The Cat’s Meow Roars Into Sydney
A trolley service of caviar, oysters and champers – it’s how things are meant to be.
Related articles
The Cat’s Meow – historical slang for something sought-after, and now, a swanky Sydney champagne bar set to become a firm Robb Report fave.
Located in Darlinghurst, the opulent newcomer lands at a time the city’s lockout laws are set to be overhauled – a new and worthy centrepiece of a bar scene in need of such a boost.
A den of decadence conceived by design outfit Henderson & Co – this is Gatsby’s 1920s dragged into the modern day. While that may sound a little overcooked and somewhat naff – here it’s anything but.
Main area, The Vault, boasts high ceilings, arched windows, flowing drapery and marble surfaces. The Butcher’s Library, meanwhile, is a prohibition-inspired space of glass cabinets displaying cellared wines, ageing meat and cheeses and cut-throat razors – a nod to the area’s former nickname of Razorhurst.
Hit up the rear Champagne Room and sink into plush velvet booths overlooking a glowing champagne display with an accompanying trolley service of caviar, oysters and crystal flutes of only the best fizz. Better still, privacy dominates this behind-the-curtain bar with phones checked on entrance – expect the occasional celeb and those seeking a night of drinking devoid of bowed heads and glowing screens.
A grazing menu designed in consultation with Quay’s Camille Saint-M’leux boasts locally sourced ingredients that covers meats, cheeses, a prawn cocktail you’d actually order and not eat in embarrassment, alongside a croque monsieur (with truffle bechamel) that had us at bonjour.
Now open at 52 Oxford St, The Cat’s Meow is where we’ll be this summer.
Subscribe to the Newsletter
Recommended for you
The Ultimate Guide to Pairing Wine With Spicy Food
What to drink when your favorite cuisine brings the heat.
Here’s What Goes Into Making Jay-Z’s $1,800 Champagne
We put Armand de Brignac Blanc de Noirs Assemblage No. 4 under the microsope.
By Mike Desimone And Jeff Jenssen
April 23, 2024