Things to Do in Sydney: Artist Atlas feat. Salarymen and Casa Rosa

For what to do in Sydney, Australia, the best source of info is the bands who live there. That’s our rule for traveling in general—ask the musicians. So, after the first edition of Mackie’s Sunset Sessions performance series, we asked the performers for some tips about the best places to catch shows, get drinks, chow down on late-night food and more.

We’re calling it an Artist Atlas: a quick and dirty map of the best things to do in Sydney, according to the artists who live and work there. Watch Renee de la Motte from Salarymen and Sam Harper from Casa Rosa answer our questions on YouTube, and read the rundown below for a bit more detail on how to make the most of these hot spots.

Best Live Music in Sydney

Music venues were a natural first question for Salarymen and Casa Rosa. Nobody knows the live music scene better than the musicians playing the shows! Sydney is known for a vibrant and diverse range of artists: DJs, acoustic players, rock bands, jazz groups and just about anything else you can imagine. The live music venues come in all shapes and sizes, too, and there are way too many to choose from if you’re a visitor like us. We were excited to hear which ones our friends liked most. We can’t wait to check them out.

Renee From Salarymen: The Vanguard

For the #1 Sydney live music spot, Renee says it’s got to be The Vanguard in Newtown. She says something special about The Vanguard is that they operate only as a live venue—any time you go there, there’s a show to watch, whether you’re seated enjoying their food and drink, or out on the dance floor. Another special thing about this spot is their late night shows, which often don’t even get started until 11 pm. These shows are where you’ll find the most exciting genre-bending artists and underground stars. You can dance the night away with other partiers while the more tame music lovers are already in bed.

Sam From Casa Rosa: Vic on the Park

Sam’s favorite live music venue in Sydney is Vic on the Park. He loves this Marrickville spot for their spacious stage (great for bands), free gigs (great for everyone) and an outdoor area for soaking up that famous Sydney sunshine. It’s not just for music, either—Vic on the Park shows live sports on a big screen, including Australian favorites like NRL (rugby) and AFL (football) in addition to American leagues like the NBA and NHL. It’s one of the best sports bars in Sydney. Check their sports schedule and keep an eye out for beer specials.

Best Bars in Sydney

Finding the best bars in Sydney will always be subjective—everybody has a favorite for their own reasons. There’s also something magical about wandering into a random bar and falling in love with it, so don’t be afraid to use your feet. But we got two unique answers from Renee and Sam, who chose a quirky lawn bowling club and a hidden-away Mexican bar. Details below.

Renee From Salarymen: Marrickville Bowling Club

Renee is incredibly enthusiastic about Marrickville Bowling Club, a charming spot that combines lawn bowling, music shows and cocktails. Lawn bowling is also called bowls or, to Americans, probably better known as bocce. Even if you don’t want to play a match yourself, Marrickville Bowling Club has a nice outdoor area with tables and umbrellas for watching the games and enjoying a drink or two. There’s also a stage for live music nights. Renee recommends the schooner cocktails, which she says are shockingly affordable. Her answer introduced us to the phrase “cozzie livs”—if you’re an American like us, you might not have known that means “cost of living” and it’s perhaps your new favorite phrase.

Sam From Casa Rosa: Cantina OK!

Cantina OK! claims to have the best margaritas in all of Sydney. It’s a bold claim, we think you’ll agree. Sam says they’re 100% right. It’s nice of him to even tell us about this place, because it seems to be a bit hidden, located down an alley, inside what used to be a single-car garage. As such, the bar is tiny, sporting only a limited amount of standing room. You may have to wait in line, but many happy customers will tell you it’s more than worth it. We’ll have to take their word for it until we get the chance to try one of those margaritas for ourselves.

Best Late Night Food in Sydney

Working bands are experts at finding somewhere to eat after a gig—they have to be! Luckily, Sydney is a town that stays alive late into the night, with plenty of late night restaurants. Just like the overall dining scene, Sydney’s late night food is diverse, hitting every price point and reflecting the multicultural nature of this international city. Renee and Sam’s answers reflect this perfectly. One is a burger truck, the other is a sit-down restaurant for Japanese eats.

Renee From Salarymen: Nakano Darling

For Renee’s favorite late night food, you’ll need to check out Nakano Darling in Haymarket, an authentic izakaya Japanese pub where you can chow down until 2 in the morning. The gyoza and karaage chicken sound incredible, and the hours sound positively unheard of. Depending what time of year you visit Sydney, you’ll also find some unique menu items based on the season. As of this writing, Nakano Darling is serving up some summer specials designed to keep you cool in the Australian heat, including pickled cucumber and a chocolate covered banana—apparently a popular summer treat on hot and humid days in Japan.

Sam From Casa Rosa: People’s Burger

For late night food in Sydney, you may just have to take to the street for one of their delicious food trucks. There are hundreds of them around the city, with food options varying from traditional to eccentric, outrageously meaty to purely vegan. Sam directed us to his favorite, People’s Burger, which is in the foodie-friendly, arts-focused neighborhood of Marrickville. In fact, you’ll find People’s Burger parked right outside Sam’s favorite music venue in Sydney, Vic on the Park. Probably not a coincidence! Sounds like a perfect night.

Things to Do in Sydney for Free

Our recommendations so far share one unfortunate detail: they all cost money. We love going to shows, drinking cocktails and chowing down at restaurants, but what about free things to do in Sydney? Can the best things in life truly be free? We asked Renee and Sam for some tips on free places to visit in Sydney, and their answers both sound like a blast.

Renee From Salarymen: Dog Parks

When asked for free things to do in Sydney, Renee got creative. She says to go to any of Sydney's beautiful dog parks and play with other people’s dogs. If you want to bribe them for some extra love, just load your pockets up with dog treats (technically not free, but purely optional). Loads of fun, and since they’re not your dogs, you’re not stuck picking up the poop. As for which one to visit, the city lists a massive 50 off-leash parks across the city, including options in places we’ve mentioned like Glebe and Newtown.

Sam From Casa Rosa: Royal Botanic Garden

Sam didn’t hesitate when we asked for the best free activity in Sydney—hands down, he said it’s the Royal Botanic Garden. Besides all the beauty of the garden, it’s also a great vantage point to see the bridge and the famous Sydney Opera House. In addition to the Royal Botanic Garden, there are actually multiple botanic gardens throughout Sydney. They serve as public parks, venues for major music festivals, and vital centers for education, too.

Best Sydney Sunset Spots

After a full day in the city, you might want to settle down somewhere to watch the sun go down. Everything looks a little better under a golden Sydney sunset. During our visit, we got to enjoy the waning light from a rooftop with our favorite local bands Salarymen and Casa Rosa. But Mackie Sunset Sessions happens only once per city. So, we asked the bands for the best sunset spots in Sydney—ones you can visit year round. Here are their answers.

Renee From Salarymen: Glebe

When we asked where to watch the perfect Sydney sunset, Renee gestured around and said we were in the perfect place already, at our Sunset Sessions venue in Glebe, Sydney. It was a private rooftop, so unfortunately you can’t go there yourself—but we bet you can find a nice spot somewhere nearby. Glebe has some beautiful architecture, including 19th century homes and the recently restored Glebe Town Hall, a popular spot for community events. For the sunset, there plenty of rooftop bars and restaurants nearby. Popular choices include The Glenmore (for a view of the Opera House) and Old Mate’s Place (for cozy vintage charm).

Sam From Casa Rosa: North Head

Sunsets aren’t just about the sun and clouds—they’re also the best time to catch a view of the city and water under that perfect light. Sam recommends checking out North Head, found in Sydney Harbor National Park, for a great vantage point. Since the park faces west over the harbor, it’s the rare spot in Sydney where you can watch the sunset above the water while also getting a view of the buildings. It sounds peaceful, and with an admission fee of $5 per vehicle, it’s a real bargain, too. Especially considering the cozzie livs! (Did we say that right?)

Enjoy Sydney … and Some Great Tunes!

There you have it—our Artist Atlas, curated by two of our favorite bands from the iconic city of Sydney, Australia. Of course, these artists are much more than tour guides. We were lucky enough to enjoy full Sunset Sessions performances from Salarymen and Casa Rosa, both available on YouTube if you follow the links. Stay tuned to our YouTube channel to see where in the world we go next. It might even be your own city!

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