“Fresh off taking out Tequila Bar of the Year at the 2026 Australian Bar Awards, Sydney’s Cantina OK! has launched a new cocktail menu built around the idea that a drink can change a mood, trigger a memory or mark a moment. Called Potion, the new menu is available now at the Council Place tequila and mezcal bar, with three new cocktails joining Cantina OK!’s house classics.”

“Plus, a Scottish feast with Lennox Hastie, more Butterboy cookies for Sydney, Bloody Marys garnished with spice bags, and all the venues we’ve visited recently.”

“Sydney CBD Margarita and mezcal bar Cantina OK! has launched Potion, a new cocktail menu exploring how drinks can influence mood, evoke memories and mark occasions. Built around the idea of cocktails as everyday alchemy, the menu spans drinks designed for moments of nostalgia and celebration through to an end-of-day pick-me-up – built around three distinct cocktails.”

“Sydney CBD Margarita and mezcal bar Cantina OK! has launched Potion, a new cocktail menu exploring how drinks can influence mood, evoke memories and mark occasions. Built around the idea of cocktails as everyday alchemy, the menu spans drinks designed for moments of nostalgia and celebration through to an end-of-day pick-me-up – built around three distinct cocktails.”

“As October rolls around, Sydney starts to bring out some of its best events, spanning art, music, theatre and sport. One thing about October in Sydney? The music program is stacked. Female powerhouses fill the program, including Zara Larsson, Lily Allen and Olivia Dean. We’ll also see the home turf concerts from a couple of Aussie stars, in the form of boyband 5 Seconds of Summer and the iconic Tame Impala.”

“Last night, the Australian bar industry came together at Doltone House, Jones Bay Wharf for the 2026 Australian Bar Awards, bringing some of the country’s best bartenders, operators, bar teams and industry leaders under one roof. Marking the grand finale of Sydney Bar Week, more than 30 awards were handed out across the night, celebrating the people and venues setting the standard for Australian hospitality right now.”

“The votes have been cast, counted and sorted and so now we can reveal the finalists in the 2026 Australian Liquor Industry Awards. Once again a huge thanks goes to all those who voted for the favourite people, places and products to give us the finalists for this year’s awards. The Australian hospitality industry’s night of nights takes place at The Fullerton Sydney on Wednesday, 28 October.”

“The finalists for the 2026 Australian Liquor Industry Awards have now been revealed, as we countdown towards the industry’s night of nights. Below are all the product awards and finalists, and you can see the finalists in the Retail Awards here and the On-Premise Awards here.”

“Plus, a gyros and beer party at Grifter, a tequila festival in the city, a Darlinghurst block party with Tipo 00 and the best Scandi cardamom buns in Sydney.”

“Over the past two weeks, Top 500 Bars officially kicked off its annual countdown, unveiling the first part of its global ranking, which includes establishments ranked 300th to 200th. The 2026 edition sets a new record for global diversity, with 139 cities in 56 countries, up from 126 last year. The expansion reflects the incredible vitality of local scenes around the world. Following the growth of regional Cocktail Weeks and Bar Shows, new bars and innovative cocktail philosophies are emerging, continually pushing the boundaries of mixology.”

“The Australian drinks industry has a busy spring ahead, with a packed calendar of trade tastings, educational sessions, awards, festivals and industry campaigns. From major free trade tastings to scholarships and competition entry deadlines, here are some of the key upcoming opportunities in the Australian drinks calendar.”

“Spring is here, and Sydney is making the most of it. From colourful kites soaring over Bondi to world-class theatre and major art exhibitions, there’s plenty to get out and enjoy this weekend. Culture vultures have plenty to get excited about this weekend, with the Sydney Fringe Festival bringing its wonderfully eclectic mix of comedy, music and visual arts to venues across the city. In theatre headlines, My Fair Lady opens at the Sydney Opera House this week, celebrating 70 years since its Broadway debut. CURRENT by Sydney Dance Company also continues its run, whereas Velvet Inferno comes to a close on Sunday.”

“The 15 best underground  bars in Sydney lead from hidden stairways to sandstone cellars,  whisky dens,  tequila rooms and late-night cocktail bars. Sydney is a city that often seems to prefer its nightlife above ground. There are harbour terraces catching the last light, rooftop bars looking towards the towers and beachside tables where the evening arrives with the tide.”

“The finalists in the pub categories of the 2026 Australian Liquor Industry Awards (ALIA) are now revealed following a record number of votes being cast for this year’s awards. The process for naming the ALIA winners comes in two stages. Firstly, we ask the industry to vote for their favourite people, places and products across all the award categories – this gives us the finalists that are listed below. For the second phase of the process we send these finalists to our judging panel who will choose their top three in each category to give us our winners – subject to those votes being audited by Quantaco.”

“The votes have been cast, counted and sorted and so now we can reveal the finalists in the 2026 Australian Liquor Industry Awards. Once again a huge thanks goes to all those who voted for the favourite people, places and products to give us the finalists for this year’s awards. The Australian hospitality industry’s night of nights takes place at The Fullerton Sydney on Wednesday, 28 October.”

“Taste your way through the MUCHO Tequila and Mezcal Festival. MUCHO Tequila & Mezcal Festival returns to Centro 86 on Sunday 13 September, bringing together more than 30 producers from across Mexico for an afternoon dedicated to tequila, mezcal and the wider world of agave. It’s put together by the team behind Centro 86’s tequila back bar and Cantina OK!’s mezcal program, with standout names on the lineup including Herradura, Cascahuín, Los Siete Misterios and La Venenosa.”

“The votes have been cast, counted and sorted and so now we can reveal the finalists in the 2026 Australian Liquor Industry Awards. Once again a huge thanks goes to all those who voted for the favourite people, places and products to give us the finalists for this year’s awards. The Australian hospitality industry’s night of nights takes place at The Fullerton Sydney on Wednesday, 28 October.”

“Newtown's Bar Planet loves having fun with its inner-west neighbours. From exclusive cocktails starring ingredients from nearby businesses to nail and tattoo pop-ups, you can count on something creative happening at the psychedelic martini bar. This Saturday, August 30, Bar Planet is serving its martinis with another twist. This time, it's a witchy one (although the usual lemon twists are also on hand).”

“Sarah The Psychic Is Bringing A Tarot Reading Pop-Up To Newtown. Inner West tarot reader Sarah the Psychic is taking over Bar Planet for one afternoon only, swapping the usual bar chat for a little divine guidance. From 3pm to 5pm on Sunday 30 August, guests can sip on the bar’s signature martini master stock while getting a read on what the cards have in store.”

“2026 is serving a massive lineup of events and activities in Sydney/Eora to keep your calendar absolutely loaded. Expect a jam-packed August in Sydney with heaps of food-filled experiences, unique events, moonlit movie nights, and a banging roster of entertainment.”