Aobh O'Brien-Moody

Our unbeatable summers and mild winters make Sydney the perfect place for a schooner in the great outdoors, and lord knows we’ve got enough beer gardens to prove it. Whether surrounded by lush greenery, designer dogs, ocean views, or all of the above, this list covers the best beer gardens our city has to offer. Because drinking outside sure beats drinking in.  Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, food & drink inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox.  Looking for a brew with a view? Enjoy a cold one at one of Sydney's best rooftop bars.

Sure, Sydney’s hella exxy, but if you look hard enough, you’ll find some cheap as chips things to do that won’t leave a big hole in your bank balance. 1. Climb some boulders harness free (don't worry, the padded floors promise a soft landing) at 9 Degrees in Alexandria. For less than $25 you can nab a casual climb. $24  2. See a free gig at Phoenix Central Park. Even more intriguing than the impressive architectural design of this performance space, is the ticketing system. There is no monetary exchange required for the cutting-edge acts, you just need to enter a ballot and become one of the lucky winners. $0 3. Go for a dip at the heritage-listed Wylie’s Baths that sit below the Coogee coastal walkway. $6  4. Nab purr-fect coffee and meow-nificent cookies with the Catstronauts at Surry Hills’ Catmosphere Cat Café. $24 for weekday entry to the Cat Lounge   Photograph: Robert PolmearCatmosphere 5. Slurp down some epic noodle soup. We've rounded up our favourite bowls from around Sydney, here. From $15   6. Get a hit of the good feels that come with volunteering, by pitching in at Pocket City Farms for their Thursday and Saturday morning volunteering. $0  7. LOL all night long at the Running Joke on Level One of the Potts Point Hotel every Tuesday night. From $19 8. See the beaches on two wheels with a Cruiser Bike from Manly Bike Tours. $22 for an hour 9. Tuck into a sweet and fluffy tower of soufflé-pancakes at the Australian outpost of the widely popular Japanese chain, G

Pub dining for veggos and vegans used to mean a bowl of chips or a sad side salad – but these days plant-based eaters can get in on the snack party, with loaded mushroom burgers and totally vegan meat imitations. These are the best vegetarian burgers in Sydney. Want more veggo eats? Check out Sydney's best restaurants for vegetarians. Totally plant-based? Here's our guide to Sydney's best vegan restaurants. More flexible? Try one of Sydney's 50 best restaurants.

Winter is no excuse to be sedentary. When it starts to get chilly, get off your couch and discover the best hot yoga that Sydney has to offer. No matter the temperature you opt for, you’re guaranteed a sweaty workout. It’s just a matter of time before you acclimatise. Afterwards, treat yourself to a massage at one of Sydney's best spas or get away from the city and book in for a yoga retreat. Find more healthy living ideas in Sydney.

When you think about pub food, steaks, burgers, fish and chips, pies and schnitzel all spring to mind. But when you’re a pub in close proximity to two major universities with a lively beer garden and cheap weekday meal deals, it pays to broaden your menu to match your appeal. Meat-free eating is on the rise and the Rose Hotel is surprisingly generous to its plant-preferring customers. Who among us hasn’t poached a picnic table out back and scarfed down a single serve, crisp-based pizza from a menu heavy on meaty toppings like smoky bbq chicken, chorizo and pork sausage? But on the vegetarian front the pesto pumpkin is no slouch, featuring roasted Spanish onion, cherry tomatoes, feta, and basil. Or keep things simple with eggplant with sliced tomatoes, whole garlic cloves and oregano. Staff will happily create vegan versions, and an additional $3 will get you vegan cheese, which is worth it for its ability to melt perfectly and taste like the real deal, a rare phenomenon in the world of faux dairy products.   A roast pumpkin salad is every pub’s veggo staple, but the Rose takes it up a notch and adds chickpeas, crunchy bean sprouts and pepita seeds, with a warm toasted coconut & lemon tahini dressing drizzled generously on top. It’s hearty, wholesome and celebrates plants without skimping you on the flavour front. Whatever your eating habits, we promise they all go with beer. They’ve got 24 beers on tap – Mountain Goat and Lost Boys mingling with old favourites like Coopers a

The Space Studio is a brand-spanking new studio that offers yoga, barre, pilates and meditation classes in the heart of Barangaroo’s bustling business precinct. After opening in late 2016, the Space is exactly what you’d expect from a modern inner-city wellness hub. The fit-out is contemporary and clean with a neutral colour palette that offers an immediately soothing atmosphere. There are complementary organic teas by the Rabbit Hole, and the change rooms and showers are fully stocked with hair and body products by Appelles Apothecary. It’s feels zen in comparison to Barangaroo’s busy lunchtime rush outside. On a crisp winter morning, we opt for a Vinyasa Flow class to warm us up. The room is heated to a mild 27 degrees by infrared technology, which aims to replicate the heat emitted from our bodies. The practice is energetic and refreshing, with a welcome balance between quick flows and slower pose holds. We’re encouraged to challenge ourselves, pushing as deep as possible into each stretch in order to increase flexibility and build strength. The soft music distracts us from the hard work our bodies are doing, but by the end we can feel our aching muscles. You pay the price for the Space Studio’s state-of-the-art facilities with relatively high rates. A single class is $30 or you can get more bang for your buck with an introductory two weeks of unlimited classes for $50.  

Modo Yoga is an international hot yoga community with over 70 studios worldwide. Classes are heated to a toasty 37 degrees; they say the heat  detoxifies the skin, blood and tissues whilst strengthening muscle. The practice is built on seven philosophical pillars, which comprise health, accessibility, protection of the planet, community support, active service, living to learn and cultivating peace.  And we sure get positive vibes when we visit Modo Yoga’s Sydney studio in Rosebery. We’re offered hot tea as we step in from the cold for the Karma class, a by-donation-only class, which has the same structure as a traditional Modo series, but with all proceeds going to local charities. It’s jam-packed with keen yogis of all ages and abilities. But don’t expect relaxing stretches. There are elements of calm and opportunities to rest, but first you endure a 60-minute full-body cardio workout. We can see our poses in the long mirror at the front of the class, which helps us to keep our alignment in check as we transition from standing postures to a floor sequence that targets the upper body, abdominals and spine. The change rooms are clean and spacious, with showers and plenty of storage space. Hair dryers, straighteners and even hair ties are provided, but be sure to bring your own shampoo and conditioner. For a standard drop-in class, the rate is $22, or you can purchase a month of unlimited yoga for $55.

Power Living Yoga has four yoga studios across Sydney and more in Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide and New Zealand. Their philosophy is a simple one based on developing a person’s holistic wellbeing through spiritual, physical and mental avenues.  Time Out visited Power Living’s Bondi Junction studio, which is conveniently situated right near the train station in Oxford Street Mall. The space is cosy and inviting, and they have colourful cushions and yoga gear by Niyama Sol and Spiritual Gangsta for sale, as well as books, candles and vegan nail polish. There are lockers and shower facilities for complementary use, and mats and towels are available for hire. We tried one of the signature 75-minute Heated Vinyasa Yoga classes, which takes place in a room heated to 32 degrees. The high temperature makes the practice sweaty, but not unbearable as we flow through traditional Vinyasa poses at a steady pace. There’s a focus on building strength and power, offered in tandem with the freedom to play around and make the practice our own. For those less inclined to a full-on sweat session, the studio also offers non-heated Vinyasa and Yin classes. You can give them all a try, with a 30-day intro pass for $49. Otherwise, a drop in pass is $24.

Quro Health Studios in Glebe is a fitness fanatic’s paradise. Offering yoga and hot yoga, reformer and clinical pilates, Zumba, Kung Fu and spin classes alongside rehabilitation programs, the studio could easily be mistaken for a major gym complex. In reality, it’s a small space that provides specialised experiences for locals. The staff are friendly, there’s soothing music that echoes throughout the studio, and in the evening candles create a calming atmosphere. On our visit, we tried an hour-long Hot Yoga class. At lunchtime in the middle of the week, there were only three people in the class so it was an intimate and personalised experience. We each receive plenty of one-on-one time with the instructor, who doesn’t hesitate to twist our bodies into correct alignment or push us into deeper stretches. It’s an approach that can feel slightly uncomfortable at first, but the benefits soon become clear as we find ourselves in poses we could have never otherwise achieved. The room is heated to around 30 degrees, with the premise that we are not solely relying on the room’s temperature, but also creating heat through the quick flow of Vinyasa movements. We repeat the same sequence a number of times at increasing paces, so that when it comes time to relax in Savasana, we feel we’ve earnt it.

Hom Yoga is a boutique yoga studio in Darlinghurst that offers heated and non-heated vinyasa, yin, ashtanga and hatha classes. It’s compact and minimalist, but has everything a yogi needs, including a fridge stocked with Fiji water, kombucha and coconut water, as well as a lounge area with complimentary fruit and the latest magazines. Time Out road-tested the Hot Flow class, an hour-long practice that is conducted in a room heated between 38 and 40 degrees. We begin slowly, but within minutes the sweat starts dripping from our shirts and even the most simple yoga moves are made challenging by the intense heat. We flow consistently through the movements in a patterned series of poses and postures that test our balance and core strength, all the while retaining focus on our breath in order to stay grounded. While the class is suitable for all abilities, it would help to have some prior yoga knowledge, or at least be prepared to follow the lead of the more advanced class members (the mirrored wall helps with this). The instructor stands at the front and rapidly rattles off the names of various poses without demonstrating them, which could be intimidating for complete newbies. Luckily, Hom Yoga also offers a Yoga Basics program, which covers all the foundations of yoga over a recurring four-week syllabus. An introductory trial class costs $25, or you can purchase discounted packages of five, ten and 20 classes. If you’re up for a challenge, an unlimited membership is $159.

Bikram Yoga Darlinghurst is one of thousands of studios across the world dedicated to the practice and teaching of Bikram Yoga, a specific form of Hatha Yoga involving 26 postures that are performed over 90 minutes in a heated room of 40 degrees. With its intense heat and long duration, Bikram Yoga is not for the faint of heart, a truth made evident from the beginning of my first ever class. Even the initial breathing exercises are physically testing in the sweltering conditions, and we still have 89 minutes to go. What keeps me powering through is what I’ve been told about the purported benefits of Bikram Yoga. It is said to promote detoxification, burn fat more effectively and speed up the breakdown of fatty acids and glucose, as well as contribute to the strengthening of willpower and self control. If I have to contort myself into awkward shapes whilst bearing an uncomfortable degree of heat to achieve these ends, so be it.     As we sweat through the postures, our instructor is upbeat and encouraging. She praises individuals when they achieve a tricky pose, or calls them out when they need to adjust their alignment. She seems to know everyone by name, a familiarity that is testament to the number of loyal regulars that frequent Bikram Yoga Darlinghurst on a daily and weekly basis. Despite the controversies associated with founder Bikram Choudhbury, which include allegations of sexual assault, the practice has garnered an immense fan base. Bikram Yoga Darlinghurst thrives

Just a stone’s throw from Central Station is BodyMindLife’s Surry Hills studio, a zen oasis in the otherwise hectic city surroundings. The studio offers regular yoga, pilates and meditation classes, as well as a wellness centre providing massage, reiki and kinesiology. We show up on a Saturday morning, eager to escape the miserable mid-June weather. Stepping into the bright and airy ‘Yogi’s lounge’, we take advantage of the free WiFi and herbal tea before the class begins. We’ve opted to try the 75-minute Yoga Essentials class, which is heated to 28 degrees. This is a foundational class recommended for those new to yoga or for experienced yogis looking to refine their technique. It rolls on a nine-week cycle, with each week honing in on a specific part of the yoga practice, but anyone can join at any time. The focus of our class is balance, and our instructor talks us through the importance of balancing the masculine and feminine energies, or ‘Shiva’ and ‘Shakti’, before we begin with the repetition of a mantra, followed by a resounding ‘Om’ that aims to unite class members in a spiritual experience. The practice is steady, and we’re encouraged to move at our own pace, but working up a sweat is inevitable as we flow through full body twists, hip openers, downward dogs and forward folds. Soft, soothing music soundtracks our movements, giving the class an air of tranquility. We barely even notice the 30 others sweating around us. After a relaxing Savasana, freshening up is a

Veganism is on the rise in Sydney. It only takes fighting the crowds for a bite of Gigi’s dairy-free pizza or a visit to Sydney’s first plant-based pub the Green Lion to see this, but the East Sydney Hotel is one of the last places you might have expected to jump on board. The unassuming old timer on the corner of Crown and Cathedral Streets in Woolloomooloo prides itself on being ‘The Last Country Pub in Sydney’, but the introduction of a hefty vegan menu suggests a break with tradition and a step towards accommodating the changing tastes of a city. The new menu echoes the pub’s famous lack of pretension, with comfort food in pride of place – think deep fried vegan mac-and-cheese and faux-fish fingers. The pulled jackfruit burger is particularly impressive, and almost succeeds in imitating the taste and texture of pulled pork, with a strong spicy barbecue flavour that permeates the fruit’s juicy flesh. It comes dressed in a rich, eggless aioli on toasted bun, with a crunchy 'slaw to cool the burn from the hot sauce. For those more inclined to clean eating, there’s a cous cous and kumara salad that does the job, but a more creative approach to plant based eating is the curried cauliflower, which combines smoky cauliflower florets with crunchy toasted macadamias and a cardamom cashew cream on a bed of rocket. It’s surprisingly hearty and satisfying.  The first page of the drinks menu is dedicated to specialty vegan-friendly beers, wines and cocktails, as well as fresh juices

As evidenced by the popularity of ABC’s recent War on Waste series, our nation’s fascination with rubbish has reached new heights. The timing seems fruitful then for City of Sydney’s announcement of a new strategy that aims to set a path towards zero residential waste.  Titled ‘Leave Nothing to Waste’, the plan would put in place a number of residential services, including weekly kerbside e-waste collections, an opt-in trial of residential food waste collection, a community drop-off centre for problem-waste streams and clothing and textiles collection from apartment buildings. Lord Mayor Clover Moore says that the services would provide residents more opportunities to sort their waste, leading to higher rates of recycling and reduced demand on finite sources. “Our residents generate close to 65,000 tonnes of waste every year – and while 69 per cent is now diverted from landfill, this plan looks to increase that to 90 per cent by 2030. To do that, we have to drastically increase our recycling rates,” says Moore. What about those frustrating items that refuse to be recycled? City of Sydney acknowledges that not everything is fully recyclable, so intends to work with the waste industry to investigate the feasibility of an ‘energy from waste’ treatment facility. The overall plan must be approved by council before any actions can be implemented, and it will take until 2019 for changes to begin taking place. If your suburb belongs within the local government area of the City of Sy

Take your lunch break to the next level thanks to the good people at Handpicked Cellar Door, who know about your dirty desk eating habits and want to put an end to them. Bid farewell to the sad sandwich that leaves crumbs on your keyboard and pay a visit to the Finer Things Lunch Club instead. Here, you’ll find a simple four item menu, with all meals accompanied by wine, of course. Choose a gentleman’s sandwich on a Brickfields baguette with either jamon serrano, organic hoddle brie and fig jam; or truffle salami with British mature cheddar, spinach, garlic and olive oil. Otherwise, take it up a notch and order one of two classic Italian salami ploughman’s, which both feature fresh Brickfields sourdough with butter, pickles, fruit relish and seasonal fruit. There’s one with a 24-month aged comte and roasted eggplant or another with forte scuro pecorino and marinated zucchini. After a long lunch with work pals that doesn’t involve any screens, phone calls or paperwork, your afternoon is already off to a winning start. Finer Things Lunch Club takes place Monday to Friday from 11.30am to 3.30pm Need some more CBD lunch inspo? Check out our pick of the best restaurants for businesses lunches. 

You’ve Roared and Snored and caught your favourite acts at Twilight at Taronga, so now it’s time for dinner at the zoo, which is a new experience being offered as part of Vivid Sydney at Taronga Zoo. From May 26 to June 17, Taronga’s the View Restaurant will be transformed into an underwater haven with incredible oceanic light projections, marine sounds and marine-inspired lighting. You’ll be overlooking the zoo’s new light installations – the Port Jackson shark and the floating stingray – as you choose from the special two-course menu. They'll be cooking up sirloin steak or a crispy tempura cod, followed by coconut and lime panna cotta or a trio of sorbet.  The restaurant will be open to the public for dinner from Thursday to Sunday, all you need to do is to pay for admission to Taronga’s Vivid installation Lights for the Wild ($21.95 for adults and $16.95 for children and concessions) and pay for dinner, prices start from $45. Alternatively, get a group of up to 70 together and make a night of it: bookings for corporate and private events are available Monday to Wednesday. You can book Lights for the Wild on their website or by calling 02 9978 2400. Check out our top 15 picks for this year’s Vivid festival.