The Ten Best Beer Gardens in Sydney

Australians have beer drinking down to a fine art. First of all, we serve it cold (London, how did you miss that one for so long?). Second, we're exceptionally good at creating places to drink it that allow you to soak up the sunshine and enjoy that ice cold beer at the same time. Genius.

Seeing as it's possibly the best time right now to enjoy the great outdoors, Concrete Playground has scoured the city and collected for you our pick of the best beer gardens around. This one's on us.

The Courthouse Hotel

Popular with students, artists and the battered men who've been frequenting it for the past forty years, The Courthouse is a beloved staple of Newtown's drinking spots. Grungy, relaxed and unpretentious with one of Sydney's finest beer gardens, I have an unabashed devotion to this place.

Inside you'll find pool tables, a collection of pinball machines and a couple of vinyl couches with the stuffing falling out of them. The interior of the pub is exactly what you'd expect: dark wood on scruffy walls, well-trodden carpet and a gallery of old Sydney Swans posters. A pair of arty student types with silly beards sit at the bar alongside a bloke in a Bonds singlet, nursing a schooner, sporting an entirely un-silly beard. During AFL season expect not to be able to hold a conversation anywhere near the football-scarfed fans surrounding the televisions.

202 Australia Street, Newtown

The Norfolk

It's amazing what a fresh coat of paint and some mismatched furniture can do for a courtyard. Just take the Norfolk's beer garden, for example. Since it's decidedly hip transformation, the leafy backyard has become a haven for Surry Hills locals to kick back and have a drink, and you'll be hard pressed to find a seat during the packed lunch and post-work hours. It's the jewel in this redone pub's crown.

There's a lot of great reasons to visit the Norfolk, and the trendy interior is just the start of it. Cocktail lovers will like the ingenuity behind drinks like the Bloody Mary, served in a Campbell's tomato soup tin, or the Ciderlicious, combining apple cider with pear vodka and smashed mixed berries. And while they still need to work out the kinks on the sharp-tasting Sangrias, the jugs are good value for groups.

305 Cleveland Street, Redfern

The Rose Hotel

This vibrant beer garden has provided an inner city oasis for over one hundred years. Tucked between the busy stretches of City Road and Cleveland Street, the intimate beer garden gets just as crowded as its bustling surroundings after 5pm, minus the noise and smog. Meanwhile, the low-lit lamps scattered across the garden make for a much more pleasant ambience than the glaring traffic lights beyond. Just down the road from Sydney Uni, The Rose Hotel is the watering hole of choice for students, testament to its affordable prices and lively atmosphere.

The Rose boasts an extensive bistro menu, just a little pricier and a little more pretentious than its $10 lunch dishes. Exotic pizza choices provide the menu's crowning glory, with the option of tomato, garlic and chili bases plus experimental toppings, such as roasted pumpkin, blue cheese, spinach and hazelnuts. With prolonged happy hours more akin to happy days, The Rose is a great option for a few drinks amongst a vibrant crowd.

cnr Cleveland and Shepherd Streets, Chippendale

The Oaks Hotel

Named for the oak in the courtyard which clocks in at over seventy years old, The Oaks is an institution. The pub itself dates back to 1885, meaning they well and truly have their formula down.

The establishment is gigantic, so that there's plenty of bars and dining options within that are all worth a visit in their own right. Surround yourself with art deco glamour in the 'Tramway'-style Nineteenthirtysix, or relax amongst the crowd in the aforementioned courtyard. In terms of food, try one of the reasonably-priced gourmet pizzas like the Oaks Deluxe, with spicy sausage, caramelised onion, roasted capsicum and tomato. Or, if you're in the mood for a barbeque, choose a raw cut of beef, chicken or fish and cook it up yourself.

118 Military Road, Neutral Bay

Slip Inn

An easy stroll from your CBD office, Slip Inn is the ideal mid-week pit stop. Notorious as the place where Fredrick met Mary, the Tuscan-styled courtyard and twinkling lights make this a watering hole fit for a prince. But with prices to rival its neighbours on King Street Wharf, the Slip Inn is the obvious choice for a cheeky beverage.

The Garden Bar fills up quickly weekdays and weekends alike, so get in early if you want a seat in the cushioned booths. This lazy outdoor vibe is high in demand as it provides some balance for the heavier atmosphere of the Main Bar and the chaotic beats of Chinese Laundry beneath the floor boards.

111 Sussex Street, Sydney

The Beresford Hotel

Popular with glamorous young things and the post-work crowd, the Beresford must be one of Sydney's hippest pubs. Building on a recent renovation, Hemmes has reinvigorated this space with fresh foliage, exceptional Italian bar food from Tuscan chef Gabriele Taddeucci, and his own certain je ne sais quoi.

Perhaps the most lovely part of the whole venture is the courtyard, more reminiscent of a Japanese garden than your typical Aussie beer garden. Think cobblestones, Japanese maples, low wooden furniture and lanterns dangling above your head. It's also a refreshing change from the buzzing atmosphere inside - though this doesn't mean it's not busy. The rule is to turn up early and stay late, perhaps ducking upstairs to check out a band while you're here.

354 Bourke Street, Surry Hills

The Tilbury Hotel

Woolloomooloo has no shortage of places to sip on a schooner. From the jazzy joints along the wharf to the old school atmosphere of Bells, there's something to satisfy every drinker. But if it's a beer garden you're after, there's only one place you need step into.

The Tilbury Hotel has an outside space that few pubs can match, with long, raw wooden boards, big umbrellas to shade you during the day, and enough chairs to share with a few new friends in the evening. At night, carefully planned lighting provides just the right atmosphere to sit, chat and sink. If beer is not quite your thing, there's a wine list guaranteed to keep you entertained.

12/18 Nicholson Street, Woolloomooloo

The Newport Arms

If size is everything (and who says it isn't?), the Newport Arms wins hands down. This pub boasts the largest beer garden in not just Australia, but the entire southern hemisphere. We hear the pub's total capacity is up around five thousand people, and if you've paid a visit to the Newport Arms you won't doubt it. Add to these statistics the staggering views of Pittwater, a beautifully historic site (the pub dates from 1880) and twenty-six different beers on tap, and I'd say this is one watering hole well worth a visit.

Once there, take your pick of the entertainments on offer. Work your way through the extensive wine menu. There's an 'outdoor theatre' screening sports footage. Classic pub meals are served up at the bistro and, while they're a little pricey, meal sizes are fair. Try your luck at the TAB or opt for a game of pool at the tables inside. Or if, like me, you're a person of simple pleasures, purchase a jug of beer, sit back and watch the world go by.

2 Kalinya Street, Newport

Opera Bar

A destination for tourists and locals alike, Opera Bar boasts the views of Sydney (the ones we all know from the postcards). If the outdoor seating could fairly be described as a 'beer garden', it would have to be one of the world's best. Behind you is the Opera House, ahead the Harbour Bridge, and between you is a table just waiting to be filled with glasses of your drink of choice.

The Opera Bar's own OB pale ale is worth a taste, though the reasonably-priced wine menu, featuring a number of smaller local producers, is hard to go past. My pick? A Mojito ($17) to sip while I soak up the live jazz. You'll have plenty of time to make your choice. Unlike most outdoor bar areas, you can stay here until at least midnight every night of the week.

Lower Concourse, Sydney Opera House

Alexandria Hotel

Known affectionately as 'the Alex', this unassuming pub is one of our favourite locals. The front bar has been left wonderfully untouched, with plenty of space to stand around and chew the fat. Once you've seen the beer garden, however, you won't want to be left standing around inside. It's the largest in the inner-city, equipped with assorted tropical plants and natives, a screen and a stage for entertainment purposes, and bucket-loads of good vibes.

Aside from the drinks, there's well-priced bistro food, featuring a Veggie Burger ($15) with homemade pattie and $10 lunch specials during the week. Throughout the year, the pub hosts a program of special events. We'll be there for this year's screenings of the Eurovision Song Contest and attending Sunhaze, with the Future Classic DJs, on lazy Sunday afternoons.

cnr Henderson Road and Garden Streets, Alexandria