal at Cantina OK!

Acquire a fondness for mezcal, a smoky spirit that like tequila is made from agave, at hole-in-the-wall Cantina OK!. Be transported to Mexico’s buzzing honkey tonks at this tiny bar, tucked down an alley in the heart of the city. Put yourself in the hands of expert mixologists who specialise in shaking and stirring cocktails that feature premium handmade agave spirits — think margaritas made using a rare mezcal or tequila, topped with hand-shaved ice; or an eye-popping Watermelon Sumac with peppercorn mezcal, fresh lemon, sumac sharbat and watermelon shaved ice.

Feel the buzz at The Lobby

Feed off the energy of the Ace Hotel Sydney’s The Lobby, a community hub hosting a revolving series of events and DJ residencies drawing in Surry Hills locals as well as guests of the hip hotel. Sip on a craft cocktail and snack on shareable small plates as you people-watch – or save yourself for an amazing dinner at the popular Kiln restaurant, where acclaimed local chef Mitch Orr serves up ‘Italian-ish’ dishes infused with Japanese and southeast Asian touches.

Cosy up at Bar Copains

Lean into the edgy Surry Hills vibe at Bar Copains, a self-described ‘friendly neighbourhood wine bar’ that’s two doors uphill from local favourite café Reuben Hills and less than a 10-minute walk from Ace Hotel Sydney. Here the perfect cocktail is just the prelude to selecting a bottle from an impressive list of small-batch, natural and rare wines, including many bottles from the co-owners’ personal collections.

Savour every sip of your wine as you feast on Bar Copains’s eclectic menu, which may feature pig’s head fritti or anchovies in puff pastry alongside more conventional offerings such as barbecue coral trout or wagyu steak.

Live large at El Primo Sanchez

Be dazzled by the colourful Mexican-style bar El Primo Sanchez in the inner eastern suburb of Paddington, brought to you by the groups behind Maybe Sammy and next-door boutique hotel Oxford House. Graze on Mexican street food favourites like tuna tostada and roast corn as you sip creative concoctions such as the Gimlet El Maiz, a blend of mezcal, Lillet Blanc and a cordial made from toasted leftover tortillas, or a Lagerita, which combines lager, Patrón Silver, lime and sugar.

Jet off to Bar Planet

Indulge your love of martinis at Bar Planet, a bar in the inner-west suburb of Enmore that’s dedicated to the perfecting this most classic of cocktails. Settle in and watch as your friendly bartender theatrically pours a house martini from an oversized old-fashioned Spanish decanter that’s been chilled in a freezer. Or pucker up with a Scorpino, a prosecco and sorbet recipe that changes weekly, as you admire the terrazzo mosaic bar counter of this otherworldly establishment.

Say aloha to Jacoby’s Tiki Bar

Step into another world – 1950s Hawaii to be exact – when you walk through the door at Jacoby’s Tiki Bar, a Twin Peaks-themed tiki bar complete with glowing fishing floats and palm wallpaper, a five-minute walk from Bar Planet in Enmore. Join in the fun as you enjoy drinks served in a coconut, garnished with bananas carved into dolphin shapes or set on fire at the bar, or sip on a top-notch natural wine or one of the fine craft ales on tap.

Live the high life at Nick & Nora’s Parramatta

Delight in first-class cocktails in the burgeoning western Sydney city of Parramatta at Nick & Nora’s Parramatta, a rooftop cocktail and champagne bar styled like a New York City penthouse. Look out over the bustling city from the 26th floor of the luxury V by Crown residential tower while your bartender shakes and stirs your pick from a comprehensive cocktail menu grouped by themes such as The Honey Trap (sweet with a sting) and The Snitch (sour and bitter).