Now Open: Mediterranean-Inspired Rooftop Bar The Sussex Is the Newest Sky-High Drinking Hole in Barangaroo

Like the presence of a cute dog or a warm sunny day, a new rooftop bar in Sydney is always welcome. This city loves to sip a cocktail while high above the ground — and a dreamy new spot has just opened in Barangaroo. Situated above The Sussex Hotel, The Sussex Rooftop is a Mediterranean-inspired bar boasting a lush leafy al fresco courtyard and a cosy indoor space, all just 400-metres from Wynyard Station.

The Sussex Hotel is a heritage-listed site originally built in 1915. Sonenco Hotels, the owners of St Leonards Tavern and Suriya Thai, took over operations at the historic venue in 2008, just as Barangaroo was beginning to transform.

Interior Designer Emilie Delalande from Studio Etic, who previously worked on Barangaroo House's equally lavish rooftop, has turned the 120-capacity, 200-square-metre rooftop bar into a flora-filled oasis accompanied by silver travertine tiles and natural tones.

Patrons looking to soak in the sun with a cocktail in hand can take their pick from the bar's signature mixes. The La Vida is summer-ready, combining Rosa Gin, grapefruit, rose water and aquafaba, and the Sundown Fizz takes a fresh take on the Moscow mule, pairing Absolut Vodka with creme de cassis, ginger ale and lime.

The Sussex Hotel's Executive Chef Anthony Ornelas has moved away from the pub classics of the lower-level kitchen, opting for a Mediterranean menu of bar snacks headlined by meze plates and kebabs. Dig into a chicken shawarma kebab or grilled swordfish skewers, or order a crowd-pleasing spread of share plates like spiced chicken wings, falafel with tahini, salted cod fritters with saffron aioli and crispy squid.

"Despite the fact we're in the middle of a highly populated area the rooftop is surprisingly quiet and serene so we wanted to create a sanctum from the buzz of below," Sonenco Hotels Director Garry McGrath says. "We've been holding off opening for over a year but with the return of corporates to Barangaroo and the CBD and with more travellers and Sydneysiders enjoying our city, it feels like the right time to launch."

The Sussex Rooftop is located at The Sussex Hotel, 20 Sussex Street, Sydney. It's open midday–10pm Tuesday–Wednesday, midday-midnight Thursday–Friday and 4pm–midnight Saturday.

Images: Steven Woodburn