Sydney is rapidly modernising and genuinely stepping up its lifestyle and hospitality offerings. Not since Carriageworks opened in 2007 has the city felt so profoundly different, willing and oh-so-able to fling us the into a new era for both locals and visitors.
Nowhere is this more obvious than the frequently discussed “Night Time Economy,” as the NSW Government, particularly the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner, Michael Rodrigues, ramps up efforts to systematically redress the state as a more alluring, fun, and world-class destination. At all hours of the day.
It won’t be easy. And it’ll take some time, but already we’re starting to see some exciting developments kicking around the city and lifting the after-dark options available for locals and visitors of all tastes.
The team at Sydney Travel Guide is excited to watch the city grow and introduce new, interesting and alternative ways to experience what truly is one of the world’s most beautiful destinations; one which sits right up there with grand nature-city knock outs like Cape Town, Vancouver and San Francisco.
“We’re committed to reinvigorating NSW by removing the red tape and enhancing performance spaces, supporting cultural events and uplifting our thriving live music scene to help grow our creative communities,” says Rodrigues when talking with Sydney Travel Guide.
“Our goal is to help not only our local creatives and businesses flourish—from music to cabaret—but also to help workers, patrons, visitors and tourists reap the benefits as well.”
Having a government body really narrow in on the utmost value of creative spaces and communities is rapidly putting Sydney on the right path to compete with big, exciting cities like New York, Chicago, Tokyo and London where lateral thinkers power neighbourhoods like Bushwick, Wicker Park, Shimokitazawa and Hackney.
The only way Sydney is going to do this, properly, is by repositioning its most exciting areas as Special Entertainment Precincts (SEPs). This is a phrase that’s been used around the world to help rejig big, unwieldy night-time economies. They are organisational tools to bring the power back to local councils.
Special Entertainment Precincts is a phrase you’ll hear a lot if you dig into the nuts and bolts of Sydney’s renewed vigour and vibrancy. It’s important to understand why and how they are being used to redirect power back to the locals who know their councils and engage with them regularly.
“They allow councils to set trading hours and sound requirements within its boundaries to allow businesses, such as restaurants and shops, to open later and support live music venues without having to adjust development consents for more activated, vibrant communities” explains Michael.
“The new SEP framework has been designed for flexibility, and councils can use it to protect and help existing venues, future-proof new precincts, or grow their local going out districts.”
NSW’s flexibility with SEPs is promising for a city that’s still climbing back from the decimation wrought by former NSW premier Barry O’Farrell’s objectionable Sydney lockout laws, which once bought Sydney to its knees in a misguided effort to curb alcohol-fuelled violence. Establishing somewhere as a Special Entertainment Precinct is a council-led process, as Michael tells us, and involves local venues, businesses and community. Notably, a “precinct” may be a single premise, streetscape or any other defined area.
At least fifteen councils have been designated Special Entertainment Precincts and will be held as examples of Sydney’s rapidly modernising night life in the coming months and years. Enmore Road was the first to benefit from the approach in 2023, and it’s quickly become one of the most desirable strips for locals and visitors looking for a big night out.
Burwood Council is another one, and it’s now being touted as the “new” Chinatown with one of the most vibrant atmospheres outside of the CBD. Then there’s City of Sydney, Northern Beaches and Fairfield Council who have also committed to established or investigate a SEP in their respective local areas.
Below is just a small snapshot of how after-work and weekend fun in Sydney looks as we move towards Destination NSW’s overly ambitious tourism goal: to boost annual visitor expenditure to $91 billion by 2035.
Ready for a more exciting Sydney? So are we. These are some of the venues and structures that are helping make the city feel more cutting-edge, futuristic and vibrant.
1. Phoenix Central Park
Sydney’s rapidly modernising music scene has leaned heavily into the Japanese listening bar craze. And while these spots—Merivale’s JAM Records Bar, Solotel’s Rekodo and Swillhouse Group’s Caterpillar Club—couldn’t be any more different than the appreciation-first, social-second origin of Japan’s unique concept, their presence has reaffirmed music’s unmatched ability to shape ambiance and craft experiences.
Phoenix Central Park is not a listening bar. It’s a cutting-edge, visually stunning sound room and performing arts theatre, initially founded by White Rabbit Gallery’s Judith Neilson AM. Conceived as an integrated performance space, garden and art gallery, it hosts free, acoustically perfect concerts from a great variety of artists in showcase-style concerts with a focus on immersion.
These aren’t you typical seating arrangements. People spiral around the multicoloured space, which looks like it was dreamt up by Tokyo’s famous teamLAB collective. And while events a free, they are allocated via ballot so prospective guests need to pre-register online for their chance to see a Phoenix Central Park show.
It’s like a smaller-scale version of the Guggenheim dedicated purely to the performing arts.
Also check out: The Abercrombie Hotel was once home to Sydney’s grungiest club nights like Purple Sneakers and S.A.S.H. Now it’s a contemporary pub-by-day, nightclub-by-night hosting some of the city’s best parties. You’ll also want to keep an eye on them for Christmas Eve, where they usually throw a multi-day rave that’ll take you well into the festive season.
Address: 37-49 O’Connor St, Chippendale NSW 2008
2. FBR. Cafe
A highly technical coffee shop that also hosts tightly-packed, sardine-style raves? Now that’s something we’ve never seen before.
Jump over to the biggest cities in the world and you’ll likely stumble upon secret raves in pizza shops, fashion boutiques, disused subway carts and sometimes even laundromats. Sydneysiders like to party in futuristic coffee shops thanks to FBR. Cafe, a 15-seat space inside a tech-forward cube in Chambers Arcade.
And while it’s a great place for really good Sydney coffee, every second Saturday brings a tightly packed 40-person rave with a hypnotic wash of neon green and both vinyl and digital DJs pumping until midnight. Techno is the preference, so you won’t need to go out to a St Peters or Marrickville warehouse party to get your fix of sweaty Boiler Room-esque parties.
Also check out: Adina Apartments Town Hall. The Adina brand is really lifting its game as of late with TFE Hotels’ newfound confidence in the luxury market inspiring them to elevate the oversized apartment-hotel style so visiting families and staycationers have much more comfortable accommodations.
Address: Shop 9/370 Pitt St, Sydney NSW 2230
3. The Collective
Is Sydney’s nightlife dead? The tired old question popped up again when Hunter St Hospitality closed The Argyle, unquestionably the Harbour City’s most famous nightclub, last year and announced new plans to turn the sandstone behemoth into its own food and lifestyle precinct. But such doom and gloom is completely unfounded, especially when considering that Sydney’s nightlife is as buzzing as its been since the Lockout Laws were first introduced.
Now dubbed The Collective, the building now hosts a series of premium, highly sociable restaurants and bars with more than just an inkling of The Argyle’s famed nightlife lingering upstairs. The Garden, a courtyard day-to-night cafe and bar helps anchor the venue’s dynamic lifestyle, while The Dining Room is a hub of exacting, elevated dishes using top-shelf seasonal produce. Upstairs, two bars offer wildly different atmospheres (one relaxed and sociable, the other pumping with a roster of DJs) while The Cloakroom adds a third drinking den that’s much more intimate and focused on punch martinis and luxurious craft cocktails.
Then we’ve got the hospitality group’s famous The Cut Bar & Grill and Sake Restaurant & Bar both being bought into the fold, turning The Collective from a set of disparate restaurants into a tightly-knit and masterfully executed lifestyle precinct framed by one of the Sydney’s most awe-inspiring sandstone buildings. The Rocks has never looked better.
Also check out: The Museum of Contemporary Art isn’t exactly new. At all. But the programming has been incredibly varied and exciting lately, so make sure you’re checking in to see what’s new on your next visit.
Address: 12-18 Argyle St, The Rocks NSW 2000
4. Pleasure Club
A former sex shop turned into a subterranean nightclub feels like something ripped from London’s Kings Cross. If it was going to be anywhere in Sydney, we’re glad it’s in Newtown. The dynamic strip of King Street welcomed this late-night spot in June 2024 and it’s quickly become the best “alternative” nightclub for Sydneysiders looking for revelry from Wednesday to Sunday.
Pleasure Clubs is powered by the brains behind one of Newtown’s favourite bars, Odd Culture, and legendary pub The Old Fitz, so the drinks are more than just a cut above your standard nightclub fare. The various nooks and crannies that frame the dancefloor don’t really start pumping until 11pm each night, and there’s always some sort of live performance going on as those spotlights buzz around the space like an elevated version of New York’s legendary Mansions in Queens.
The kicker: it’s open Wednesday to Sunday until 4am, so visitors who don’t need to be in an office on a Thursday can pop in on a Wednesday and stay all night. It’s hopefully the start of many 4am licenses for Sydney, which positions Pleasure Club as a pioneer of Sydney’s playful new era.
Also check out: The colourful row of old houses turned into premium restaurants by the same team behind Continental Deli. The favourite so far is Flora, an all-day vegan and vegetarian restaurant.
Address: 6 Wilson St, Newtown NSW 2042
Contact: (02) 8317 3057
Opening Hours: Wednesday – Sunday (5pm – 4am)
5. The Vanguard
This isn’t exactly a new venue. The Vanguard has been around for over 10 years, located on the City Road side of Newtown’s King Street with a tight, intimate space for more low-profile live music preferencing the likes of jazz and folk with some comedy and cabaret thrown in for good measure. You won’t find many of those dusty, legendary music hall lefts around Sydney, a city that lacks the jazz bar culture that’s still so central in big cities like London and New York.
Last year, The Vanguard revealed an expensive but sensitive makeover, modernising the space but still keeping the same tightly-packed, up-close energy that has made this such a great place to catch live music, theatre and cabaret any night of the week. It’s more civilised and sophisticated, offering a place to sit, drink and think while some of the best local and international acts perform more stripped-back sets to really let guests feel like they’re a part of the performance.
Also check out: Sydney Travel Guide favourite Belly Bao is still around and thriving after all these years. Head along to the neo-Malaysian eatery for the most delicious bao burgers, some of the best fried chicken you’ll ever have in Sydney, and creative twists like bao noodles.
Address: 42 King St, Newtown NSW 2042
5. The Grand National Hotel
Josh and Julie Niland are now known around the world for Saint Peter. The whole-fish, ethically-focused and tightly curated seafood restaurant has now been named one of the world’s best places to eat. And now it’s moved to an old corner hotel on the backstreets of Paddington, sporting 14 well-dressed rooms and one of the best hotel breakfasts you will ever have.
Make an occasion of it. Head along for the set menu at dinner, taking place in the elegant dining room with impeccable service and smart wine pairings with dishes like fish charcuterie and charcoal King George whiting line-caught in Corner Inlet by stalwart second-generation fisherman Bruce Collis. Stay the night in one of the boutique rooms, which have been designed to exacting standards to further Josh and Julie Niland’s vision, and then tuck into Manjimup marron scrambled eggs with hollandaise made from the head to get your day started.
Also check out: The Light Brigade. Every Sydneysider and their dog knows this pub, which has one of the best rooftops in Sydney. But visitors flooded with choice anxiety from exhaustive SEO listicles may miss the chance to catch one of Sydney’s best and busiest city pubs. You don’t want to miss sunset with some of the best local beers around in hand.
Address: 161 Underwood St, Paddington NSW 2021
Contact: (02) 9167 3703
6. Felons Manly
It’s about time brewpubs had a rethink about their role as bastion of community. In this regard, Felons Manly is doing all the things right. An upscale food menu that moves away from typical pub grub towards more elevated dishes with fresh Australian produce, some of the most awarded beers in the city with a range that speaks to all tastes and styles, and its very own communal rub club (which comes with free beer at the end). Thursday $55 lobster and Louis Reoderer specials aside, there’s nothing about this waterfront brewpub that we aren’t loving right now. The view most of all, with a life-affirming look-back over Sydney Harbour that’s perfect for a pre- and post-ferry frothie.
Address: E Esplanade, Manly NSW 2095
Contact: (02) 9977 1266
Opening Hours: Monday – Thursday (11am – 12am); Friday – Saturday (11am – 1am); Sunday (11am – 12am)
7. White Bay Power Station
Sydney has needed something like this for a long time. The old White Bay Power Station in Rozelle has been reborn as a new cultural icon for the city, giving us a charming arts institution of the likes we haven’t seen since Carriageworks first opened back in 2007. With history dating back to 1912, you’ll find that the beautifully preserved warehouse-style spaces that make up this heritage monster perfectly lend themselves to large-scale art installations, lifestyle festivals and the odd dance party.
One of Sydney’s most important cultural curators, the great Craig Donarski, is in the charge as the Manager Arts, Culture and Creative Industries of White Bay. And given his previous work at South-West Sydney’s hugely underrated Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre, the prodigiously talented creative has ensured a dynamic program of rolling events that regularly fill those turbine halls and boiler rooms with more than just character.
Address: Robert St, Rozelle NSW 2039
Contact: (02) 9240 8500
8. Carousel
S.A.S.H., Sydney’s longest-running club night, linked up with the teams behind Slyfox Hotel and Stanley’s Bar to open Carousel Bar & Ballroom in 2023, a cabaret and 70s-inspired bar with several dancefloors pumping from Friday to Sunday. And it’s already been named one of the top 100 nightclubs in the world, nodding to the cutting-edge technology, elite sound system and expensive lighting rig that brings this place to life each weekend.
It’s been awhile since Sydney has an impressive new superclub to boast about, so Carousel is a massive win for Sydney and a step towards a more robust night-time offering. The venue is one of the main drivers of Sydney’s reimagined nightlife, staying open until 5am on Fridays and Saturdays, and 5am on Sundays with local DJs testing that state-of-the-art Funktion-One sound system.
One of the most notable things about Carousel is its layout. The designers moved the DJ decks from the back of the venue to the middle, inspired by the in-the-round performance style of the iconic party series, Boiler Room. It’s this style of thinking that’s opened up and transformed the typical clubbing experience into something more modern, mixing an old-school discotheque with a swift evolution of what it means go “go clubbing”.
Address: 169 Oxford St, Darlinghurst NSW 2010
Opening Hours: Friday—Saturday (10pm—5am); Sunday (10pm—4am)
9. Live Music
“Live Music” isn’t a venue, it’s more of a rethink of what live music can look like in Sydney and just how vital concerts are to the night-time economy. Up-and-coming musicians struggle enough as it is as uniformed algorithms and fierce fandoms shift goal posts and overcrowd markets. But Sydney has really been getting stuck into live music lately, and it’s a beautiful thing to see.
Perhaps the biggest example of this is a new, free concert series that ran throughout February at the Sydney Observatory. The in-the-round style Sunset Variations. It was an ode to golden hour, and I for one hope to see more of these imaginative (and outdoor) concerts as Sydney’s starts to open up and change with unique concepts that are perfectly in sync with Sydney’s awe-inspiring outdoor spaces. And, for that matter, take advantage of the postcard-perfect views.
10. Sydney Metro
It’s not a venue, of course, but the Sydney Metro is the fulcrum for Sydney’s rush towards a new age. Transport has long been a bugbear for the city, and soul-sucking trackwork was once much more frequent than it is now. That patience paid off last year when the Sydney Metro became one of the most future-forward transit projects in the world, revitalising the city and pulling many disparate parts together to ready us for the next step.
New state-of-the-art Metro Station in hubs like Martin Place and Crows Nest have planted the seeds for new major precincts, affordable housing and various lifestyle projects that’ll continue to shape Sydney over the next few years. Plus, it’s made Vivid Sydney that much more exciting.
All the new Sydney Metro stations have been beautified with large-scale art pieces as well, some making use of traditional styles while others leaning heavily on cutting-edge technology. Read our article on the best Sydney Metro art to get an idea of how these spaces are rethinking the daily commute and adding personality to otherwise utilitarian structures.
What’s next for Sydney’s dynamic lifestyle scene?
What’s left? Prime player Justin Hemmes should be making his next major move once the ink is stamped on his whispered King Street project. Merivale’s efforts have understandably been narrowed on a big Melbourne development which will see an old car park turned into an future-forward lifestyle precinct with a luxury hotel, several high-profile restaurants, a wellness section and more.
The biggest trends in the dining scene have been driven by both wild ambition and a need for tighter quality control. Hospitality groups are enacted isolationist policies by taking charge of their own lifestyle precincts so they can curate each and every aspect of the experience. A great example of this is The Collective, as mentioned above, but also the Japanese-loving Prefecture 48; Walker Street, Etymon Projects’ major play for North Sydney dominance; and both the now firmly established Shell House and its fresh-faced sister venue, The International—both by The Point Group.
Aside from that, Sydney has plenty of surprises up its sleeve as efforts to really get this 24-hour economy on track continue to ramp up.
“Our greatest ambition is to establish flexibility for the 24-hour economy across NSW, enabling the ecosystem comprised of venues, airports, modes of transport, libraries, shopping centres, gyms and more, to trade to meet the demands or amenity need of its users,” said Rodrigues.
“We have accelerated reform, such as transforming urban centres to accomodate al fresco dining and performance, removing outdated and cumbersome regulations and invested millions of dollars into our creative night-time sector.”
Michael tells Sydney Travel Guide that the office will continue to work with Destination NSW to building Brand NSW through telling the authentic stories of our night-time precincts, with a focus on our rich culture and our vibrant culturally and socially diverse night-time precincts.
“I am hugely optimistic about the future of our state and our 24-hour economy.”
As are we, Michael.
Now get out there and experience the new Sydney.
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