Sydney Pubs

Great Drink, Great Food and Great Atmosphere

Sydney Pubs are called 'Hotels', which can really make things confusing for visitors to Australia. I suppose that 200 years ago, the only Hotels were the Pubs.

The word Pub comes from the British term, 'Public House', which refers to a public bar which often had living quarters upstairs for travellers, staff and a few permanent residents.

From 1916 until 1955, Australians endured laws which closed the pubs at 6pm sharp. The law was brought in after a riot by drunken Aussie soldiers in Liverpool, Sydney, and should have been ended when World War 1 finished in 1918.

Determined Aussie drinkers would knock off from work and head straight for the pub where they'd try to down as many beers as they could before the pub shut at 6pm. In every state, pubs were build on every city block to cope with this drinking frenzy, which became known as the Six O'Clock Swill.

The 6 O'Clock Swill was finally voted out in 1955, and closing time was extended then until 10pm. (It's usually much later now.) The number of hotels (pubs) in Australian towns and cities has been falling since then, but the reputation of Aussies for being serious drinkers remains.

Here are a some of the better-known Sydney Pubs or Hotels, known as 'watering holes' to the locals.

Clock Hotel, 470 Crown St, Surry Hills. Great food, anything from squid salad to house specialty flat breads topped with prosciutto, gruyere and honey mustard, to a classic Aussie steak sandwich or beer-battered English fish and chips. Phone (02) 9331-5333. www.clockhotel.com.au

Edinburgh Castle Hotel, 294 Pitt St, (cnr. Bathurst St), City. A typical city hotel minutes from Town Hall station in the heart of the city. Much loved and used by office workers and city dwellers. Phone (02) 9261-1343.

The Lord Nelson Brewery Hotel, cnr of Kent St and Argyle St, The Rocks. Oaks Hotel, 118 Military Rd, Neutral Bay (north of the harbour). There you can order a gourmet pizza or choose from the best local meat and seafood to put on their famous Char Grill. Phone (02) 9953-5515. www.oakshotel.com.au

Orient Hotel, 89 George St, The Rocks, is open 7 days a week with live entertainment, a night club, pool rooms, cable TV with sportscasts and TAB betting facilities. Phone (02) 9251-1255. www.orienthotel.citysearch.com.au

Almost all Sydney Pubs (Hotels) are open 7 days now and serve food from humble over-the-counter 'pub grub' like burgers and sandwiches through Bistro type meals, cook-'em-yourself steaks (with guests' barbecue and side-salad provided) to full restaurants with a fancy chef. Phone first to check their opening and closing times, and head out. If in doubt how to get there, you can always take a taxi there.