The Rise and Rise of the Upstairs Bar

come up and see me sometime

A recent upsurge has been happening in the Sydney Pub Scene. And Up is the right word. First floor bars are where it’s at these days, with new cocktail bars springing up on the upper storeys all over the place.

Sydney has always had its fair share of upstairs action - The Century Tavern for instance has been around for years, but being above street level has never never been as chic as it’s become over the last couple of years. Take for instance Middle Bar at Kinselas. This bar enjoyed the status of ‘coolest upstairs bar’ for a while in the minds of many. These days though it’s been matched or surpassed by Gilligans, The Colombian, and a little distance away, the Toon Bar at the Clock.

Several Sydney establishments have gone Jungle in their upstairs bars, notably the Madison and the Exchange. Down in the city we have such upper-storey stand-outs as CBD and ECQ. Many of these upper-crust, upper-level bars are hidden above far less salubrious pubs. For instance, the Roof terrace at the Glenmore elevates what would otherwise be a fairly crusty TAB and pokies Joint into a truly worthwhile visit. Everyone's doing it, you know. Come on up - there's room at the top.