Where to Eat and Drink for Vivid 2025
Vivid has become a major highlight in the country’s cultural calendar since it debuted in 2008. Now in its 15th year, the festival lasts for 23 days and nights (May 23 to June 14), which gives you plenty of time to take in every inch of the light walk stretching from Circular Quay to Haymarket.
But where to go for dinner and drinks? Vivid Fire Kitchen should definitely be on your hit-list. But this guide also includes limited-edition menus, happy hour picks and cracking vantage points around the harbour. Plenty of these spots take reservations, so there’s no need to leave your dinner plans up to chance.
Circular Quay
The Rocks
Barangaroo
CBD
Haymarket and Ultimo
Circular Quay
Bar
Opera Bar
The best seats at Vivid without the hefty price tag. Come for three festival-inspired cocktails and live music on the harbour-side stage. Plus, a one-off gelato collab with Ciccone & Sons.
Restaurant
Bennelong
Bennelong Bar lets you experience this iconic space and the Vivid lights at the same time. A special menu, featuring four snacks by Peter Gilmore and a one-off cocktail, is on every night of the festival.
Restaurant
Aria
Another special-edition snack menu at one of Sydney’s best restaurants, featuring fried quail leg, K’gari spanner crab and more. Plus, the team's pouring 2015 Dom Perignon White Luminous and one-off Martinis.
Restaurant
Mary's Circular Quay
Mary’s supper club is always a highlight at Vivid – and this year’s instalment is no exception. But to fuel up before your festival experience, head here for one of the city’s burgers and a glass of natty wine.
Restaurant
Whalebridge
With unobstructed views of the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge, this harbourside diner has all bases covered at Vivid. Book in for pre-show snacks and cocktails or a sit-down dinner of French bistro classics.
Restaurant
Grana
This Italian eatery is open every day during the festival – but you should definitely book this one in advance. Expect house-made pastas and ciabatta to go with produce-driven share plates and cocktails.
Restaurant
Cafe Sydney
A ritzy institution on the Customs House rooftop. An appropriate focus on seafood works a treat, given the jaw-dropping views of Sydney Harbour. Book ahead for the window seats.
Bar
Bar Ombre
From the team behind Salt Meats Cheese, a rooftop bar (with glimpses of the Sydney Harbour) serving barrel-aged Negronis and antipasto.
Bar
Maybe Sammy
Vivid is the perfect excuse to get across Maybe Sammy’s Wes Anderson-inspired cocktail menu. You can also get $8 mini cocktails every day from 4.30pm–5.30pm. It’s a short walk to the harbour from here.
The Rocks
Restaurant
Ploos
A pioneering Greek-Australian chef is celebrating the cuisines of the south Aegean at this handsome harbourside diner. Dig into spanakopita-inspired dumplings and chargrilled octopus in the heritage-listed sandstone dining room. Or snag a seat outside for cocktails with one of the country’s most iconic views.
Bar
The Glenmore Hotel
Book the rooftop or the lounge at this heritage pub for winter-warmer cocktails. DJs take over the rooftop from 8pm every Friday and Saturday.
Bar
The Australian Heritage Hotel
Across the road from the Harbour Bridge, this Edwardian-style pub is one of the city’s best craft beer venues. It’s got you covered with Australiana-themed pizzas, a breezy rooftop, and live music if your Vivid excursion falls on a weekend.
Bar
Hotel Palisade
This 100-year-old harbourside boozer is a destination in The Rocks. Hit the public bar for heart bistro fare and classic cocktails. Or head upstairs to cocktail bar Henry Deane for sweeping views of the harbour.
Bar
The Lord Nelson Brewery Hotel
Sydney's oldest continuously trading hotel is a craft beer holy ground. Sipping a pint of Three Sheets Pale Ale is a rite of passage here, and goes rather well with a warming curry from the flash bistro menu.
Bar
Hickson House Distilling Co
Take a distillery tour, sip cocktails beneath the chandeliers, and eat Kangaroo tartare with Vegemite toast at this grand palace of Aussie gin. It’s set within a 100-year-old brick warehouse in the heritage heart of The Rocks.
Barangaroo
Bar
Smoke Bar
Matt Moran's extravagant table-service rooftop bar, with waterfront views and plenty of champagne.
Restaurant
Rekodo
Matt Moran’s Japanese-inspired listening bar has a high-quality sound system pumping out tracks curated by top Sydney artists. It’s also serving up playful Japanese-inspired dishes, two omakase experiences and a huge selection of sake.
Bar
Untied
This fun rooftop bar at Barangaroo House is topping your champagne with flavoured fairy floss every night during Vivid. Pick between four flavours including blue raspberry and pink watermelon.
Restaurant
Lotus Barangaroo
Lotus Group's Barangaroo restaurant takes full advantage of its waterfront location, and is a perfect spot for oysters, dumplings and cocktails during Vivid.
Restaurant
Belles Hot Chicken Barangaroo
Belles Hot Chicken is your go-to for Nashville-style spicy chicken, craft beers and natural wines on Wulugul Walk. There’s also a Belles in Circular Quay if you’re chasing a southern-fried feed in that direction.
CBD
Restaurant
Morrison’s Oyster Bar & Grill
Take full advantage of happy hour at this New York-inspired brasserie during Vivid. It’s doing $10 Negronis and Aperol spritzes; and house drinks for $7. Plus, complimentary snacks including cheeseburger sliders and sausage rolls. From 4pm–6pm daily.
Bar
The Aster
Catch gleaming harbour views 32 levels high, along with one-off themed cocktails and canapés, plus a shared entrée, main course and two glasses of wine.
Restaurant
Neptune’s Grotto
The Pellegrino 2000 team’s underground pasta cave is a love letter to northern Italy. It’s where you can lose track of time over a bottle of Barolo and a plate of handmade pasta, in one of Sydney’s vibiest dining rooms.
Restaurant
Bopp and Tone
When you get off the train at Wynyard you'll be moments away from this handsome CBD diner. The $8 happy hour drinks (bottled beer, tap wine and prosecco) are a great way to make a running start to the evening. Monday to Friday from 3pm–6pm.
Bar
Letra House
Love Tilly Group’s underground bar is where you can eat Spanish tapas and order the entire wine list by the glass. Staying up with Letra House is easy thanks to the dedicated late-night menu.
Bar
Bar Herbs
The Cantina Ok team's other basement boozer specialises in Martinis, including Gibsons, Espresso Martinis and more. Cosmos and Gibsons are invited to the party too.
Bar
Centro 86
Five types of Margarita, two popcorn machines and 100 hand-selected tequilas – the team behind acclaimed Sydney bar Cantina OK has done it again with this psychedelic, underground temple to agave spirits.
Restaurant
Jacksons on George
The overhaul of this once notorious late-night dive was a long time coming. And the chic public bar, elegant European bistro and sunny rooftop were all worth the wait. The best part? You’ll actually want to be there during daylight hours, too.
Restaurant
Soul Dining
This smart Korean diner puts modern spins on traditional dishes. Throughout Vivid, it's exhibiting Sydney-based Korean moon jar artist Woochang Kim's works and serving moon jar cakes to match.
Haymarket and Ultimo
Restaurant
Chat Thai Haymarket
A trailblazer in Sydney’s Thai restaurant scene. When the late, great Amy Chanta opened it in Darlinghurst in 1989, it brought Bankgok flavours that were then-unknown to Sydney diners. The Thai street food here is fine-dining quality, served at very reasonable price points. Today, it’s a super-popular chain with stores all over Sydney.
Restaurant
Ho Jiak Haymarket
The beloved Malaysian diner is doing $3 specials every day during Vivid. Head in from 3pm–5pm or 8pm–9:45pm for salt and pepper squid, fried rice, duck wraps and more.
Bar
Gin Lane
If you're checking out the installations around The Goods Line near the University of Technology, you’d do well to grab a cocktail at one of the city’s best gin bars while you’re in the area. Sip on a prestige TV-inspired cocktail or G&T from the extensive menu of booze.
Bar
Lord Wolseley Hotel
Unless you live around Ultimo, the Wolseley might not be an obvious choice for a schooner. But if you’re en route to Darling Harbour from Central, make a pitstop at one of Sydney’s best pubs along the way.
Restaurant
Golden Century BBQ
For fans of the legendary, now-closed Golden Century restaurant, this Cantonese barbeque joint is a sight for sore eyes. But the sequel is not like the original – get some of its most famous dishes in a fast-casual format.
