“Australia’s smallest pub”, the Magpie takes its cues from Australiana sports bars, where you can down local beers as the sun sets across Enmore Road before a round of music bingo, killer tunes ranging from Dad Rock to 2000s bangers and more rock and roll than you can poke a cricket bat at. 156 Enmore Rd, Enmore.

In the beating breast of Redfern you’ll find the heart of queer culture, the Bearded Tit. Part Priscilla, part cabaret, the LGBTQIA+ haven is the spot to be for XYZ. A tidy list of classic and cheeky bespoke cocktails, Australian wines, and 20-odd whiskeys from around the world are the perfect sippers next to a cheap-and-cheerful hotdog before showtime. 183 Regent St, Redfern; thebeardedtit.com.

The Odd Culture group is behind some of Sydney’s best and most respected venues (the Old Fitz, the Duke of Enmore, Pleasure Club) and the mothership is the industrial-style expanse that is Odd Culture Newtown. British-style snacks, casual tunes and endless bottles of wine downstairs contrast with the recently re-opened Bistro Grenier upstairs, a sexy and intimate space where French-ish fare is the name of the game. Don’t forget the adjoining wine bar Spön, if you’re just after a casual bev. 266 King St, Newtown; oddculture.group/venue/odd-culture-newtown.

Tio’s Cervecería, the older sibling of Cantina OK!, is all about the after-work vibes. Communal tables, a couple of booths, loud tunes and cold beers. Fun, colourful and noisy, the capable bartenders at Tio’s can whip up any cocktail on your mind, including a variety of margaritas. Also, the spicy popcorn is free and does a great job of prepping your palate. Another margarita? 4/14 Foster St, Surry Hills.

House Made Hospitality has just opened a sprawling bar and a restaurant in Sofitel Sydney Wentworth – with chicken salt martinis and passionfruit Yo Yo cakes. Both ground-floor venues Tilda and Bar Tilda, their names inspired by the famed Banjo Paterson folk song, are created with every detail meant to evoke Australia. This theme is carried through from the earthy-toned Fender Katsalidis interior design to the menus decorated with drawings of Australian flora from the State Library and the 100-strong Australian whisky list to the native ingredient-spiked martinis. Upstairs on the rooftop you’ll find a glam open-air bar with Vietnamese-French snacks by Delta Rue. 61, 101 Phillip St, Sydney; sofitel.accor.com.

El Primo Sanchez translates to ‘Cousin Sanchez’ who resides in an imagined world made possible by the Maybe Group (Maybe Sammy, Dean & Nancy on 22, and Public Hospitality (Oxford House, The Strand). Ask the owners to put some flesh on the bones of the fictional character and it becomes a paint-by-numbers composite of an exiled party animal who loves his abuela (grandma). While Senor Sanchez wears many hats, there’s not an oversized sombrero in sight here, thankfully. Instead, the tequila bar is decked out with earthy ceramics, votive candles and vintage film posters that were donated by a Sydney collector who has been visiting Mexico for decades. Feeling your feminine side? Sneak into La Prima, the all-women-run secret bar within. 27-33 Oxford St, Paddington; elprimosanchez.com.

A new dining and drinking rooftop spot, Lottie, is situated in a lush oasis adjacent to The EVE’s rooftop pool. All landscaping and Acapulco energy, Lottie is set to be the pretty-in-pink place to be this summer. From the earthy cayenne terrazzo, pink travertine tiles, and verdant greenery framing the stunning city skyline, every inch of Lottie is a dreamy holiday without the passport. Rooftop, 8 Baptist St, Redfern; liquidandlarder.com.au/venues/lottie.

It’s not surprising that the folks behind the infamous margarita bar, Cantina OK, can make a mean marg’. Enter: Centro 86. The slightly roomier new addition to the tequila-focused Mucho hospitality group is a moody blend of cantina-casual and dark-academia. The signature shaved-ice riff on a classic margarita is great but it’s worthwhile trying to ever-changing specials too. 86-88 Pitt St, Sydney; https://www.centro86.com/

Walking down the flight of stairs into Ramblin’ Rascal on any given night, you never know what to expect. Will there be a rowdy crew of office workers kicking on from a long lunch? Will there be a tatted bunch of musos setting up for a night of Yacht Rock covers on stage? Will there be a group of seniors kicking back with the bright young things? The answer is always yes. With cheap tinnies on offer, the waft of incense permeating your nostrils, and genuinely warm hospitality at all times – Ramblin’ Rascal doesn’t care if you’ve got $5 in your pocket or are shouting a round for the bar. Everyone is welcome. Basement/60 Park St, Sydney; https://www.ramblinrascal.com/

What do you get when you already sit firmly on the ‘World’s Best Bars’ list (Cantina OK) and follow it up with a dim, sparkly, intergalactically themed bar serving ‘filthy’ martinis from a carafe? You get a queue. Proudly local and proudly “weird”, time spent in the line is best spent deciding on your martini order, which Bar Planet’s crack bar team mark on a tick-able coaster system to ensure you get it exactly the way you want it. 16 Enmore Rd, Newtown; barplanet.com.au.

Bondi’s most famous restaurant has branched out into the CBD. Taking over the TWR lobby bar and terrace at Crown in December last year, Icebergs Harbour Bar transplants the essence of the original to another famous waterfront. Icebergs’ bar director Matty Opai has brought a taste of his impeccable drinks list along; with executive chef Alex Prichard and pastry chef Brittany Smith dialing up bar menu classics like club sandwiches and caesar salads. The new venue kicks off a big year for the polished team, ahead of Icebergs landing at Sydney Airport. Crown Sydney, Level 1/1 Barangaroo Ave, Barangaroo; crownsydney.com.au/bars/icebergs-harbour-bar.

Earl’s is the neighbourhood bar everyone wishes was actually next door. With a no bookings policy in place, there’s always a chance of snagging a seat, at the coveted bar or at a table against the art-heavy walls. Start with a house cocktail, a wild-ferment beer or a glass of natural wine, then see where the night takes you. 407 King St, Newtown; earlsjukejoint.com.au.

The unstoppable force that is Neil Perry continues his Double Bay takeover with Bobbie’s, beneath Song Bird. The cocktail lounge pays tribute to Australian DJ Bob Rogers OAM, who is credited with introducing top 40 hits to Australian radio in the ’50s. The Golden Age of rock and roll is in full swing here, with live music and drinks by internationally renowned mixologists, Nathalie Hudson and Linden Pride of New York’s Dante. Keeping it in the family, Bob Rogers is Linden’s grandfather. Mid-century glamour and cocktails on a silver platter meet Perry’s tight bar snacks menu. 24 Bay St, Double Bay; themargaretfamily.com.

The jewel in the crown of The International at 25 Martin Place, The Panorama Bar offers stunning views of the city skyline. This long, largely open-air space is designed for all-day walk-ins, from sunlit lunches through to after-work drinks and late-night fun. A menu of small plates and light snacks, with options from the cold bar and hibachi grills, keeps diners fuelled, while DJs spin as the sun sets. As well as cocktails, Champagne and Chablis dominate the drinks list. On the ground floor, The Wine Bar offers a laid-back counterpoint with its sunny plaza seating. Level 10, 25 Martin Pl, Sydney; internationalsydney.com.