A truly top notch pub must have three things in abundance: excellent tipple, drool-worthy eats and vibes aplenty.
Well, Taphouse in Darlinghurst is absolutely nailing the brief, so you’ll want to add their epic Sunday Sessions to your social cal, stat.
Nestled on Flinders Street, the sprawling three-storey pub looks like something straight outta London, with timber panelling, pressed-tin ceilings and tones of terracotta. While the rooftop terrace oozes Euro summer cool, with whitewashed furniture and linen umbrellas.
Coming to you from the same legends that resurrected Forresters, Taphouse is centred around a love of taps (think: epic ales), tunes (live music) and Chinese food—which makes it the perfect place for everything from post work drinks to catch ups with your crew to watch the footy and long weekend lunches that turn into evening cocktails.
In the Public Bar, you’ll find a mix of high and low tables, huge TV screens and a bunch of talented bartenders behind a long timber bar pouring a roving line-up of 20 unique lagers, sours and ales—so there’s always a good reason to return. Not a beer fan? They’re also talented mixologists, shaking up a slew of delicious cocktails. Pro tip: order the Golden Punch (filled with cheeky Mezcal, Campari, mandarin, chilli and whey).
Upstairs on level one, score serious brownie points with your date by booking a cosy table in The Cage, or snag a long table for a boozy lunch with your mates in the main dining area. As for the rooftop? It’s the ultimate urban escape in the city with a retractable roof that caters for knocking back a cold one all year-round.
To make things even better, your furry friend can hit the rooftop, as well as nab a spot at the outdoor seating on street level too.
What makes this pub extra special though, is the menu. Drawing inspo from British pubs that serve pan-Asian eats from a classically Pommy pub, the Taphouse is serving up Cantonese flavour bombs.
Head chef Sam Ng, whose resume includes Ho Lee Fook, Praya and Stanley in Brisbane, has curated a truly smashable menu. Pumelled with bang-bang chicken wings, steamed BBQ pork buns, or our personal fave, their signature ‘spice bag’—a delicious tangle of salt and pepper chicken, crispy chips and capsicum smothered in Irish curry sauce.
For mains, you can’t go past their infamous work fried mud crab, which at $98, is some of the best value crab you’ll get in Sydney. Other standouts include the juicy Mongolian lamb, and the uber fresh steamed Barramundi with ginger, soy and shallot.
Should you find yourself at the Taphouse on hump day, before sure to indulge in their ‘Hawke Chop Wednesday’ where you can demolish their pork chop curry for just $12 and wash it all down with a $6 Hawkes beer. That’s extra coin to spend on another brewski at the bar.
Heading to Taphouse for Friday kickoffs? Convince the work crew to stick around for Friday karaoke from 9pm.
But if you can only make it one day this week, make it a Sunday for their weekly Sunday Shenanigans. In addition to their regular menu, you can feast on their $34 banquet which fuses Chinese and Irish cuisine. The menu is seriously stacked—prawn crackers, vegetarian spring rolls, salt and pepper fries, egg fried rice, chilli chicken and sweet and sour chicken with McDonnell's curry sauce. Round that out with $12 Guinness pints and $15 Bloody Marys, all while enjoying Irish beats and Sunday vibes—it’s the perfect way to sign off the weekend.
For more on the Darlo hotspot that is likely to become you and your Sunday sesh crew’s new go-to, visit here.
Editor’s note: This article is sponsored by Taphouse and proudly endorsed by The Urban List. To find out more about who we work with and why read our editorial policy here.
Image: Supplied.