News

JUST IN: Sydney’s Café Freda's is returning to Chippendale, its OG home

Hell yeah: Darlinghurst’s banging bar and eatery is heading back to its roots in Chippendale, and is set to throw weekly dance parties at The Abercrombie

Avril Treasure
Written by
Avril Treasure
Food & Drink Editor, Time Out Sydney
Carla Uriarte, Elliot Somolon, Dave Abram
Photograph: Ethan Smart | |
Advertising

Do you remember the OG Freda’s? A champion for live music, late nights and a bloody good time, the Chippendale party bar was one of our fave places to hit up on a Big Night Out in Sydney – until it was forced to close its doors in 2020. A few months later, it found a new home on Oxford Street in Darlinghurst, transforming into Café Freda's, a funky, Euro-leaning place for people-watching, natty drops, delicious snacks and speed dealers.

In December 2024, Café Freda’s announced it would be shutting up its buzzy-yellow shop after four years. Now, in news just in, it’s been confirmed that Café Freda’s is returning to where the magic all began. Owners Dave Abram and Carla Uriarte are set to reopen the beloved bar in Chippendale in partnership with Sydney hospo group Solotel, in the space currently occupied by Lil Sis. Hell yeah. (Though, we will miss you, LS.)

Fredas
Photograph: Supplied | Nikki To

Slated to open this April, Bar Freda’s will bring electric energy, delicious sips, banging DJs and fun times to the 2008 ’hood.

Abram says: “The drinks at Bar Freda’s will continue our tradition of offering fantastic wines from small producers, but we’ll also put a greater focus on cocktails, using quality ingredients but keeping things fun and approachable. We want it to be a space that’s accessible, welcoming, and community minded”.

The outside of Abercrombie Hotel
Photograph: Supplied/Abercrombie Hotel

Keen to dance? Good news – the duo will also be taking over the programming of The Abercrombie’s nightclub, with regular Club Freda’s nights in the pipeline. 

“It’s remarkable that we’re coming back just a few hundred meters from where the original Freda’s was. That venue had a big impact on the nightlife scene at the time, and with Club Freda’s nights in the works, I’m beyond excited to be back in a position to provide opportunities for young DJs, promoters and creatives in Sydney and help give them a platform to perform and express themselves. At the heart of it, that's what Freda’s has always been about,”  Abram added.

Bar and Club Freda’s are set to launch in April. We will keep you posted. And yeah, we're frothing too.

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.

RECOMMENDED READS:

These are the best bars in Sydney right now.

Check out our guide to the best nightclubs in Sydney to get on the dance floor.

You may also like
You may also like
Advertising