The Ten Best Beachside Pubs in Sydney
Sydney's prime real estate for post-swim beers.
The Ten Best Beachside Pubs in Sydney
Sydney's prime real estate for post-swim beers.
Red wine and cheese. Whiskey and chocolate. Every drink has its perfect match. For beer, there's no better friend than the beach. And nowhere in the world offers more opportunities for this glorious partnership to flourish than Sydney, with some of the most beautiful, secluded, harbour and unusual swimming spots in Australia sitting right by some of our favourite watering holes.
It makes perfect sense that beachside bars are on point in Sydney. We've one of the longest urban coastlines on the planet and one of the most dedicated brew-guzzling populations. In fact, Australia is the fourth thirstiest nation, gulping down 109.9 litres of beer per capita annually. Help keep our spot by working your way through these ten beachside beauties after a glorious day frolicking at the beach. Most of them are practically on the sand.
-
10
Just a 500-metre trot from Mona Vale Beach, this beloved local hotel is an upper Northern Beaches epicentre for hearty fare and friendly vibes. It’s also the spiritual home of Moving Pictures’ 1982 hit ‘What About Me?’ and has played host to the likes of Wolfmother, The Preset and The Celibate Rifles. In 2014, The Sydney Collective, which also owns the Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel and Manly’s Daniel San, took the reins.
Being a teeny-tiny distance from the sea, Mona doesn’t come with views, but the beachy, palm-lined, indoor-outdoor Plantation Bar makes up for that in bucket loads. The tasty, tasty menu — from hot-smoked trout salad to portuguese-style chicken to pulled pork burgers — is served all day long. So there’s ample time for dips in between feasts.
-
9
Perched on an eastern corner of the Manly Corso, the Hotel Steyne is just a stumble away from the beach. For the most expansive views and a healthy dose of sunshine, lodge yourself with a Chancer Golden Ale in Seaside, the outdoor beer garden.
Alternatively, book a spot at one of three eateries, all positioned to make the most of the pub’s killer position: the Seaside Bistro for seasonal produce and seafood; Harry Phat’s for diverse Asian-inspired feasting; and Rope & Anchor, for beachfront breakfasts and lunches.
-
8
Northies has been keeping the party happening in Cronulla since 1888, now belonging to the beach-loving Sydney Collective. Just as with the other venues, the Group has given this one a serious spruce up, without taking away its casual feel.
One addition is Old Joe’s, a summery, pastel-coloured room that pays homage to Joe’s Milk Bar (a longstanding local favourite) styled by design legend Sibella Court. Whether you’re hanging out there or in one of Northies’ other spaces, the mighty menu will conquer your post-surf starvation, with its burgers, pizza, steaks and seafood hot pots.
-
7
Sydney’s rock ‘n’ roll history would look mighty different were it not for the Narrabeen Sands. Midnight Oil, The Church and Cold Chisel are just some of the bands to have rocked out here (though back then the pub was known as The Royal Antler).
Situated just across the road from Narrabeen Beach, the Sands is still a champion of live music and hosts the ‘Busking By the Beach’ comp every November. Meanwhile, in the bistro, tuck into a slew of bargain-priced meals, from $12 weekday lunches to dinners on ‘Tight Ass Tuesdays’, when all mains worth up to $28 are just $15. Great for topping off a big beach day.
-
6
Harbord Beach Hotel lies just 100 metres from Freshwater Beach — the cradle of Australian surfing. In 1915, a Hawaiian by the name of Duke Kahanamoku, who was camping nearby, carved a board out of local wood, plunged into the waves and introduced spectators to a sport they’d never seen before. The hotel’s building, based on a Samoan guest house, dates to 1928, but has since had a fancypants reno.
These days, locals refer to the pub as the Harbord Hilton. The menu features ultra-fresh seafood dishes, like Sydney rock oysters, coconut and honey king prawns and Kinkawooka mussels; clever cocktails like the mojito pomegranate (Bacardi rum, Pama pomegranate liqueur, brown sugar, mint, lime and cranberry soda); and a top-notch selection of Aussie wines.
-
5
The Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel has been keeping the Eastern Suburbs inebriated for a merry 180 years. In 2013, after being snapped-up and made over by The Sydney Collective, it reopened with a more-glamorous-than-ever look, complete with Miami mint green facade, stripy umbrellas and Breton-striped waitstaff.
This pub’s ‘beach’ is a tranquil, harbourside strip of sand, foregrounding dreamy views. When you’re done feasting on duck liver pate, steamed mussels and lemon gelato, and knocked back a cocktail carafe or two, there’s a harbour pool for cooling off, just a short stroll up the esplanade.
-
4
Coogee Pavilion isn’t just a pub. It’s a three-level, multi-faceted, community-inspired venue that happens to serve drinks. In one visit, you can grab a Will & Co coffee from the dedicated stand, stop by the ‘lovejuice cart’ for a superfoods slurpie, freshen up thanks to the onsite barber or prove your mettle in the nostalgic games area, complete with massive Scrabble board, petanque and 1960s ping pong tables.
Beach views are best from the adults-only rooftop, where you’ll find four indoor-outdoor bars and a spacious balcony. The vast menu caters to a range of tastes and budgets — from affordable authentic Italian pizzas to pricier Hervey Bay scallops — while the beverages menu champions Aussie wines, signature cocktails and craft beers. All this is the work of Merivale, which gave the venue a mega revamp after taking over in 2014.
-
3
Strictly speaking, The Bucket List is more a bar than a pub. But its front row seats are the closest you can get to Bondi Beach with a beer in your hand. Well, legally, anyway, given that alcohol is banned on the sand. So we thought we’d sneak The Bucket List into the… er… list. On weekends, said front row seats are hot property, but you’ve a chance of landing one mid-week.
There’s a fun selection of cocktails, sold by both the glass and the jug, and all wines are nine bucks a glass. Tasty morsels on the eats menu include grilled Freemantle octopus, tuna poke and Sydney rock oysters.
-
2
The once pretty rowdy Maroubra Bay Hotel is now the more sedate and super-friendly Bay Hotel and Diner. It’s a chilled-out, family-lovin’ space, with a corner for ‘nippers’ and a wide-reaching menu, starring seriously big burgers and a ‘schnitzel haus’. The emphasis is on big flavours and generous portions. Skip by on Sundays for the weekly roast.
For healthy serving of highly Instagrammable views with your pub grub, this joint boasts serious a panoramic vista of the beautiful, utterly-untamed-by-the-city Maroubra Beach.
-
1
Pretty much every spot in the Collaroy Hotel gives you a glimpse of the beach. Once known as the Surf Rock Hotel, it was glammed up by the Public House Management Group after a 2014 takeover, but has kept its laidback, friendly vibe.
To get as close as possible to the water (literally one step from the sand), hang out at the Pelican Pavilion, a cafe-style space serving smoothies, juices, breakfasts, brunches and lunches. There are three other menus for satisfying your post-swim cravings: the Beach Bar, the Bistro and the more up-market Dining Room. Quench your thirst with 14 on-tap beers, a bunch of Aussie drops and a European sparkling wine or two.
Importantly, the kitchen closes at 9pm Monday to Sunday, so don’t rock up afterwards expecting fish and chips.
