It’s that time of year again, when Sydney comes alive with dazzling lights and, immersive artworks, informative talks and a whole swag of fabulous food and drink offerings. Vivid Sydney is kicking off this year on May 24 and runs until June 15. With so much going on across the Vivid Sydney program, it’s hard to know where to start. Don’t fret, we’ve rounded up the absolute best places to eat and drink during Vivid Sydney right here.
As part of the Vivid Sydney Fire Kitchen, Messina will be rolling out a scoop of nostalgia with wagon wheel and finger bun dixie cups to shakes, spiders, gelato chocolate bars and a torched meringue Milo sundae. Check out the full Fire Kitchen line up here.
Bar 36 at Pullman Sydney Hyde Park will be dishing up a colourful menu of food and cocktails. Barbequed pulled pork or vegan jackfruit sliders with a side of crispy chips, truffle mushroom arancini balls, Mexican beef empanadas with capsicum onion jam and lamb kebabs with pomegranate and mint yoghurt washed down with cocktails like the Vivid Paradise, Pink Gin Fizz, Green Lantern. Check out the menu and book here.
The perfect pit stop for Vivid-goers, and a rare opportunity to experience Aria in a playful and relaxed setting, the Aria Snack Bar is not to be missed. Gildas featuring Moran Family Farm pork; crab croustade with trout roe and kombu; a wagyu cheeseburger to share; and BBQ Clarence River prawns with black lime and fermented chilli plus three desserts per person and a cocktail and glass of wine for just $150 per person. Check out the full menu here.
Experience an extraordinary celebration of women in Australian gastronomy, winemaking, and music at the iconic Yallamundi Rooms at Sydney Opera House curated by Danielle Alvarez. Against the backdrop of Vivid Sydney’s dazzling lights, enjoy a tasting menu prepared by Alvarez paired with wines from female winemakers, expertly selected by leading sommelier Louella Mathews. All while Katie Noonan croons in an intimate performance. Head to the Sydney Opera House website for details.
Positioned atop the Hyatt Regency Sydney, Zephyr Sky Bar offers panoramic views of Darling Harbour, making it the perfect vantage point to soak in the Vivid lights with a theatrical cocktail experience as signature Vivid cocktails are crafted tableside with a mobile cocktail trolley. During this period, the venue will be decorated with décor including neon signs, Vivid inspired media walls, and vibrant decals. Down at Jackalberry the colourful cocktails really shine and are well worth checking out if the rooftop gets too chilly. Check out the full details here.
The Hollywood Quarter precinct in Surry Hills will be bathed in a neon glow during Vivid Sydney this year. The curated walk invites art and music lovers to muse on the songs and lyrics that have informed our collective past across 12 drinking and dining venues. Participating venues include Butter, Big Trouble, Chin Chin, Gilda’s, Golden Age, Harry’s, Hollywood Hotel, Nel, Piermarq*, Poly, Soda Factory, and Tio’s. Check out the full program here.
Located in one of the world’s most picturesque harbour-front locations, Australia has welcomed its first-ever Vogue Cafe to Darling Harbour. And just in time for Vivid. Watch the city light up from the most chic table in town. Make your booking here.
Some of Sydney’s best restaurants, including Fred’s, AALIA, and The Charles Brasserie & Bar, will host exclusive events featuring collaborations with Michelin-starred chefs like Max Coen, Sally Abé, and Ivan Brehm. Check out the impressive details here.
Sydney’s known and most loved markets are being illuminated for Vivid Sydney this year. Bring your taste buds on a journey from around the world. Find flavours with an African-inspired BBQ, That’s Amore Street Pizza, gourmet Vietnamese food or fly to Turkey and enjoy a gozleme. But the fun doesn’t stop there, finish off with something sweet from Giorgi’s gelato or a refreshing drink. The markets run every Friday, Saturday and Sunday throughout Vivid. Find full details here.
For $175, experience immersive SixthSense projections, with an unforgettable set menu featuring projections on plates, tables, walls, everything. Enjoy a curated menu featuring kingfish ceviche, lamb rump with fondant potatoes, panna cotta and so much more. Book your experience here.
Maho Magic Bar returns for another year, bringing some of the most unbelievable illusionists from Japan to raise the bar (as it were) on spellbinding experiences. Not to be missed.
Returning to the Vivid Food program, the Vivid Fire Kitchen takes centre stage on the Vivid Sydney Light Walk, featuring world-class pitmasters and local talent like food icon Christine Manfield and Firedoor’s Lennox Hastie. From afar the Vivid Fire Kitchen will also include Texas’ Jess Pryles; Michelin-starred Swedish chef Niklas Ekstedt; LA’s Shalamar Lane and more. Find all the details here.
