As the name suggests, Nola is a Louisiana-inspired smokehouse and American whiskey bar (NOLA stands for New Orleans, Louisiana) – and anyone who knows about the rich history of New Orleans will get why the food is a melting pot of cuisines, including French, Spanish, Mexican and South American.
The restaurant sits within Barangaroo's Tower One and boasts water views, so it makes a great place to relax and enjoy an American whiskey. In fact, Nola features the largest collection of American whiskies in Sydney, with more than 600 diverse bottles to take a sip from.
In the kitchen, two large smokers fire up brisket (dry rubbed and smoked for 11 hours) and organic chooks (tea-brined and blackened). You'll also find lamb spit roasted over coals, and pulled pork. All these meats are complemented by house-made sauces, including their own take on a chermoula and chimichurri blend and Lexington-style barbecue ketchup; and sides including spiced garlic corn and housemade pickles.
They offer up some of the very best happy hours in Sydney – for both drinks and food. From Tuesday to Saturday, 4-6pm, you can do knock-off right by enjoying $7 house spirits, $5 house beers, $8 house wines and $10 fried chicken. On Saturdays, they serve up a ridiculously good-value lunch – an all-you-can-eat feast for just $55 per person. The feast includes Nola's 11-hour smoked Texan-style brisket; cajun-rubbed smoked pork; crispy smoked wings and more (yes, even more), paired with sides like fries; elevated housemade mac 'n' cheese and house pickles. Want drinks with that? For just $35 a head, you can add bottomless drinks to the experience. Did someone say, 'bucks party'? But also team-bonding events, birthdays, and Chrissy parties, right?