Glass Island

Sat 19th September, 2020 – Sun 29th November, 2020
King Street Wharf 6, Darling Harbour
Price: $29.40–$44.73
A luxe three-level, Mediterranean-inspired bar on a boat has sailed into Sydney.

Sydney has some pretty spectacular bodies of water, both on its fringes and running straight through it. And we have plenty of well-positioned bars (Coogee Pavilion, Icebergs and Opera Bar, for example) making the most of them. But bars actually on the water? Those are few and far between. Aiming to correct this is Glass Island, a three-level bar on a boat that will roam the harbour once again from September, after being shut down due to Covid-19.

It’s the work of entrepreneur Scott Robertson, who also founded one of Sydney’s other boat-based bars, Seadeck. “Finding a three-level venue with a mind-blowing view of Sydney Harbour in itself would be an exciting prospect for anyone,” he tells Broadsheet, “let alone a venue with the ability to cruise around the harbour with 360-degree panoramic views. Sailing under the Sydney Harbour Bridge and past the Opera House will never get old for me.”

This time around, Robertson says he looked past the fact that Glass Island is a boat, and instead took inspiration from upper-crust overseas venues such as Soho House. It’s been designed by Alex Zabotto-Bentley, the founder of Sydney design firm AZBCreative (The Cumberland, Mjølner, Kittyhawk, who has given each of the three decks a different theme. The top deck was inspired by the Mediterranean, with orange and white umbrellas and fabrics, and a load of lush greenery.

Stepping into the glass-walled middle deck is like finding yourself poolside at a Miami resort. There’s a seven-metre-long tiled bar at one end, and a blue-and-white theme throughout. And the bottom level is a handsome champagne and cocktail den.

A new, post-covid cocktail menu includes drinks such as the Riptide, Harbourside Sour and Tanlines and Tequila. The overhauled food menu features dishes such as cheeseburgers, slow-roasted beef brisket rolls and cheeseburger spring rolls.

Due to coronavirus Glass Island has launched a revised take on the original concept, with all patrons able to book tables so they can maintain social distancing and remain seated per government restrictions.

More information here.

This event listing was updated on August 28, 2020 to reflect changed details and dates due to coronavirus.

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