Quay Bar

The look: Comfortable yet elegant. Inside: Discover dark timber furniture, tall mirrors, marble bars and cosy corners in the cocktail bar. Outside: People watch in the outside bar in the afternoon sun or under the stars. Get in early to nab one of the nine drinking benches (each seats eight).
The soundtrack: The normally subtle background music is cranked up Friday nights. Expect chilled ambient sounds – from Joss Stone to the upbeat Brooklyn Funk Essentials.
Signature drink: The refreshingly sweet Quay Connection champagne cocktail. Think Stolichnaya Razberi, Fraise De Bois, Licor 43, shaken with fresh strawberries and charged with Quay Bar Brut ($16).
On the menu: Try the new French bistro style menu. Smoked trout with a salad of baby beetroot, roasted tomato and tarragon ($16) or Confit duck with mashed potato and cinnamon cabbage ($22). Delish!
The wow factor: A consistently fantastic bar in a great location. Seconds from Circular Quay it’s the perfect easy to find bar to arrange to meet a Sydney newbie.
Best for: Mixing with the mainly twenty and thirty-something banker crowd. Join them for an early evening martini or choice of seven boutique tap beers.
If this bar were an animal it would be: a Golden Labrador - friendly, irresistible and reliably good.

Address: Ground Floor, Customs House, 31 Alfred St, Sydney
Call: 9247 4898
Open: Monday to Saturday