“With a name like Dine Out, you might be forgiven for thinking that Broadsheet’s winter festival is all about eating, but this year’s Sydney program has worked its way into plenty of the city’s hottest bars. We tapped 17 bars across the city to create a special one-off deal for the duration of the festival, from July 27 to August 2. Some venues offer substantial discounts, and others will serve meals that pair their venue’s most popular drinks with serious snacks. Here’s what’s happening around town.”

“Face time with the country’s top mixologists and bar managers, at venues ranging from Sydney’s Maybe Sammy to Melbournian go-to Gimlet, reveals why epicures are opting for fresher, lower ABV serves — bonus points if they can be recreated at home.”

“The dating scene is, let’s face it, a bit of a jungle. And if you’re feeling app fatigue and keen to take things back to good old-fashioned IRL chemistry, we hear you. That’s why we’ve teamed up with our mates at ING for a very special, very fun singles night: Dating on a Dime. Because in a world with rising costs and swipe fatigue, we're swapping small talk for spend talk and redefining what it really means to be a "good match" in 2026.”

“They say the classics never go out of style. They also say you’ve gotta know the rules before you can break ’em. The Margarita and Martini are two classic cocktails most bars wouldn’t dare to mess with, but Mucho ain’t like the rest.”

“The Mucho Group owns a trio of terrific Margarita joints – Centro 86, Cantina OK and Tio’s – so it’s no secret the team knows how to make a good Marg. During Broadsheet’s Dine Out festival, the Tio’s team is super-sizing the drink. Enter the Mega Pickle Margarita. The drink is salty and savoury. It’s briney, moreish and perfectly silly.”

“If you’d rather end on something more low-key, point yourself towards Newtown and Bar Planet, the Enmore Road martini bar from the Cantina OK! and Tio’s team, where the dirty martini is treated with something close to obsession.”

“Sydney’s Martini masters at Bar Planet are bringing back the brine for a one-night event in which you get to create the dirty Martini of your dreams. A trip to Bar Planet is like stepping into an art nouveau-era bistro installed on the moon. The moody Newtown drinking den is by the team behind world-beating agave-spirit bars Cantina OK, Tio’s and Centro 86.”

“Have you ever been served a Martini with two olives? We reckon probably not. Legend has it that a Martini garnished with an even number of olives is bad luck. But what’s the correct number? How many is too many? Does it change depending on the type of Martini? And are there particular olives we should be using? All very important questions. So, in celebration of National Olive Day (June 1, FYI), we’ve asked some people who love Martinis as much as we do for the answers.”

“Sip and save during happy hour at these bars and venues across the city serving affordable drinks and bargain bites.It’s winter in Sydney. The temperature’s dropping, prices are rising, and even your group chats are going quiet. In times like these – when a single round can cost an arm and a leg – we’re especially grateful for a good happy hour.”

“There’s something deeply good for my soul to sit in a buzzy room with a bunch of like-minded strangers while someone on stage does their best to make us all laugh. Whether it’s giggling at ourselves and our common curious habits and failings, chuckling over a sharp take on the state of the world and our politicians, or just guffawing at someone physically making a fool of themselves, laughter is the perfect panacea to the doom and gloom of the day’s headlines.”

“One of Sydney’s most vibrant neighbourhoods, Surry Hills is packed with some of the city’s buzziest bars, standout restaurants, top-tier coffee, and an ever-evolving lineup of things to see and do.”

“Settle in for a three-course feast or sips and snacks, as an admired Sydney cocktail spot travels south for a one-night collab.”

“Big laughs are guaranteed at this year’s festival. But seats at the city’s best restaurants and bars aren’t – unless you have a plan. In partnership with Century Entertainment, we’ve rounded up the best spots for pre-show dinners, intermission snacks and post-show drinks.”

“There was a time when pickle juice lived exclusively at the bottom of the jar or beside a sandwich. Now, it’s turning up in martinis and margs across the city. With the recent revival of the dirty martini, savoury drinks have started to win out over the sweet, maximalist staples of the past.”

“The iconic Fitzroy North neighbourhood pub The Pinnacle is under new management; with publican Michael Bascetta ready to add to his PAX hospitality portfolio.”

“Plus, Incu’s limited-edition graphic tees, free shots on your birthday, chef-recommended date spots for Valentine’s, Mapo scoops on the house at a Paddington homewares boutique, and all the venues we’ve visited this year.”

“Plus, a new fish’n’chipper, half-price lobster spaghetti from the Ormeggio team, a bigger L’Avant Cave for Paddington, new happy hours at Bar Planet and more Sydney food and drink news.”

“This buzzy bar began life as the Negroni-focused Herbs Taverne, but its recent rebranding as Bar Herbs puts the focus firmly on New York-style Martinis. Slip into the moody, ruby-red space and settle in for concoctions crafted with custom-distilled spirits made locally at The Rocks.”

“If you're someone who takes birthdays seriously, you'll know how stressful the planning process can be. Whether it's the venue that will set the tone for the year ahead, a bonding session with your closest mates, or just the opportunity to switch off and escape the noise with some self care—birthday planning is often more work than it's worth.”

“There’s been a late rally of excellent bars opening in Sydney recently – right in time for the very silliest of seasons. Plus, a relaxed diner in Newtown and a Chinese spot in Potts Point with a love for prawn toast, black pepper beef and lemon chicken.”