Best Restaurants Sydney - Coogee Pavilion Rooftop



The New Coogee Pavilion Rooftop has made its way to the top of my 'best restaurants in Sydney' list this week with fabulous food, stunning interiors and a gorgeous new rooftop oasis.  Coogee Pavilion, Merivale’s stunning beachside venue, has now opened it's highly anticipated rooftop bar. The latest instalment of the expansive three level venue, Coogee Pavilion Rooftop is a local oasis where guests can enjoy sensational food, great company and an unrivalled view of the breathtaking Coogee shoreline.

A fun and relaxed social destination for the iconic beachside suburb, Coogee Pavilion Rooftop is home to four indoor and outdoor bars, a sweeping balcony and one of the best vantage points a Sydney venue has to offer. Laidback and fuss-free, the Rooftop caters to a wide range of tastes and occasions, from post-beach snacks to cocktails at sunset. I had the chance to sample the cocktails and the menu last week at a lovely blogger dinner and it was fabulous. Starting the night with a good old fashioned Pina Colada before moving on to some fabulous spicy Mediterranean tasting plates, and soaking in the gorgeous interiors. I loved it all!

During dinner we had a chance to chat with Executive Chef Jordan Toft who leads the Rooftop kitchen. He spoke of his travels throughout the Eastern Mediterranean, with lip-smacking yet simple flavours inspired by Greek, Turkish and Lebanese cuisine, befitting the Rooftop’s oceanfront home. Think whole baby calamari in ink vinaigrette; haloumi wrapped in grape vine leaves with lemon oil; adana - ground lamb and beef with washed onion and sumac; pork neck with sea salt and fresh dill; and kefta meatballs with warm spice and Arabic string cheese. The drinks menu features a long refreshing list of summertime cocktails and sharing pitchers, alongside a beautiful selection of wine chosen by Merivale’s MS Group Sommelier Franck Moreau.

Now I love a good interior and this is probably one of my favourite spaces in Sydney at the moment and certainly on the top of my 'best restaurants in Sydney' list right now. Downstairs you have the awesome Coogee Pavilion with awesome details in every corner and perfect for relaxed social drinking and dining. Designed as if it was once the conservatory of an eccentric botanist, Coogee Pavilion Rooftop has been brought to life by a design team including Kelvin Ho and Emilie Delalande of Akin Creative, Amanda Talbot, Justin and Bettina Hemmes. From overflowing lush greenery to mismatched Moroccan tiles, each bar possesses an entirely different aesthetic. Beautiful chairs covered in sketches of exotic birds and tables painted by local artist Mayriel Luke complete the stunning interiors.

Downstairs the fabulous Coogee Pavilion 'The Pav' remains the perfect space for family get-togethers, weekend breakfasts, coffee dates, light snacks and catching up with friends. I brought the kids back here last week and they loved it too. Happy mums and kids everywhere! So its Friday - this could just be your perfect weekend destination for some fun, food and frivolity and some rooftop dining. 

Many thanks for Rebecca Gibbs and Lisa Byrne for hosting us for dinner last week.