Sydney's dining scene continues to grow, with innovative venues opening every week – find bold Korean flavours in a wine bar, native ingredients at the Sydney Opera House and an exploration of the NSW coast. Plus read about Sydney’s brand new, underground arts and music festival.
FOOD & DRINK
Korean snacks and sips
Crunch into cheesy-corn croquettes, sip on Korean rice wine and get excited about chestnut tiramisu for dessert. That’s the experience at Bar Soul, a stylish Surry Hills restaurant-wine-bar hybrid from Daero Lee and Illa Kim, the Soul Dining and Soul Deli team who’ve made mixing bold Korean and European flavours their signature.
Native flavours at the Opera House
Pre-colonisation, Tubowgule (also known as Bennelong Point) was a place for Aboriginal people to meet and feast. That legacy will be honoured at Midden, a harbourside restaurant run by celebrity chef and Bundjalung man Mark Olive. The restaurant, opening in the former Portside space at the Sydney Opera House this month, will give diners a taste of gum-smoked barramundi and quandong-glazed chicken stuffed with warrigal greens.
Shore to plate
Discover the diversity and depth of the NSW coast at Longshore, the new restaurant by Jarrod Walsh and Dorothy Lee, the team who ran beloved Newtown restaurant Hartsyard. Opening in the former Automata site in Chippendale, the restaurant is a luxe spot for after-work snacks or indulging in an innovative, seafood-forward set menu.
Bagels on the street
Next to a forest green and white trailer, with a soft, lox-filled bagel in one hand and a coffee in the other you could be in London, New York, Bondi or, now, Marrickville. This street-food opening is the latest from famous Bondi operators Lox in a Box. Currently it offers bagels, lox and coffee, but a breakfast menu is en route.
Wine bar by wine makers
Try a style of wine you’ve never had before – that’s the attitude winemaking father and son team Bob and Tom Colman want to foster at their Blue Mountains wine store and bar Frankie and Mo's. The cute Blackheath venue pours only organic and biodynamic wines, which they serve alongside a vegetable-focused menu of Mediterranean influenced bites.
Blackheath, Blue Mountains Credit: Tyson Mayr
Man enjoying views of the sunset near Hanging Rock, Blackheath in the Blue Mountains National Park.
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Blackheath, Blue Mountains Credit: Tyson Mayr
Man enjoying views of the sunset near Hanging Rock, Blackheath in the Blue Mountains National Park.
The Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge Credit: Destination NSW
The Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge at sunrise
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The Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge Credit: Destination NSW
The Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge at sunrise
More pasta please
When Lola Level 1 opened in Bondi, the remit was to explore the Mediterranean coast but now the team that gained fame for Italian dining at Fratelli Paradiso and 10 William St are going back to what they’re known for. The newly named restaurant Lola’s Italian Bar is now a homage to pasta, foosball (there’s a table next to the bar) and Italian wine. The sparkling water views remain unchanged.
Old school Hong Kong done new
A meal at Kowloon Cafe Eastwood is like being transported to Hong Kong – the food is just like the western-inspired fare at Hong Kong’s cha chaan tengs (no-frill Hong Kong diners and tea houses) and, thanks to custom-built tram parts, the interiors riff on both the city’s iconic transport and its bright streetscape. The new opening is the third Kowloon Cafe, so expect to find their classic pineapple buns, Hong Kong style French toast and iced lemon teas.
Brunch in New York
Discover what a luxurious New York lunch looks like by joining Woodcut for their new brunch service. The $95 set menu at Barangaroo’s Crown Sydney hotel includes innovative dishes like a hemp seed fried-prawn sando and oven-baked eggs with za’atar. While you’re eating, a Champagne trolley roams the room offering bubbles with cassis or peach nectar.
ACCOMMODATION
Italian stay in the city
Feel like you’ve been transported to a luxury Italian palace at Hotel Morris, an Art Deco, boutique hotel in Haymarket that’s part of Accor’s Handwritten Collection. During your stay, head to the hotel’s marble-topped bar at Bar Morris for a southern Italian breakfast, the pasta of the day or full-on feast followed by a cocktail and some funk and soul.
EXPERIENCE
Loud underground
The Art Gallery of New South Wales’ underground tank gallery space will be flooded with noise this September as it hosts Volume, a music, art and film festival headlined by Solange. The festival will bring in trailblazing artists like Sampa the Great, Mount Eeire and Sonya Holowell, as well as international artists, filmmakers and multidisciplinary performers.
A new look at contemporary art
Discover an unexplored side to some of the most significant Australian artists’ works at the Museum of Contemporary Art from June 16, as the galleries’ Artists in Focus program presents works from the permanent collection in single dedicated galleries. See Aboriginal bark paintings plus the works of Joan Brassil, Tracey Moffatt and more.
Bar Morris Credit: Destination NSW
Interior of Bar Morris, Sydney.
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Bar Morris Credit: Destination NSW
Interior of Bar Morris, Sydney.
MCA Collection: Artists in Focus Credit: Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program by Mordant Family, 2013, image courtesy and c-o-p-y-r-i-g-h-t the artist, photograph: Jessica Maurer
Tracey Moffatt, First Jobs, Pineapple Cannery 1978, 2008
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MCA Collection: Artists in Focus Credit: Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program by Mordant Family, 2013, image courtesy and c-o-p-y-r-i-g-h-t the artist, photograph: Jessica Maurer
Tracey Moffatt, First Jobs, Pineapple Cannery 1978, 2008
More News
Vivid Sydney 2024Credit: Destination NSW
The 'Nest' installation at the Stargazer Lawn, Barangaroo during Vivid 2024. Artist: Leila Jeffreys & Melvin J. Montalban. An expansive circular structure welcomes you to bear witness to the ritualistic mating dance of the Brolga, one of only two species of crane native to Australia. Projected onto a transparent surface, the huge bird apparitions appear to float in the air and are visible from both out and inside the Nest.
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Calling All Dreamers: Vivid Sydney Wants You
Vivid Sydney 2024 Credit: Destination NSW
#feelnewsydney #vividsydney
Vivid Sydney, the Southern Hemisphere’s largest multi-artform festival, is calling on the best creative minds to submit ideas for next year’s event.
Vivid Sydney 2025 will take place from Friday 23 May to Saturday 14 June 2025, with a program centred around the theme of Vivid Sydney, Dream.
Artists, musicians, thought leaders and food creatives are encouraged to submit Expressions of Interest (EOI) for the opportunity to be part of Australia’s largest event and showcase their work to a mass audience across the festival pillars of Light, Music, Ideas and Food.
Destination NSW CEO Steve Cox said: “Since 2009, Vivid Sydney has grown to become Sydney’s vibrant cultural showpiece, driving significant visitation to Sydney and regional NSW and positioning our state as the arts and creative industries capital of the Asia Pacific.
“Vivid Sydney is more than a light show, it is Sydney’s living legacy that captures imaginations and shares with visitors and locals alike the very best talent from our creative, entertainment and hospitality industries.
“I encourage the brightest talents to join Destination NSW in creating an event that elevates the Harbour City as the Asia Pacific’s leader in world-class cultural experiences.”
Vivid Sydney 2024 Credit: Destination NSW
Patrons enjoying a night out at Machine Hall during Vivid 2024
#feelnewsydney #vividsydney
Vivid Sydney 2024 Credit: Destination NSW
Patrons enjoying a night out at Machine Hall during Vivid 2024
Vivid Sydney Festival Director Gill Minervini said: “Vivid Sydney 2025 is pushing the creative boundaries across our theme of “Dream” to deliver another unforgettable global celebration.
“Dreaming is something we all do. It’s as old as time and as universal as life itself. Dreams don’t discriminate – they are borderless, ageless and endless. They can be personal or public. When shared, our dreams can become a movement. They can inspire, motivate, spark excitement and connection.
“The whole world dreams, it is something we have in common, something that unites us. Our human story is embedded in dreams, they help explain our existence and our past.
“We want the very best in homegrown talent to be part of our vibrant Vivid Sydney event program, with a unique opportunity to foster community connection, spark imagination and showcase the multitude of ways creativity can enrich our lives.
“Each year Vivid Sydney aims to deliver unparalleled artistic brilliance and we look forward to welcoming the inspirations within our community that will help shape Vivid Sydney 2025 into a show-stopping cultural phenomenon.”
The Vivid Sydney EOI outlines opportunities for artists, designers, creative industry professionals, equipment suppliers, architects, engineers, promoters, restaurants, event companies, chefs, producers and educational institutions to present their ideas, designs, concepts and interest for inclusion in the annual event.
Light and Cross Art Form EOIs will close on Monday 2 September 2024 with Ideas, Music and Food closing on Friday 27 September 2024.
This year’s Vivid Sydney attracted 2.42 million attendees, making it the third largest on record. Highlights included a record-breaking opening night and the busiest single night in the festival’s history on Sunday 9 June.
While Vivid Sydney 2024 attracted millions of people from across Australia and the globe, it also had a profound impact on the creative minds who helped bring the event to life, including Sydney’s retail, hospitality and accommodation sectors.
Vivid Sydney 2024 Credit: Destination NSW
Shifting Perspectives at Walsh Bay Arts Precinct for Vivid Ideas during Vivid Sydney 2024
#feelnewsydney #vividsydney
Vivid Sydney 2024 Credit: Destination NSW
Shifting Perspectives at Walsh Bay Arts Precinct for Vivid Ideas during Vivid Sydney 2024
Leila Jeffreys the artist behind popular Vivid Light 2024 installation Nest said: “Thank you to Festival Director Gill Minervini and all at Vivid Sydney for giving me and my artistic collaborator Melvin J. Montalban the opportunity to create art on a scale that we could not have achieved on our own.
“I visited Nest many times throughout the festival and was always moved to see people from all walks of life and ages stand together to witness the courtship dance of the Brolga, a moment where we all felt the link between the natural world and the human journey.”
Tekno Train creator and composer Paul Mac said: “When I set out to create Tekno Train I wanted to make an experience that fused my love of techno and trains with lights and to share this joy with as many people as possible. The positive reactions I have received from people on the train, as well as the drivers, guards, and random folks on social media has absolutely blown me away.
“Vivid Sydney 2024 has been an unexpected career highlight, and I am forever grateful to everyone who helped bring this together.”
Club Broadway MC & Music Producer DJ Dan Murphy said: “Bringing our Club Broadway show to a Vivid Sydney audience has been an absolute joy. We loved making our show accessible to a whole new audience who love the world of musical theatre.
“Vivid Sydney is such an amazing and important festival for our city, and we were thrilled to be on the program. From old to young, we had them all on the dancefloor for Club Broadway at Tumbalong Park. The night was absolutely magical and a great way to celebrate our community.”
Vivid Sydney 2024 Credit: Destination NSW
Sex Work; A Social History Walking Tour at Elizabeth Bay for Vivid Ideas during Vivid Sydney 2024. This fascinating walking tour is an invitation to see the area and profession in a new light. Led by writer, performer and Kings Cross local Vashti Hughes and the Inner City Legal Centre's Managing Solicitor Katie Green, you will be immersed in the sights, history and contemporary challenges of sex work in Australia's most famous redlight district.
#feelnewsydney #vividsydney
Vivid Sydney 2024 Credit: Destination NSW
Sex Work; A Social History Walking Tour at Elizabeth Bay for Vivid Ideas during Vivid Sydney 2024. This fascinating walking tour is an invitation to see the area and profession in a new light. Led by writer, performer and Kings Cross local Vashti Hughes and the Inner City Legal Centre's Managing Solicitor Katie Green, you will be immersed in the sights, history and contemporary challenges of sex work in Australia's most famous redlight district.
Service and Creative Skills Australia (the Jobs and Skills Council for Arts, Personal Services, Retail, Tourism and Hospitality) CEO Natalie Turmine said: “Vivid Sydney showcases brilliantly our talented and vibrant creative arts, tourism and hospitality workforce, demonstrating the wealth of exciting career opportunities available in this sector.
“Thank you to all the creative artists, technicians, performers, hospitality staff and event organisers for delivering another successful Vivid Sydney.”
Plate it Forward CEO and restaurateur Shaun Christie-David said: “Vivid Sydney shows the diversity of Sydney, shining a positive light on our city, culture and produce. As a social enterprise hospitality group, it was a privilege to partner with Vivid Sydney to bring the 2024 festival theme humanity to life through food. Food is all about sharing, love, respect and community.
“There is so much pride, joy and power that can be found in food, it is a platform to celebrate culture, make meaningful connections and create jobs. Through working with Vivid Food and selling more than 1000 tacos, more than 1500 meals will be donated to community kitchens for people in need.”
Tourism & Transport Forum CEO Margy Osmond said: “Between the lights, the music, the ideas, the food and the incredible vibe…Vivid Sydney has once again delivered a spectacular event for visitors and locals of all ages, with the big winners being local tourism and hospitality operators.”
“The bright lights of Vivid Sydney have showcased first-class hospitality, creativity and our beloved Sydney CBD and Harbour icons to audiences across the globe, demonstrating the value and huge potential of this event and the need to continue investing in world class events.”
Vivid Sydney 2024 Credit: Destination NSW
Couple enjoying the Fire Kitchen at The Goods Line during Vivid 2024. It's back and blazing brighter than ever. Vivid Fire Kitchen returns, igniting its new home at The Goods Line with flame-seared street food from around the globe. Come and enjoy the universal language of BBQ, the best NSW produce and the diversity of Sydney's food scene as we gather round the fire once again.
#feelnewsydney #vividsydney
Vivid Sydney 2024 Credit: Destination NSW
Couple enjoying the Fire Kitchen at The Goods Line during Vivid 2024. It's back and blazing brighter than ever. Vivid Fire Kitchen returns, igniting its new home at The Goods Line with flame-seared street food from around the globe. Come and enjoy the universal language of BBQ, the best NSW produce and the diversity of Sydney's food scene as we gather round the fire once again.
Accommodation Australia’s Michael Johnson said: “Once again, the juggernaut that is Vivid Sydney illuminated the city, shining a light on the beauty and culture of the city.
“Over the course of the event, hotels in the CBD enjoyed 75 per cent occupancy with bookings reaching as high as 90 per cent on weekends. There is no denying major events such as Vivid Sydney, that have the capacity to draw a high level of overnight visitation in the middle of winter, create an incredible boost for the city’s visitor economy.”
Vivid Sydney is owned, managed and produced by Destination NSW, the NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency.
For more information and to submit an Expression of Interest for Vivid Sydney 2025, go to www.vividsydney.com