NOW EXPERIENCING:The Bar at InterContinental Sydney Double Bay
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The Bar at InterContinental Sydney Double Bay

Friday: 7:00 AM – 11:00 PM
33 Cross Street, Double Bay, NSW, 2028
Phone
(02) 8388 8388
Website
thebardoublebay.com.au
Instagram
@thebardoublebay

Read time 4 Mins

Posted 27 Oct 2022

By
Alexandra Carlton

Velvet. Caviar. A grand piano. This luxe hotel bar in one of Sydney’s ritziest suburbs nails the brief – classic yet intriguing cocktails, big-name wines and smart snacks served in a glamorous setting.

Mixing a cocktail at The Bar at InterContinental Sydney Double Bay
Why you goAustralia is packed full of dark, edgy wine bars serving experimental cocktails full of ferments and fats. They’re great – no complaints. But every now and then, one yearns for the purity of a classic New York- or London-style hotel bar – one that ticks off all the great hotel-bar fundamentals: a wine list packed with labels that everyone from your grandparents to an overseas visitor would recognise, tinkling jazz on the grand piano and the perfect club sandwich. Restaurateur Maurice Terzini, along with Sydney design firm Alfred and beverage director Ana Page, have achieved exactly this with their transformation of the top-level bar at the legendary InterContinental Hotel at Double Bay. From the layer upon layer of lipstick-pink velvet (everything from the carpet to the chairs to the curtains is blush and plush), to staff who glide so seamlessly between tables that they appear to float, The Bar is unapologetic old-world decadence.
Why you stayBecause it’s delightful to see this legendary hotel dust itself off. Although it was once the jewel in Australia’s hotel crown – it has hosted everyone from Bill Clinton to Elton John in its former incarnation as the Ritz-Carlton – it had become a little droopy in its later years, and The Bar will go a long way to putting a spring back in its step. The design team have walked that delicate balance between classic and respectable, modern and approachable, which is exactly what a 21st-century hotel bar should be.
A Martini at The Bar at InterContinental Sydney Double Bay
A Negroni at The Bar at InterContinental Sydney Double Bay
What drink to order

The cocktails are mostly based on the classics, but obvious spirits and mixers make way for more intriguing alternatives. The pick is probably The Contessa, The Bar’s take on an Aperol Spritz, made with Punt e Mes vermouth, Contratto bitter liqueur (a herbaceous and complex alternative to Aperol) and South African rooibos bush tea. 

The wine list reads like an honour roll of Australia’s most-beloved winemakers: Cape Mentelle, Jim Barry, Brokenwood, with a sprinkling of international big hitters from New Zealand (Cloudy Bay), France (Ruinart, Moët, Dom Pérignon) and a few Argentinian and Italian entries sneaking in as well. 

The beer list skips all over the globe – as far away as Italy (Peroni) to shouting distance (Lord Nelson in the Rocks).

What to pair it withGourmet Traveller magazine so revered the hotel club sandwich that it would insist its reviewers order one at any hotel they stayed at, using it as a yardstick for the property’s overall excellence (I mean, bed comfiness and breakfast were factors, sure, but a bad club sandwich speaks volumes). The Bar has pretty much nailed it: it comes with corn-fed chicken breast, Taluca Park bacon from the NSW Southern Highlands and a spot-on tarragon mayo. A purist might quibble over the choice of toasted multigrain sourdough instead of white bread, but you can drown out their complaints by crunching into a fistful of the thin potato chips served on the side. Along with the club, there are oysters and caviar, beef tartare served tableside, and substantial mains such as coal-roasted West Australian marron and Rangers Valley wagyu.
Caviar at The Bar at InterContinental Sydney Double Bay
A pastry at The Bar at InterContinental Sydney Double Bay
Regular’s tipHere’s an idea. If you’ve booked yourself into Margaret down the road – Neil Perry’s excellent neighbourhood restaurant – The Bar is a genius choice for an apéritif or nightcap on either side of your meal
Don’t leave withoutChecking out the collection of framed photographs propped up behind the grand piano, honouring some of the hotel’s most storied guests. Princess Diana, The Eurythmics, Shirley MacLaine and Dame Joan Sutherland are all in attendance, many with an accompanying autograph.
Who to takeThe Bar is probably a smidge too buttoned-up for a first date – its genteel atmosphere means other people are likely to eavesdrop on your awkward “getting to know you” chat. It’s a no-brainer for parents or grandparents. But it’s also surprisingly pleasant for a solo lunch trip if you’re in the area: grab a light-filled spot by the window and splash out on a little midweek self-care bubbles.
A burger under a cloche at The Bar at InterContinental Sydney Double Bay
image credits: Jason Loucas
Authour image
Alexandra CarltonAlexandra Carlton is a freelance writer who contributes to Australia’s leading food, wine and travel publications.
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Drinks DirectorySydney – EastTop notch wine listBarKiller cocktailsRecently openedCasual catch-upSydneyFancy occasionFamily affair
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