Sydney's Verandah Bar Has Just Reopened as a Sleek New CBD Garden Oasis
The after-work spot now sports a restaurant and a revamped bar alongside its much-loved balcony.
Summer is gone and the CBD might seem as though it's in a season-long shadow — but there's at least one place where the holiday vibes are in full swing. After a three-month hiatus, the old Verandah Bar on Elizabeth Street — which sold for over $9 million last year — has relaunched with a shiny new look.
If you've ever worked in the CBD, chances are you've dropped into Verandah Bar for knock-off drinks at least once. But after 17 years of operation, new owners Simon Tilley and Nick Wills felt like it needed a spruce. They've transformed the space into a urban garden oasis, complete with tropical prints and about a greenhouse's worth of lush foliage. Rest assured that Verandah's sprawling balcony remains the same.
What has changed is the layout. The venue is separated into a new restaurant — Social at Verandah, which opened a few weeks ago — and the main bar. The former features a vacation-inspired mix of warm tones, dark timber and rattan, and a bold mural by artist Chris Nixon, while the latter is more casual with curved banquettes and plants hanging from the roof.
Both the restaurant and bar menu revolve around ethically sourced native Australian produce. It's approachable, yet smart, featuring a Cape Grim beef burger alongside dishes like a yabby tail and roast pumpkin tortellini, kangaroo tartare topped with quail egg yolk, and a whole suckling pig that's carved at the table. That's backed by a global-reaching wine list, extensive selections of gin and whisky, and a crop of signature cocktails.
Verandah Bar is now open at 55–65 Elizabeth Street, Sydney. For more info, visit verandah.com.au.
Images: Alana Dimou.
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