Sydney
Potts Point packs a lot of good drinking into a few leafy blocks above Kings Cross. The neighbourhood runs from natural-wine rooms on Llankelly Place to a hidden cocktail bar off Orwell Street and French wine bars on Ward Avenue. This guide covers the rooms worth planning a night around, what each does best, and when to turn up.
LLANKELLY PLACE · $$$ · WINE BAR
Dear Sainte Éloise looks over Llankelly Place from a slim room with one of the most rotating natural-wine glass lists in Sydney. The kitchen sends out small, sharp plates to match. Best for a long graze with a few glasses. The window seats over the laneway go first.
ORWELL STREET · $$$ · COCKTAIL BAR
The Roosevelt hides off Orwell Street, a dim cocktail bar that leans on the suburb's old supper-club history. The list runs classics and house drinks with table service. Best for a date or a quiet group booking. Reserve ahead on weekends.
WARD AVENUE · $$$ · WINE BAR
Caravin is a compact two-level French wine bar on Ward Avenue from the Bar Suze team. The list favours natural and small-grower wines with a short French menu to share. Best for an early dinner that runs on wine. Walk-ins suit the downstairs bar; book upstairs for a table.
MACLEAY STREET · $$$ · IZAKAYA
Cho Cho San is the long-running izakaya on Macleay Street, as good for sake and highballs at the bar as for the food. The room is bright and busy with a Japanese-leaning drinks list. Best for a few drinks and snacks before dinner. The bar seats take walk-ins early.
LLANKELLY PLACE · $$ · WINE BAR
Caravin Deux is the smaller sibling a short walk away on Llankelly Place, a walk-ins-only wine bar with a wine fridge and open kitchen wrapping the room. The pour list changes often. Best for a spontaneous glass and a snack. Go early, since the room is tiny.
ORWELL STREET · $$ · WINE BAR
Chester White is a retro wine room on Orwell Street with about 15 seats, no bookings and a charcuterie and toasted-sandwich menu. The wine list runs deep for the size. Best for a casual late glass. Walk in early to land a seat.
Use this guide as a route or a checklist. Potts Point works as a single crawl because the rooms sit so close together, so a night can run from a sake bar to a natural-wine list without a cab. Reservations are flagged where they matter.
For the wider city, start with the best bars in Sydney, then narrow by occasion with the best cocktail bars in Sydney and the best wine bars in Sydney. Next door, see the bars in Kings Cross, and for another inner-city night the bars in Surry Hills.
Editorially curated by Marcus Webb. Venue details cross-checked against official sites, Broadsheet, Urban List and Time Out Sydney in 2026.