Bars in Kings Cross
Sydney's traditional entertainment district is evolving again, with new bars aplenty.
By Myffy Rigby
1 Velluto Potts Point
You're playing a game of trust, really, blindly pushing through the giant thick black velvet curtains dividing the outside world from Velluto (it's Italian for velvet). The room's very quiet, dark and sombre, with a very nice looking bar tucked away in the corner. Take up one of the lounges or sit up at one of the dark wood benches. They may not understand the proper measurements for a Campari soda (theirs is almost transparent, it's so weak) but they do offer Gosset rose by the glass.
2 Goldfish Kings Cross
The brainchild of talented bartender Ben Walsh, Goldfish is a stylish bar built on the site of the old Goldfish Bowl – the 24-hour, bad news pub of old. Get thee straight to the bar and grab a cocktail list - preferably one for each hand. What you'll find is a mix of classics, punches, fizzes, mules and the like. They do an absolutely exceptional Aviation (gin, maraschino liqueur, lemon juice and violet syrup) that is every bit as balanced as you could hope. You should try a Tommy's Margarita served on the rocks and rimmed with orange salt. Cocktail lounges serving drinks this good are few and far between in Sydney.
3 Libertine Kings Cross
With more rooms than a bordello and more cocktails than you could physically drink in an evening, Libertine is a place you could easily stay sheltered inside all night. Start in The Parlour. Its circular seated area forces a kind of social ping-pong engaging the whole room, with no dark corners to sneak a quiet one in. The Salon offers more privacy and a range of cocktails that won't break the bank. Hungry? Invest in some sticky baby back ribs, hot and sour sautéed black tiger prawns or even the tempura-style soft shell crab. There's also a cute outdoor terrace and private dining room for hire.
4 Favela Potts Point
It's still a mystery why the owners of this glitzy Kings Cross club/bar decided to name a bar after a Brazilian slum, but hey - whatever gets you up in the morning. If setting back into a fat couch amid the thumping of bass and the ting-ting of techno and breakbeats seems like a stretch for you, make your visit a mid-week affair where the usually packed bar has filtered out to true believers. Their cocktails are fantastic and they've got a good selection of Japanese beer. They offer a dim sum menu until the wee small hours of the morning.
5 Aperitif Potts Point
The runner up in the award for best wine bar in the 2008 Time Out Bar Awards, Aperitif has a breathtaking wine list and a very talented sommelier, Charles Leong (ex MG Garage). And all in an old terrace right in the heart of the Kings Cross flesh district. So while you drink your first growth Burgundy or Sancerre you can sit out in the courtyard under the arms of the ancient fig tree, share some tapas and watch the, um, action. They make a perfect Martini, and offer Amer Bier - a type of bitters that goes incredibly well with a crisp beer. It's the ultimate after-hours restaurant where you'll find everyone from off-duty chefs to late night locals getting on it.
6 Gazebo Elizabeth Bay
If you could combine The Secret Garden with Alice in Wonderland, you'd have a fair description of the interiors at Gazebo. Live moss crawls up the walls and wrought iron lawn furniture is scattered freely around; this is the most verdant bar Sydney's ever seen. It's wine or beer here, and they have both in spades. There are 50 wines by the glass to choose from, including a couple of Champagnes, and every night of the week has a different event such as bocce, film screenings and girls' picnics. They also serve longnecks of beer.
7 Hugos Kings Cross
When it comes to Bayswater Road establishments, none has a longer door queue than Hugos. And in a street where door queues are a way of life, that's saying something. At 8.30pm on a Thursday evening, for instance, it's already starting to snake down the stairs. Inside, you'll find a slick, luxe interior that matches the slick, luxe crowd. If you're partial to a cocktail, the well-trained bartenders pour our some of Sydney's best. Try a Red Royale with fresh sage, Plymouth Sloe Gin, Massanez Pomme Verte, lemon, apple juice and cinnamon, or a simple Sloe Gin Fizz.
8 Piano Room Kings Cross
The Piano Room harks back to a time when drinks were boozy, dames were
classy and seats were comfy. You can’t fault the drinks or the cocktail
list here; they offer a Tequila Old Fashioned and good service. The
fit-out’s a class act all the way, with a view straight down William
Street and a piano in the centre of the room. There is often live jazz
and the standard is high. Overstuffed leather couches dot the room and
classic stylings make this a very comfortable bar to drink at indeed. If
you’re worried about not getting in, be sure to dress up and go
midweek.
