Jordan Clayden-Lewis

Update, December 23: In light of the surge of cases, many Sydney venues are cancelling NYE events. Call ahead of your visit to confirm if celebrations are taking place as planned. In Sydney, ringing in the new year is a go-big-or-stay-home affair. But this year, the celebrations will be even bigger, we suspect. We’ve spent a quarter of the year indoors, and if you're anything like us, you've got some catching up to do when it comes to big nights out. So, why not spend your last hoorah of the year in the company of Sydney's greatest icons, the Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House, on a New Year's cruise? We’ve curated a list of the best you can book right now to secure the well-earned fun you and your mates deserve. Most of the cruise experiences come inclusive of food and drink, so all you need to worry about is having a damn good time. Starship Sydney Behold Australia’s largest glass boat, Starship Sydney. Spend your whole NYE on board, indulging in an all-inclusive evening of canapes, cocktails, Australian beers and premium wines, and three entertainment levels, which includes two decks of DJs. Starship Sydney offers an excellent view of the midnight fireworks display, departing from King Street Wharf at 7.30pm and returning at 1am. Tickets are on sale now from $750 per person.   Harbourside Cruises All aboard the Harbour Spirit, a luxury catamaran that you can hop on for NYE this year. Equipped with gorgeous contemporary interiors and two spacious decks, this 5.5 hou

Describing a venue as a dive bar might, on the face of it, sound like a negative critique, but at this cool-as-hell new drinking den in Bondi Beach, it's very much a compliment. Chuck Trailer's is the latest venture from Ben Campbell and Brendan Darcy, the Mancunian masterminds behind local favourite Neighbourhood. The two British lads took over that bar back in 2019, but now, they’re bringing a new watering hole with an entirely different energy to the area, perfect for those wanting to sink beers in their boardies by the beach. Chuck Trailer's delivers a flavour of the Inner West and the US to the eastern beaches. Taking over the spot formerly occupied by Bloody Marys, the space has been transformed to serve up perfectly poured schooners, generous bourbon pours, and delicious fried chicken and waffles. The American diner-inspired menu flips the bird to the body-beautiful types you might spot around this 'hood: we're talking pho-king-good wings, buffalo cauliflower, double smash patty burgers, and trailer trash fries. And if all that doesn't already sound fun as hell, bourbon orders get delivered via a remote control pickup truck. Plus there's a soundtrack of early 2000s Emo/pop-punk bangers, so it's set to be a damn good time at Chuck's. But who the f*ck is Chuck Trailer anyway? Campbell and Darcy have a surprisingly detailed answer to that on the bar's Instagram page, but let's just say that he's the loosest unit in town who talks a big game when it comes to the quality o

With two outposts on the Northern Beaches, Mr Gelato by Matteo has become a strong favourite among locals, serving up their authentic Italian gelato flavours, which are made fresh in-store daily. Now, just in time for the festive season, Mr Gelato is upping the ante with two new Christmas desserts to satisfy the holiday sweet tooth. For those who aren’t familiar with the god-tier gift that is Panettone or Pandoro, they are sweet Italian bread loaves. Panettone is filled with candied fruits and raisins and Pandoro is without fruit. These delicious cakey breads are a popular addition to the Christmas spread all around the world, but what’s better than an original loaf of this mouthwatering goodness? One jam-packed with Nutella and Gelato of course. Mr Gelato is combining these two desserts to create a Franken-confection that's perfectly suited to a Christmas culture rooted in winter despite the festive season landing in the Southern Hemisphere's summer. There are two varieties to choose from: Panettone filled with your gelato flavour of choice (including chocolate, pistachio, hazelnut, and more) topped with melted dark chocolate and hazelnuts, and Pandoro dosed with Nutella, custard, zabaglione semifreddo or gelato. The Christmas Dessert specials are available until December 24 and can be ordered for $60 a pop simply by calling the Freshwater or Collaroy store. In search of more ice-cold treats? Here's where to find Sydney's best gelato and ice cream.

Darlinghurst bakery Don’t Doughnuts are known for their lip-smackingly addictive sourdough brioche doughnuts – the kind that melt in your mouth and pair perfectly with a smooth cuppa joe. But behind the scenes, this dessert daredevils have been cooking up something a-glaze-ing for us. And by that, we mean a brand-new burger range, which is a first for the popular bakery. Launched on November 23, the juicy lineup features six drool-worthy burgers, which will be available from 10am-3pm daily. Leading the range is the “Don’t Burger”, which comes with an Angus beef patty, two slices of cheese, caramelised onions, and maple bacon all slapped on a vanilla glazed sourdough-brioche hybrid burger bun. Yes, you heard that correctly. Sweet and salty together at last – just doughnut judge us if we're there at least once a week. Apart from the Don’t Burger, the new menu will also include a Cheese Burger, BLT, Cheesy ‘Shrooms, Veggie Burger, and the Gourmet (jam-packed with caramelised onions, aioli, Havarti, mushrooms, and an Angus beef patty). Better yet, all burgers get served with sweet potato parmesan chips and will only set you back $16-$18. You can place an order at Don't Doughnuts via Menulog. Hungry for more outrageous eats? Check out the most OTT burgers in Sydney.

Inner-west-based Mobius Distilling Co has to rank as one of Sydney’s stand-out new boutique distilleries. Founders Philip Crossley and Alex Hardie have been all about innovation from the very beginning, with a mission statement to make the best spirits possible. This dynamic duo has certainly brought that mission to fruition, having previously crafted the 2204 Marrickville Dry Gin, 38 Special Vodka, and now an award-winning Moreau Apple Pie Liqueur. Dubbed as ‘apple pie in a glass’, this fruity creation is made with apples sourced from the family-owned Bellevue Orchard in Victoria.  Moreau Apple Pie Liqueur is recognised as one of the world’s best liqueurs right now, having received a gold medal at the London Spirits Competition. It's hand-poured in the Marrickville distillery and contains cold press juice from the preservative and concentrate-free Victorian apples, vanilla for a subtle creaminess, and then cinnamon to pass on balance for a smooth finish. And with its notes of festive spice, it's a perfect drop for a Christmas cocktail or simply mingled with some ginger ale, aka a 'Pie'n'Dry'. Crossley and Hardie also recommend you experience it neat, over ice, or with gently warmed and poured over ice cream. It's also a great pairing with Prosecco if a fruity Spritz is more your vibe. A 200mL bottle will only set you back $30. Or if you’re like us and already planning a dinner party with this stuff, you can grab a 700mL for $75. But if you’re not feeling the apple pie, not t