The Abercrombie

Back in the 2010s, The Abercrombie was the run-down, dimly lit, beer-soaked centre of Sydney’s underground party scene. A 24-hour licence meant the music never stopped – from Purple Sneakers’ indie all-nighters to Sunday house sessions by SASH. All that came to an end in 2014 when the pub closed – until hospitality giant Solotel (The Golden Sheaf, Aria, The Clock) restored the party icon to its former glory almost a decade later.

Thankfully, the group has revived the public-bar dancefloor and the raw feel of the outdoor beer garden. And though the Abercrombie is still a place to get loud and sweaty, it’s also where you can drink and dine in style. On the top level is Casa Rosa, a rooftop cocktail lounge inspired by New York’s Palazzo Chupi that specialises in Italian disco tunes.

Back downstairs, two 19th-century terraces adjoining the pub have been transformed into Lil Sis – a wine bar and bottle shop with its own entrance on Abercrombie Street. Here, you can snack on gildas, whipped cod roe with chives and crisps, and cured meats sliced on demand. Lil Sis also serves a keenly-priced set menu that's well worth your time.

Fuelling The Abercrombie’s public bar around the clock is pizza by the slice, topped with combinations such as pork-and-fennel sausage with chilli, and pepperoni with Sicilian olives. You can also get pasta, chicken parmigiana, steak and fish.