Best Pub Dining in Sydney

The Royal Hotel Paddington has been a long-standing favourite among the locals with its warm and refined pub-like ambience. After recent renovations, the hotel has taken on a new lease of life with fresh and bright furnishings and a rooftop bar that has stellar views overlooking the city and suburbs. A contemporary pub-style menu is on offer and is accompanied perfectly with one of the many craft beers, Australian and international wines and fun cocktails available from the bar.

Open daily 11am-late

On the corner of Foveaux and Riley Street, The Forresters Hotel boasts a fresh new face and an impressive new menu. From the same team that transformed Abercrombie, Flinders, Norfolk and Carrington – The Forrester's offers an outdoor beer garden, formal dining space and various casual bar spots. There is also a karaoke room for up to 110 people and verandah, perfect for private functions and events. The Italian menu offers everything from pizza and pasta to rotisserie meat, and there is a fantastic $10 lunch menu offered Monday to Friday.

Get a true dose of Aussie pub hospitality at Paddington's local favourite, Four in Hand. A stone's throw (or short bus ride) from Sydney's CBD, this is the kind of place you gather for a hearty lunch, grazing with a freshly pulled pint while chatting with good mates. It's a casual and welcoming space that offers a variety of modern dishes from salads to burgers and blackboard specials.

The Dolphin Hotel and restaurant in Surry Hills has always been recognised for its central location, versatile spaces and delicious and innovative food. With a major renovation completed, the Dolphin Hotel has been transformed retaining its unique style and character, but adding new lighter and open spaces in conjunction with intimate private areas and a fantastic new outdoor terrace over two levels.

The Woolloomooloo Bay Hotel has had a facelift and is now known as the Woolly Bay Hotel.

With breathtaking views. craft beers and cocktails to boot, the Woolly Bay Hotel is one of Sydney's waterfront centrepieces. Arturo's is open seven days a week and serves Mediterranean fare.  The new jewel in the crown is Arturo’s Rooftop, with views up Woolloomooloo Bay and the city scape, perfect for a spot in the sun.

Lunch, dinner & bar open daily 10am-late

The iconic Hotel Palisade at Millers Point has a new lease on life after an extended hiatus. The hotel has been restored to its former glory in its hundredth year of life, partly because views of Sydney Harbour never go out of style. The ground floor houses the main bar and plenty of shady nooks for intimate drinking and dining. Hotel rooms are being refurbished and a penthouse bar and eatery is in the works. Take the lift to the top floor for unbeatable views of Sydney to be enjoyed in style with cocktail.

The Duke of Clarence is a hidden British tavern nestled down a laneway off Clarence St in Sydney's CBD. With all the charm that diners come to expect from a British pub, this cosy little watering home is bursting with character. This is the kind of place where you settle in for the night with good company, a few pints and a plate of their signature roast, which has a well-loved reputation, so be sure to book ahead!

Hotel open 12pm-late

Lunch and dinner Tuesday-Saturday

Hotel Centennial offers contemporary menus focusing on seasonal produce in an elegant atmosphere with luxe furnishings. Chef Ben Greeno's Mediterranean-inspired creations highlight the best local ingredients with simple yet elegant flavours. Situated in Woollahra, opposite Centennial Parklands, it's a favourite among the eastern suburbs community for its light-filled, relaxed ambiance. The menu features wood-roasted octopus, red pepper tart, lavish bouillabaisse, and whole roast duck, complemented by an extensive wine list curated by Master Sommeliers. Afterward, unwind in the plush velvet lounge with a digestif cocktail and dessert.

Photography: Courtesy of Hotel Centennial

Perched on the edge of Sydney harbour, with 360 degree views of the city skyline, the Watsons Bay Hotel Beach Club is an iconic Eastern Suburbs venue. Complete with palm trees, beach umbrellas and staff wearing sailor-like uniforms, the seafood-focussed menu features buckets of prawns, coopers battered fish and chips and their famous ‘Watto Beef Burger', perfect to soak up a boozy afternoon of drinks. T

One hour's drive north of Sydney CBD, The Newport is a trendy drinking, dining and entertainment hub formerly known as The Newport Arms. The Merivale property is a playground for adults, with sprawling grounds that include a vintage gymnasium with badminton, ping pong and a giant magnetic Scrabble board. Indoor and outdoor dining spaces overlook Pittwater and there's a Mod Oz menu of pizzas, burgers and fish and chips.

If in you are in search of a terrific pub meal served with a cosy dose of British character, try the Lord Dudley hotel in Paddington which has become a much-loved local. With a touch of old England, you can order a pint and a pie or Sunday Roast. Grab a table and order from the Restaurant or the 'Garden' and soak up the atmosphere.

Pub Monday-Saturday 11am-late, Sunday 12pm-late

Kitchen for lunch and dinner is daily from 12pm

Photography: Courtesy of The Lord Dudley Hotel

Perched on level 1 of The Light Brigade Hotel, The Bistro is a fun, lively and casual eatery with great views. The menu has all the 'pub favourites', and is the place to sit back, have a drink and just have a great time. The Light Brigade Hotel also has available several dining spaces for group functions. Brigade Rooftop boasts  spectacular views of Sydney while relaxing on the leafy terrace, grazing on a signature wood-fired pizza. Day or night, it’s the best place in the east to dine alfresco with a view.

The Tilbury Hotel may be set back from the famous Woolloomooloo Wharf but their downstairs restaurant keeps up with its neighbours. Meet up with friends before lunch or dinner in their upstairs bar with long, raw wooden boards and large umbrellas to shade you during the day. At night the bar takes on a lot of atmosphere with great lighting and is a perfect choice for private parties 30 people or more.