Cafe Freda’s

When Chippendale bar and live-music venue Freda’s announced its closure, it marked the end of an era for one of the city’s greatest performance spaces, where a diverse community of musicians, DJs and artists came together to share their work for the better part of a decade. But the spirit of Freda’s lives on, albeit in a different guise and enviable location.

Cafe Freda’s is a wine bar and eatery on one of Sydney’s most iconic corners, and feels like a more grown-up version of the original. Echoing the bars of Europe, the venue’s al fresco section on Taylor Square is prime real estate at sunset. Inside, elements of its predecessor remain, with the bar top, shelving and lighting all taken from the original Freda’s. A sunflower-yellow exterior rounds off the venue’s playful peachy, green and blue palette.

At a minimum, Cafe Freda’s is a place to drink Negronis and wines from the minimal-intervention sphere with some excellent music on the side. But it’s also a place to eat well, with a revolving line-up of snacks and large plates, currently by French-born head chef Gaspard de Rancourt. Keeping the community vibes high, the kitchen regularly hosts like-minded eateries and providores, with Sydney favourites Bush, Fontana, City Oltra and Aplenty popping up previously.