At Sydney’s tiniest tapas bar the drinks and snacks also come pocket-sized, but the fun level is set to maximum for a wild ride that channels making like a local in Spain.
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This is the thing about small bars: it only takes a few people to make it a party. Whatever the hour, Bar Topa’s scale means it’s always buzzing. There’s a strong post-work crowd after 5:00pm, but as day turns to night the tone shifts to people coming pre- or post-dinner, or settling in for the long haul. Staff make it easy, welcoming you warmly, finding you a seat or a spot to park, then, crucially, working fast to get you settled with a drink.
Beers and cocktails here come in ponies and half-pours, and they fly out from behind the counter. Navigating the extensive drinks list is simple: start with a Sangria on tap (made with red wine, sherry, triple sec liqueur and seven-year-old Havana rum, no less) or a half-Negroni, ride out the snacks with a sip or two of tempranillo, then finish with a sweet, darker sherry. The petite glasses keep things sensible. And then there’s the food, ranging from one-bite Gildas of skewered olives and anchovies, cured meats and Western Australian sardines to heftier dishes such as charred Padrón peppers, a four-bite steak sandwich, and patatas bravas, Spain’s moreish fried potato chunks with a spicy sauce. You might come planning to move on to somewhere else, but odds are you’ll have half a mind to stick around longer than you intended.
