The Ten Best Harbourside Bars in Sydney

Sydney's harbourside bars are inviting nearly year round. But summer is the perfect time to enjoy a few beverages outdoors overlooking our city's prized natural gift. Here are our top picks of harbourside bars to get you in the mood for the warmer months ahead.

The Island Bar

Deck chairs, random shipping paraphernalia, umbrellas, cocktails and astroturf. Yes, you guessed it, the Island Bar. Here you have a chilled patch of green, tropical tunes and nautically named cocktails, wine by the glass and beers (from $8) on Sydney Harbour's Cockatoo Island. Want some food to accompany that glowing sunset? Try the wood fired pizza.

Cockatoo Island, Sydney Harbour

The Theatre Bar at the End of the Wharf

Alcohol, share plates, ping pong, billiards, and dramatic views of the Harbour Bridge and Luna Park … what's not to like about the Bar at the End of the Wharf? Although a theatre bar, this place takes its beers, cider and wine very seriously. And then there's the cocktails, which change depending on the current Sydney Theatre Company season. The Lotte Kotten ($17), a combination of house made blood orange sorbet, burnt orange infused gin, Aperol, bubbles with a dash of bitters, is a must try.

Pier 4/5 Hickson Road, Walsh Bay

Opera Bar

You can't get much more iconic than this. With a large outdoor area in such a prime spot, it's hard to deny Opera Bar the harbourside kudos it deserves. In addition to a well-versed wine list, there's some decent, reasonably priced food options too. While it's lacked some character in the past, there's a revamp coming from Matt Moran's MorSul and current operators Solotel that could shake things up in very good way.

2 Macquarie Street, Sydney

Papi Chulo

Located right next to the ferry dock in Manly, this stylish, self-proclaimed smokehouse and grill packs a fabulously relaxed punch to the senses the moment you step inside. Up the entrance ramp, you're drawn to the chunky, polished curving central bar stocked to the brim and hugged by cane stools. You might be inclined to think they've just taken a whole bunch of much-loved design elements and thrown them together, but like the combination of flavours behind the Deep South/South American menu, it works. Drinks-wise, you've got a full wine list catering to pretty much any palate likely to pop in, and as you'd expect, there are plenty of cocktails.

22-23 Manly Wharf, Manly

Little Fish

Take a stroll down the sunny length of Jones Bay Wharf and you'll come to a gorgeous little bar by the name of Little Fish. The window-walled outdoor section of the historic structure that houses Flying Fish features pretty, resort-style couches, heaters in winter and a sparkling harbour vista. The cocktails do some sparkling of their own — the Butter Me Up ($19) features 666 vodka made using butter (that's right) from a dairy farm next door to the distillery and gets even more heavenly with lime juice, vanilla syrup and a dark chocolate rim.

Jones Bay Wharf, 19-21 Pirrama Road, Pyrmont

Double Bay 18 Foot Skiff Club

A solid all-rounder. Usual suspects on the bar menu include burgers and oysters ($18.80 half dozen natural). Wine from the Australian/New Zealand dominated list start at $6.50 per glass for non-members. And don't forget to head out to the pier to enjoy views of the surrounding bay and harbour beyond.

77 Bay Street, Double Bay

Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel

The Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel's Beach Club is a place that serves up the kind of beachy-cool-baby thing that Sydney should do so well but doesn't always get so right. With sprawling outdoor seating, a fresh-not-fancy menu and a view so palm-tree perfect it could be a postcard, the revamped hotel just exudes easy elegance.

1 Military Road, Watsons Bay

MCA Cafe

Let's face it, if you're running a cafe on the fourth floor of the Museum of Contemporary Art with harbour views, you could pretty much serve up a bowl of cornflakes and business would still be booming. The view over Circular Quay really is something, even on a rainy day. Thankfully, the chaps from Fresh Catering running the joint are not using the view as an excuse to serve up nonsense.

MCA, Level 4, 140 George Street, Sydney

Seawall

The concrete is still pouring at Barangaroo, but that "next CBD entertainment hub" feeling is flooding Hickson Road as the Lotus Dumpling Bar team open their second Walsh Bay restaurant and bar, Seawall. Waterfront, trattoria style, it serves up Mediterranean dishes with a seafood bent and plenty of sunshine. The place screams Aperol in the sun — potentially as a self-reward for finally coming through on that harbourfront walk with your parents — and their house twist on this classic spritz, the Walsh Cinnamon Spritz ($19), is great year round.

Shop 6/17 Hickson Road, Walsh Bay

The Island

The Island is a floating open-air space and can aptly be describe in one word: exclusive. At the Island you're welcome to feel like a bad-ass rapper or bikini-clad model. In fact, it's encouraged. You'll need tickets to get in on privileged 'Beach Club' Island action, which range from $850 for a six person package, up to $1750 for an eight person premium daybed package.

Sydney Harbour, Sydney

By the Concrete Playground team.