Bondi Beach Public Bar

This venue is a classic public bar, but with a restaurant-quality food and drink offering.

The 300-person venue is part of the Pacific Bondi Beach building complex, which is also home to the QT Hotel. But while it’s located at one of Bondi’s best addresses it’s totally unpretentious. It’s the kind of place people come to straight off the beach for a meal and a drink.

The price tag reflects this casualness. Expect change from $10 for a drink. And wines by the glass range from $9 to $13 and spirits (even with fresh-squeezed juice or boutique mixers) are also around the $10 mark.

The food philosophy is consistent across the group’s venues, but here it’s less oysters and caviar and more deep-fried cheesy ham croquettes. The “squish burger” is the big deal. It’s a double cheeseburger pressed down with a weight while it’s still warm. And there’s a chicken schnitzel served with brown butter and a biodynamic egg from a small family-run farm in Bowral. Pizzas are thin and crisp.

The wine list is short and sharp: 12 to 15 approachable wines based on what goes well with the food. Everything on the list is organic or free of additives. That philosophy hasn't been carried over to the beer list – apart from one beer from The Grifter, everything on tap and in bottle is sourced from macro-brewers such as Heineken and James Boags.

The venue is one large room with a bar in the centre. The design is contemporary and taps into the energy and attitude of the ’70s and ’80s Australian pub scene. The space includes an installation by Matthew Bax from Melbourne’s Bar Americano and photos by the late Australian social photographer Rennie Ellis.