What makes Sydney such an awesome city to drink in is the late hours and the locals, who party hard, are easy to meet, and speak in the most mysterious ways. Our friend Myffy, a local food and drink critic, shares the perfect night out on the town using her own very Aussie words. Translations provided.
PRE-DINNER: Monopole
In the well-heeled Inner East, Monopole is the sort of wine bar that has hi-fi design, lo-fi sensibilities, and no goon. Don’t miss the South African whites or the house-cured meats. monopolesydney.com.au
Goon (n): Cheapo wine. Derived from a local drinking game, Goon of Fortune
DINNER: Acme
This is where all of Sydney wants to eat right now. Devour macaroni elbows flavored with egg yolk and shreds of slow-cooked pig’s head—like the world’s most bonza carbonara, only slightly Filipino. weareacme.com.au
Bonza (adj): Retro Oz slang for anything that’s ridiculously rad
LATE: Rockpool Bar & Grill
Go for martinis and a minute steak (a thin cut that’s simply turned and burned). After, limber up the laughing gear with a Polar Bear Frappe—a bracing shake-up of gin, pastis, and crème de menthe. rockpool.com
Laughing gear (n): The thing on your face you pour the drinks into
LATER: Bulletin Place
Appearances are deceiving here. Despite the roughhewn, garage-band vibe, the drinks are all wins—everything from the blended mango daiquiris to the lethal schooners of whiskey with cherries. bulletinplace.com
Schooner (n): The standard pour of beer in most Aussie pubs (roughly 1.5 pints)
LATEST: Frankie’s
Room one: a classic red sauce pizza parlor. Room two: live music and local craft beers. Then there’s room three, all the ingredients needed for late-night Aussie joy: a 12-seat-wonderland full of festoon lights and cans of Coopers. frankiespizzabytheslice.com
Coopers (n): Actual Australian for beer. You won’t find Foster’s there.
