All I Want For Christmas, Is To Go To The Pub
2 November 2020
As the finish line for 2020 gets closer, the reasons to celebrate grow bigger. Ditch the sad ‘virtual drinks’ and gather your gang to hang out in real life at some of Sydney’s best pubs and eateries which are turning on the festive spirit this Christmas. You survived 2020 so it is time to treat yourself, starting now.
Catch up at your favourite local pubs including Public House Petersham which have an Italian-style boozy long lunch and free flowing natty wine; or challenge your mates or siblings to hot wing-mas at the Marly; or bring your woofer to Santa Paws at The Erko where dogs eat free from the doggo menu while hoo-mans enjoy the famous smoker boards. The Clock, The Sheaf, Paddo Inn and Bank all have a bubbly Merry Spritzmas menu to work your way through and whet the Christmas whistle.
Add a little fanciness with Opera Bar’s seafood and champagne package for $49pp against a harbour backdrop; Goros’ Japanese-style ludicris-mas feast; or one of North Bondi Fish or Chiswick’s delicious set menus for Christmas.
This year, Solotel venues are happy to be your make-shift family if you can’t travel to yours. Stop the shopping and gift-wrapping and head to the pub for food, fun and festivities.
Pub Christmas festivities happening now until Christmas Eve:
• Farewell the year that was with an Italian-style boozy lunch and free flowing ‘natty’ wine at Public House Petersham. Grab a pizza and antipasti plate for just $25pp to share between two or more. Enjoy garlic flatbread fresh from the wood-fired oven, pecorino, walnut and basil, prosciutto cotto, house pickles, roast peppers, and olives. Wash it down with 100% natural wine.
• Cabrones brings the Christmas heat to the Marly serving up the hottest wings in town. If you’re up to the challenge, get your support crew and head to the Marly for a very merry hot wing-mas. The winner gets all the glory of keeping these bad boys down, and losers get a nice cold schooner for their efforts. Are you really losing with a free schooey?
• In true Erko style, doggos eat free when you book for two or more people at The Erko for Santa Paws. There is a cute doggo menu for four-legged friends with beef tartar and house made Erko dog biscuits. For the hoo-mans, it’s the famous Erko Smoker boards with slow cooked, smoked beef brisket to cheeses and smoked veggies.
• The Clock’s festive feast will leave you delighted and fully satisfied. For $55pp, there’s burrata, zucchini and pea fritters, house made pork and fennel sausage roll, peach and green bean salad, stuffed turkey and glazed ham sliders. Get stuck into the Merry Spritzmas menu featuring Peach Bellini, Cherry Negroni and a Frosty Fruit Spritz full of passionfruit and pineapple, topped with Big Ears Prosecco. Try one or two or work your way through the whole menu.
• The Golden Sheaf is offering two delicious ‘Sheafmas’ packages suitable for all gatherings. Package one at $60pp includes dishes such as Vanella burrata, salt and pepper squid, seared salmon, and 250gm grain-fed sirloin. Splurge for the $80pp package and enjoy those as well as Sydney rock oysters, half roasted chicken, and sweet corn, spinach, and zucchini fritters.
• It’s all about bangers and Balters at The Sackville this Christmas. Two pork and fennel sausage with sauerkraut, pickles and a fresh bread roll plus two Balter schooners for $40pp. If beer isn't your thing, they wouldn't dare let you go thirsty this Xmas. There’s a great range of wines, cocktails and spritzes to treat yourselves to. Sorry, no egg nog.
• At Bank, there’s plenty of different spaces to cater to all kinds of groups. People-watch from the public bar overlooking King Street, settle in at the Craft Beer bar, Uncle Hops, or get merry in the beautiful beer garden. Again, the Merry Spritzmas menu is here so you can gleefully work your way through it and send off 2020 with a Christmas blowout.
• Book your Christmas party, group catch-up or mistle-toe date night at the Paddo Inn front bar for a Merry Spritzmas. Work your way down the spritz list with a Chery Negroni with Bombay Sapphire Gin, Martini Rossi, Martini Bitter, cherry or the Christmas Spritz with Bombay Bramble Gin, cranberry, red currant and prosecco.
• Looking for some snacks and festive drinks with a few key peeps? Let Darlo look after the Christmas spirits for you and the crew. They’ll be "Rockin Around The Xmas Tree" and serving up "The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year" in true Darlo "Holly Jolly Christmas" style.
• Goros has your Christmas celebrations sorted. Book in for the ludicris-mas Japanese-style feast that includes edamame, grilled bok choy with ponzu, garlic chips, chilli, miso salmon yakitori skewers, chicken karaage, and pork and chive gyoza. Finish off with yuzu cheesecake before belting out Mariah Carey all night long.
If you’re after a restaurant experience…
• Celebrate Christmas with seafood and champagne in the sun at Opera Bar. Enjoy a glass of Veuve Clicquot with prawns and Sydney rock oysters for $49pp, overlooking the harbour. Just after a table? Enjoy the best views that Sydney has to offer, while sipping on a cocktail and snacking on a menu overseen by Matt Moran.
• 'tis the season to head seaside with your mates and whet the Christmas whistle at North Bondi Fish. There are two special menus to choose from. For $79pp, relish in a delicious four-course menu with your choice of snapper tartare, fish tagine and burnt strawberry pavlova. Or enjoy a five-course menu for $99pp, with Sydney rock oysters, fish tacos and chocolate parfait. Add-on a Spicy Margy on arrival for $10!
• At Chiswick Woollahra, treat yourself to the Christmas snack menu where you’ll sip on a Chiswick Christmas cocktail that's perfectly paired with a selection of snacks including Nasturtium leaves with house made ricotta and sunflower and Chiswick crudités with white bean hummus. Or, for groups of eight or more, enjoy the Chiswick Christmas collective menu for $110pp with a glass of Veuve Cliquot Yellow Label NV on arrival and head chef Francois Poulard's special set menu.
• Give yourself a Christmas gift with the Archibald Dining Package at Chiswick at the Gallery. For $68pp, enjoy a main, dessert and a ticket to the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes 2020 exhibition. A three-course package is only $76pp, and you’ll also receive nibbles to start.