Sixteen Leading Sydneysiders On the One Place They’re Pumped To Visit As Soon as Lockdown Ends

We’ve all done it: struggled to decide the first place we’ll head on Monday, after 3.5 months in our houses. Do we head to our favourite neighbourhood pub? Make a booking at a swish restaurant? Or get back to nature and take a dip at a beach we haven’t been able to visit for months? We’ve spent many hours thinking about it, and assumed others had as well – so we went to Sydney’s culture-makers, food experts and even the country’s opposition leader to find out the one place they’ll give the honour of a visit when lockdown lifts.

O Tama Carey, owner Lankan Filling Station
The place I can’t wait to go back to once I’m let out of my five-kilometre zone is Wylie’s Baths. I love swimming there, having a cup of tea and looking at the ocean. It is glorious in its slight dilapidation and I love seeing the same regulars there every time I go. I feel like it would be the perfect place for a scene in a Bond movie. I usually still manage to make it on some winter days, so I have been missing it terribly, particularly now with this beautiful weather.

Anthony Albanese, member for Grayndler and leader of the Australian Labor Party
I’m excited to get back to Willie the Boatman, one of my favourite breweries. Not only do they make an excellent ale (they even named one after me!), but they consistently support the inner-west community.

Nadine Ingram, owner Flour and Stone
I’m really excited to be able to go back to the movies. I’ve been hanging out to see the new James Bond. Dendy Newtown’s luxurious lounge is where you’ll find me with a glass of wine, a packet of cheese Twisties and Daniel Craig. Bliss!

Benjamin Law, writer and broadcaster
Over lockdown, the things I missed out on the most were pools, book shops and yum cha. In fact, my yum cha cravings verged on the indecent. Outdoor pools have been open for a couple of weeks now, but when everything re-opens, I can’t wait to lurk and browse in Oscar and Friends (Surry Hills), Gleebooks (Glebe) and the Bookshop (Darlinghurst). And I’m a walk away from Chinatown, so I’m putting on my plastic eating dress for yum cha at Marigold, The Eight and Zilver.

Anna Ugarte-Carral, head chef The Old Fitzroy Hotel
Apart from dinner at mates’ houses, I’m obviously so ready to get back into restaurants. Bistrot 916 is what I’m most excited for – I am biased, it’s my boyfriends’ place. But I used to walk up there after work, as it’s just up the hill from the Fitz, for a wine, a chat, and a snack. Also, yum cha and bushwalks.

Beau James, head of First Nations programming, Sydney Opera House
The one thing I am looking forward to the most is swimming in the ocean. Growing up in Queensland, we were always in the ocean and swimming. It has always been a calming place for me – a place I go to unwind. Two of my favourite places in Sydney are La Perouse and Bronte Beach. Life – especially in lockdown and stuck in the middle of the concrete city – has been really stressful, so I’m looking forward to literally washing the last months of lockdown away, being one with nature and letting the rhythm and the sounds of the water take over and re-energise me.

Kylie Kwong, owner Lucky Kwong
I am desperate to get out of the city for a weekend, so with a delicious Josh Niland Charcoal Fish picnic packed, along with Matt Whiley’s ground-breaking Re– cocktails, I look forward to driving to the northern beaches and catching a ferry from Palm Beach to Great Mackerel Beach to visit my brother and family in their lovingly restored fisherman’s cottage, The Little Black Shack.

Mike Bennie, drinks writer and co-owner of P&V Wine Merchant
A cavalcade of activities and venues exist on my hit-list. I’m missing my “clubhouse”, 10 William Street. I long to sit in the cool dark of an AM empty cinema. How I miss a wicked glass of something hissing and fizzing at Love Tilly Devine, a plate of bread delivered to me by Pasi at Paci, the seabreeze hitting my noggin’ at Icebergs from an ace table by the windows, and long to pour wine (all over people, usually, I’m no pro) at P&V Paddington. But the apex of everything culminates in one single, frosty-glass schooner of Reschs in the beer garden of the Courthouse Hotel in Newtown, dogs at feet, at 11am, on a Monday, with a couple of pals.

Rosa Cienfuegos, owner Rosa’s Tamaleria and Itacate
I’m going to be very honest … I can’t wait to go to Newtown and Marrickville breweries or to have a delicious steak with a craft beer in any inner-west pub. If that’s shameful, I’m also missing my restaurant crawl in Crown Street with my best friend. (We are trying all the restaurants on Crown Street, so we book a table for a different one every Friday – followed by a coffee and cake from Kurtosh.)

Blair French, CEO, Carriageworks
I cannot wait until Carriageworks reopens on November 3 with Dennis Golding’s exhibition, but in the meantime I’ll get out and see those exhibitions that in June I thought “I must have another look at that” or “I must go and see that next weekend”. Richard Bell at the MCA is top of the list. And Unsettled at the Australian Museum. And to be able to do so with friends will be a joy.

Peter Gilmore, executive chef Bennelong and Quay
For me, the first stop will be the simple but absolute pleasure of doing yum cha with family at Queen Chow in Enmore – it’s a big favourite. To feel the buzz of a restaurant with people enjoying themselves is going to be magic.

Michael Chiem, owner PS40

I’ll be heading to Continental to try to snag an outdoor table and have a glass of wine on Monday – the odds are slim but you can’t blame me for trying! I’ll be going in between lunch and dinner service. Best time to go. Missing Mikey and the team.

Lisa Havilah, chief executive, Powerhouse Museum
I am never going to take for granted again the joy of sitting across the table in a restaurant from someone I love shooting the breeze on the troubles and joys of the day that was. I can’t wait for KK’s dumplings at Lucky Kwong. I am looking forward to that slightly hazy feeling of catching an Uber home late at night. I am so looking forward to standing in a loud crowded room where you can only hear part of the conversation unless you really lean in.

Craig Donarski, director Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre
I’ve been missing seeing people in the galleries and our restaurant Bellbird; the sounds of earnest discussions about art mingling with clinking glasses and laughter, the expectant hum of a crowd waiting to see another Sydney Film Festival screening, the joys of arts and culture experienced in real life together.

Ho Song, bartender, Re–
I’m heading straight for Old Mate’s Place rooftop. I’m really looking forward to catching up with Dre, Noble and the crew. I’ll probably need a recovery day at the beach after that. Summer is looking so good!

Jeff Khan, artistic director and CEO, Performance Space
I am most looking forward to returning to the dancefloor – and queer dancefloors in particular. Sydney has some magic ones, and for many of us queers the dancefloor is our sacred space. I feel like I’ve been missing a piece of myself, not having access to club culture and dancefloor family. While club dancefloors remain closed, Performance Space will soon present a special digital edition of our much-loved Day for Night event, featuring queer performers, DJs and musicians broadcast directly into your home, so you and your friends can fire up the loungeroom dancefloor and revisit our party culture sooner rather than later.