Coming Soon: Cruise Bar & Restaurant Is Relaunching on Sydney Harbour with a New Rooftop Bar and Refreshed Menus
Live a life of luxury — at least for the night — at this revamped harbourside venue, which offers the celebrity treatment from top to bottom.
Ready to indulge your inner socialite? Cruise Bar & Restaurant is primed to make it happen, with its triumphant return after months of renovation. Best-known for its front-row seats to the Sydney Opera House, now that the extensive building works are out of the way, a relaunch is prepped for Thursday, May 1, meaning you won't have to wait long to get acquainted with the venue's new look and feel.
Led by award-winning design firm Luchetti Krelle, Cruise Bar's luxe makeover blends refined elegance with effortless fun. With the place a regular haunt for local and international celebs, from Kylie Minogue to Justin Bieber, this facelift covers more than just the basics. Taking over the venue's top floor is Melba's Rooftop – a sunset-hued haven with panoramic harbour views. Appropriately named after Dame Nellie Melba – an iconic opera singer and international jet-setter – she's often considered Australia's first global celebrity.
"We've carefully curated an offering that reflects Sydney's evolving food and drink culture. From the menu to the design, every detail has been considered to create an experience that feels fresh, exciting, and uniquely Cruise. This isn't just a comeback – it's a statement, and we can't wait to welcome Sydney back," says General Manager John Harvey.
More than just a design rethink, a new menu teems with sophisticated modern Australian cuisine, with Head Chef Han Chen (a'Mare, Felix) guiding the glamorous direction. Expect a deep dive into Australia's native larder, drawing inspiration from the country's diverse landscapes. There's bush tomato butter mussels and pan-seared Humpty Doo barramundi with macadamia cream. Then you have the Grande Cruise Seafood Tower, featuring freshly shucked Royal Miyagi oysters, Australian prawns, scallop ceviche, and scallop mousse zucchini flowers. It's basically indulgence epitomised.
The drinks list has also been reinvented, this time with renowned barman Tom Bulmer (Margaret, O Bar, Jane) leading a push towards native flavours. The Lilly Flower brings together raspberry, lilly pilly, Casamigos tequila and hibiscus, while the Afternoon Fashion reimagines a classic old fashioned with croissant-washed whisky and toasted wattleseed. Try the Berry in Sight for something even bolder, combining mulberry and bush apple with blended whisky and desert lime shrub.
"Sydney has changed a lot in the past decade, but there's always been a place for a venue like Cruise," says Harvey. "It's got history, it's got views that stop you in your tracks, and now it's got an elevated experience to match."
Cruise Bar & Restaurant is scheduled to reopen on Thursday, May 1, at Circular Quay West, Overseas Passenger Terminal, Sydney. Head to the website for more information.
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