Sydney's Verandah Bar Has Just Reopened as a New CBD Garden Oasis Restaurant

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. The old Verandah Bar on Elizabeth Street — which sold for over $9 million last year — has relaunched its dining room Social at Verandah.

The restaurant sees the property's restaurant transformed into a urban garden oasis, complete with sprawling balcony, tropical prints throughout and about a greenhouse's worth of lush foliage. Here, interiors feature a vacation-inspired mix of warm tones, dark timber and rattan, while a bold mural by artist Chris Nixon brings the dining room's main wall to life.

To match, Executive Chef Brad Sloane has put together a sharing menu centred around ethically sourced native Australian produce. It's approachable, yet smart, featuring classic chargrilled steaks, 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.

And that's just phase one of Simon Tilley and Nick Wills' reinvention of the CBD haunt — the adjoining Verandah Bar has also enjoyed an overhaul, and is slated to open its doors in the coming weeks.

Social at Verandah is now open at 55–65 Elizabeth Street, Sydney. For more info, visit the Facebook page.