Rooftop bar opens at Sofitel Sydney Wentworth

Long before the rooftop became a feature of hospitality, the horseshoe-shaped terrace on the fifth floor of the then Wentworth Hotel ruled Sydney like rooftop royalty. Now, after a 10-month renovation, the granddaddy of the genre will reopen on Friday, October 25th.

When the hotel opened in 1966, its rooftop was a guests-only area: stars Audrey Hepburn and Marlon Brando were among the lucky ones to enjoy the views of the city. Late arrivals Margaret Thatcher and Vladimir Putin might have put the terrace’s then-reputation as a high tea spot to the test. Later the Garden Court restaurant was located here again.

With food and drink production at the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth now in the hands of external restaurant operator House Made Hospitality (the group behind Chef’s Hat Restaurant Lana and Promenade Bondi), the terrace has been reinvented as Wentworth Bar.

The iconic rooftop deck has a new addition: an expansive copper and glass canopy protecting 250 guests from the elements. “Even when it rains, it’s still a great place to sit and eat,” says House Made director Jason Williams.

With wine by the glass starting at $13, they’ve made this place affordable. The Slipper-y When Wet cocktail costs $25.

Vietnamese-French restaurant Delta Ryu Also opening on Friday on the fifth floor, the kitchen will have a menu ready for Wentworth Bar guests.

But what has fueled the proliferation of rooftop venues across Sydney? Operators say we are catching up with the rest of the world, which adopted the rooftop trend earlier, often in climates less friendly than Sydney.

“From the time we open at noon until we close, it’s non-stop; it’s getting crazier and crazier,” says chef Peter Conistis of the early trade in Roof Kuzinathe location he opened at the end of August at the top of The Bristol on Sussex Street, in Sydney’s CBD.

Conistis says the rooftop location gives city dwellers a reprieve from the urban jungle, and from an operational perspective it can attract customers who might not otherwise be able to visit a venue like The Bristol.

Konistis hopes that customers who come here for a drink or a bite of souvlaki will stay and head downstairs to Ela Elarestaurant he opened over the weekend. “This is my take on a meze restaurant in Athens,” he says of Ela Ela (which means “come, come” in Greek).

The pandemic has left Sydney residents craving open space, and the city has risen to the challenge. Martinez Terrace at Circular Quay joined the party along with the rooftop of the refurbished building. The Jacksons on Georgewho broke into the outdoor club.

Earlier this month Canvasa restaurant with a rotating roster of chefs (currently home to the former chef of Tetsuya’s), opened on the fourth level of what used to be the terrace café at the Museum of Modern Art in Circular Quay.

A Japanese restaurant and rooftop bar There are also plans to open an apartment complex at 388 George Street.

Williams says Wentworth Bar is an oasis in the CBD: “It’s the kind of bar you’d find in any major city. DJ playing, great cocktails and the noise of the city rooftop.”