Sydneysiders have always loved a good happy hour (who wouldn’t?), and now two of the town’s favourite spots to get watered and fed are giving us even more reason to sneak out of the office and into a cheap glass of something nice that little bit earlier.
In the city, the cured meat and canned cocktail experts at Continental CBD have concocted a weekday happy hour from 4-6pm that’s well worth skipping lunch for. The food menu will rotate regularly, but for now, expect six-buck snacks such as mortadella and Gruyère croquettes, sardines on toast, and piquillo peppers with potato gribiche and romesco sauce. If you feel the need for something more substantial, spring for a $20 plate of housemade bucatini carbonara. And bring a pal, because the bar is cracking two of those famous tinned cocktails for $20. If you’re spirit-averse, five-buck beers and ten-dollar house wines are also on the pour.
Over in Darlinghurst, Big Poppa’s is doubling down on its late night trading hours with an equally tempting early bird special. Aperitivo hour here is all about what these guys do best: cheese and cocktails. Between 5-7pm Monday through Friday, you can score Negronis, two Spritzes or a classic gin Martini for a mere tenner, as you nibble on assorted antipasti that includes a knockout selection of big-name cheeses like Parmigiano-Reggiano and Brillat-Savarin that’ll only set you back seven dollars. Cha-ching.
Given that you could technically tick both of these off your list in the very same evening, you probably should.
Looking to save some more dosh? Here are the 50 best cheap eats in Sydney.