Coming Soon: Folio, the Bar and Dining Room Sydney Theatre Company Needs

A trip to the theatre deserves a fine drink and something snacky – bonus points if delivered at speed, to avoid any pre-show angst when that bell rings. And while Sydney Theatre Company keeps audiences entertained in Walsh Bay, the Roslyn Packer Theatre’s soon-to-open theatre bar Folio is set to complete the experience.

“When we say ‘theatre bar’, we mean the kind of bars of Midtown Manhattan or West End London,” says award-winning bartender Charlie Ainsbury (ex-This Must be the Place), who’s leading the new venue’s drinks in partnership with The Fresh Collective. “Sydney alone doesn’t really have that. Is there a bar that’s next to the theatre where we can drink? There’s plenty of those. But there’s no place that celebrates the theatre. No place that embraces the culture of the theatre. And there’s no place that has great drinks to match and set it off.”

Folio’s all about swish New York-style service, with the team referencing icons like Bemelmans Bar and Sardi’s, places where the theatre and wider community meet.

On Sydney’s harbour, that translates into polished hospitality and cocktails that lean into theatrics – in a fun, not-OTT way. For example: a Martini poured at the table, a house-whisked Bellini with sorbet; and the Infinity Old Fashioned, where your choice of whisky is added to a “mother blend” of every golden drop the bar has, meaning your pour is one you won’t find anywhere else.

“There’s a few little tricks in there, and some surprises that I’ll keep as a surprise,” Ainsbury says. “All the drinks are made to be sent out really quickly, but with integrity. You know, fresh ingredients, seasonal, all the usual kind of benchmarks for a good cocktail bar.”

One section of the list is for “interesting things” only, a monthly changing spotlight if you’re after something different. For the opening, there’s a native amaro made in Victoria (recommended simply over ice) and a “really cool” whisky from a boutique distiller.

“I very much steered clear of anything esoteric. I feel like a lot of people are longing for the days where cocktails weren’t too complicated and they didn’t have to open up Google and go, ‘What is this ingredient?’ They just want to come in and be taken care of and made sure they’re all set before the show.”

The moody, low-lit dining room will be as good for snacks as it is a proper meal. Choose from bright, herby lipstick peppers and buttermilk fried chicken, cheesy croquettes and pairs of roasted king prawns with dip-ready curry mayo. There are fries with chicken salt, too, and a poutine with buffalo mozzarella that’s begging to be your post-show order.

Then there’s Wagyu lasagne, a classic burger and a hefty salad bowl. To finish, you’ll want the chocolate mousse, scooped tableside.

“Post-theatre, we want to turn it on as well. When people are leaving the theatre, we want to entice them in with a little bit more of a vibrant energy, some late-night bar snacks. Bring them in for a nightcap, maybe two. They can indulge in a really great bottle of wine, cocktails galore.”

As is the New York norm, there’ll be house entertainment going beyond theatre. “Live jazz during the week, DJs on the weekend. But also a really great comedy night for the area. We’ve even talked about slam poetry, spoken word, something that connects and moves with the rhythm of the theatre.”

Folio Bar will open at Roslyn Packer Theatre, 22 Hickson Road, Walsh Bay, on Tuesday November 11, 2025.

@folio.bar