Woollahra Hotel in WoollahraCredit: Destination NSW
Upstairs, a lush vertical garden has been installed in the open rooftop terrace and is the perfect inner-city oasis. The Front Bar downstairs is a well-preserved art deco setting – your perfect local pub for a cold beer and a meal.
Where to eat before the Lions matches in Sydney
Woollahra Hotel in Woollahra Credit: Destination NSW
Before you head to the stadium to watch the British and Irish Lions take on the New South Wales Waratahs and the Wallabies in Sydney, you’ll want to find somewhere to eat and drink. With buzzy dining precincts bordering Allianz Stadium, you’ll be spoilt for choice of restaurants and watering holes to enjoy before the Waratahs game in July. And when the Lions take on the Wallabies at Accor Stadium in August, you can either eat when you get to the Sydney Olympic Park precinct or take advantage of Western Sydney’s incredible array of global cuisine to stop for dinner on your way there.
Eating around Allianz Stadium
The Lions will play the NSW Waratahs at Allianz Stadium in the inner Sydney suburb of Moore Park on Saturday, 5 July. You’ll find plenty of places near the stadium to eat and drink before the game, from Surry Hills to Paddington as well as Moore Park’s Entertainment Quarter and at the stadium itself.
Like its next-door neighbour the Sydney Cricket Ground, Allianz Stadium’s food offering is brought to you by Merivale, the hospitality group behind some of Sydney’s leading restaurants. So eating at the stadium can be an easy, delicious option – expect elevated fare inspired by Merivale eateries such as Italian favourite Totti’s as well as street-food staples from the likes of Jimmy’s Falafel.
To kick off the evening with a full stomach, head to the Entertainment Quarter bordering Allianz Stadium for some of Sydney’s best burgers at Mary’s Entertainment Quarter, cheerful Mexican at El Camino Cantina or chicken wings at Wing Haus.
Dig into classic pub grub and wholesome feasts at one of the many hotels in nearby Paddington, from the Imperial, Paddo Inn and The Paddington on Oxford Street to traditional neighbourhood pubs in the back streets such as The London and the Four in Hand. Head into Woollahra and pre-game with Bistro Moncur's $65 two-course menu available throughout the tour or pop into the Woollahra Hotel which has plenty of space both upstairs and downstairs to grab a drink.
Coming from Central Station? Check out the pubs and restaurants lining the streets of Surry Hills on your way to the stadium. From the Eddy Avenue end of Central Station, head up Foveaux Street for a steak at the Keg & Brew, fill up on the daily roast served inside a giant Yorkshire pudding at Forrester’s, or stop in at The Clock Hotel on Crown Street for the perfect pasture-fed scotch fillet.
From the Prince Alfred Park end of Central Station, walk up Devonshire Street to The Strawberry neighbourhood pub for panko chicken schnitzel, warm up with the all-weekend beef or lamb roast and a craft beer at the Dove & Olive, or savour a beef-and-Guinness pot pie at the sports bar at the Trinity Irish pub.
Bistro Moncur in Woollahra Credit: Destination NSW
A French dining institution in the heart of Sydney’s Woollahra, heralding over 30 years of unparalleled service.
Bistro Moncur in Woollahra Credit: Destination NSW
A French dining institution in the heart of Sydney’s Woollahra, heralding over 30 years of unparalleled service.
Forrester’s in Surry Hills Credit: Destination NSW
A community hub for connection and celebration. Forrester’s is a historic tavern where people have been drinking, eating and gathering for over 100 years.
Forrester’s in Surry Hills Credit: Destination NSW
A community hub for connection and celebration. Forrester’s is a historic tavern where people have been drinking, eating and gathering for over 100 years.
Eating around Accor Stadium
The Lions play the Wallabies at Accor Stadium at Sydney Olympic Park on Saturday, August 2. You’ll find plenty of places to eat around Olympic Park Station, across the road from Accor Stadium.
Pop into Novotel Sydney Olympic Park for burgers or schnitzels at the hotel’s Brewery Bar + Kitchen. Get messy with flame-grilled ribs at Ribs and Rump Sydney Olympic Park, fuel up with pub classics at The Locker Room sports bar, sip cocktails and graze on tapas at Derive Cocktail Bar, or enjoy elevated fare made with sustainable local ingredients at Pullman Hotel Sydney Olympic Park’s Bacar Restaurant and Bar.
If you’re travelling by train to Sydney Olympic Park from the city, you can always head out early and hop off at one of the multicultural dining hot-spots along the way. Get off the train at Burwood to choose from the 50-plus hawker-style eateries in the Burwood Chinatown precinct – there are plenty more regional Chinese and north Asian restaurants to choose from in the surrounding streets.
Or stay on the train a little longer before getting out at Strathfield to explore its dizzying array of Korean restaurants. Start with savoury pancakes before warming up with a hotpot at Hansang Strathfield, or fill up on Korean barbecue at Stra BBQ or the Strathfield outlet of the famed Butchers Buffet chain.
You’ll find another mini Koreatown just down the tracks from Strathfield at Lidcombe, a five-minute train ride from Olympic Park Station. Head to Manseok Lidcombe for classic Korean street food, Sutbul Chicken for charcoal chicken, Suliya Gogiya for authentic Korean barbecue, or Tonight for Korean bistro fare washed down with an ice-cold slushy beer.
More Inspirational Stories
Forrester’s in Surry HillsCredit: Destination NSW
A community hub for connection and celebration. Forrester’s is a historic tavern where people have been drinking, eating and gathering for over 100 years.
What better way to spend a Sunday afternoon in wintry Sydney than by warming up in a cosy pub with a steaming roast with Yorkshire puddings and a splash of gravy? Here are some of the delicious Sunday roasts Sydneysiders wait all week to enjoy.
Tuck into a roast in the city
Savour a distinctly British Sunday roast at The Duke of Clarence, an 18th-century London-style tavern tucked away in the heart of Sydney’s commercial district. Slip into a comfortable chair in the book-lined space and tuck into British-bred roast beef sirloin or roast lamb (there’s also a porchetta option, and an eggplant steak for vegetarians), served with heirloom carrots and all the trimmings. Brought a big appetite? Order an extra Yorkshire pudding, a pig in a blanket or a side of Brussel sprouts and bacon – just save room for one of the pub’s indulgent desserts.
Wash down a hearty beef or chicken Sunday roast with a crisp pale ale fresh from the on-site brewery at the Endeavour Tap Rooms in The Rocks. Up for a dessert with a difference? Try one of Endeavour’s more experimental brews – recent efforts have included a lip-smacking rum-and-raisin chocolate stout.
Fill your plate in Paddington
Make your way through Paddington’s maze of picturesque streets lined with immaculately restored terrace houses and you’ll be rewarded with a fantastic Sunday roast at the Royal Hotel. This grand Victorian pub serves up beef, porchetta or pumpkin roasts with triple-baked potatoes and all the standard sides.
You’ll also score a scrumptious Sunday roast at other classic Paddington corner pubs like the Four in Hand and The London (which alternates between a crispy pork belly and beef roast each week), as well as the upmarket Paddington on Oxford Street. Or enjoy a classic Sunday roast with a side of live jazz at the historic The Lord Dudley, a short walk away in neighbouring Woollahra.
The London Hotel, Paddington Credit: Destination NSW
Street view of The London Hotel located on Underwood Street, corner of William Street, Paddington.
The London Hotel, Paddington Credit: Destination NSW
Street view of The London Hotel located on Underwood Street, corner of William Street, Paddington.
The Lord Dudley Hotel, Paddington Credit: Destination NSW
Friends enjoying a drink at The Lord Dudley Hotel, Paddington.
The Lord Dudley Hotel, Paddington Credit: Destination NSW
Friends enjoying a drink at The Lord Dudley Hotel, Paddington.
Go big in Surry Hills
Why wait for Sunday when you can head to Forrester’s, in the inner-city suburb of Surry Hills, on any day of the week to feast on a Big Yorkie? At this welcoming tavern your melt-in-the-mouth roast cuts are served inside a massive Yorkshire pudding crammed with spuds, veggies and lashings of gravy.
The inventor of the Big Yorkie, Applejack hospitality group culinary director Patrick Friesen, also oversees the indulgent Sunday roast at The Botanist, a cosy neighbourhood restaurant in the North Sydney suburb of Kirribilli. Expect elevated offerings such as grass-fed beef Wellington with mushrooms, spinach, prosciutto and jus, served with mashed potatoes and a leaf salad. (Just be sure to book by Friday to secure your table for Sunday.)
Also in North Sydney, secure a table at the iconic Oaks Hotel in Neutral Bay and pour rich gravy over slow-roasted pork or beef in a light-filled space overlooking a magnificent oak tree.
Bliss out with a roast in Bondi
Reward yourself after a brisk stroll along the Bondi to Coogee coastal walk with a hearty Sunday roast beside the city’s most iconic beach.
At the northern end of Bondi, laidback locals’ eatery Rocker offers a choice of wagyu beef rump, crispy pork belly or maple-spiced pumpkin Sunday roasts. Feeling famished? Opt for the Big Roast, which heaves with roast beef and pork as well as pigs in blankets and a jug of gravy to pour over all the usual trimmings.
A short walk away from the beach, Mediterranean bistro Brown Sugar serves up an elevated Sunday roast – think roast beef with Paris mash and grilled broccolini, or a cheesy cauliflower gratin for vegetarians. Top it off with one of Brown Sugar’s indulgent desserts, like its irresistible toffee date pudding.
Feast on a roast in the Inner West
If you’ve based yourself on the western side of Inner Sydney – known to locals as the Inner West – head over to Coopers Hotel in Newtown for a hearty roast beef or pork dinner on Sunday, accompanied by live music.
In the nearby student hub of Glebe, the welcoming Toxteth Hotel will have you choosing between a wagyu beef, half-chicken, Barnsley lamb chop or porchetta Sunday roast, all served with triple-cooked potatoes, bacon and peas, and more.
A further 10-minute drive beyond Glebe, The Royal Hotel in the Italian heartland of Leichhardt claims its Botanical restaurant offering is the best Sunday roast in the Inner West – we’ll let you be the judge.
Forrester’s in Surry Hills Credit: Destination NSW
A community hub for connection and celebration. Forrester’s is a historic tavern where people have been drinking, eating and gathering for over 100 years.
Forrester’s in Surry Hills Credit: Destination NSW
A community hub for connection and celebration. Forrester’s is a historic tavern where people have been drinking, eating and gathering for over 100 years.
The Botanist is Kirribilli Credit: Destination NSW
Nestled just three kilometers north of Sydney’s bustling central business district, Kirribilli stands as one of the city’s most established and affluent neighbourhoods.
The Botanist is Kirribilli Credit: Destination NSW
Nestled just three kilometers north of Sydney’s bustling central business district, Kirribilli stands as one of the city’s most established and affluent neighbourhoods.