Sydney's best Pub Food

The Lansdowne

Chippendale

$5
Doubling as a gig venue where plenty of Sydney bands have cut their performing teeth (The Vines, You Am I and Powderfinger have all played here) it's also where half of Sydney Uni's brainiac brigade come to get a cheap feed. And while it's nothing fancy, we defy you to find so sublime a plate of bangers and mash for $5 served until 10pm? The only minor catch is that you've got to buy a drink too. No wukkas. Ok, there aren't any greens either and you couldn't maintain a regular habit at so tarnished a beacon for nutritious eating. Still, if you're here to see the band and need a quick cheap snack, it's the best bar banger factory in the west.

The Shakespeare

Surry Hills

$10
No prerequisites here at the Shakey - all the meals are a tenner apiece. (Beer's $5 a schooner and they have Coopers Pale and Sparkling on tap.) All the greats of modern pub food preside (burgers, fish and chips, spag bol) but our picks are the T-bone with mushroom sauce, chips and salad; and the sweet, sticky pork ribs.
 Surry Hills

The Carlisle Castle

Newtown

$15
Chef Michael Carter used to work at London hotspot St John (famed for cooking the best offal in the UK) but now spends his days and nights in the incy wincy open kitchen at the Carlisle. Try the fried haloumi to start and work your way up the food chain to the steak and bacon sandwich on grilled sour dough. Or try wrestling with the pot pie - so large it's served in a massive soup bowl, topped with mash and peas and a side of chips. Oof!  Newtown

Three Weeds

Rozelle

$60
There are two ways to eat here. The first is more your guacamole-on-a-pizza-and-a-side-of-garlic-bread type place. But there's also the restaurant which is built into the beer garden, only with soundproofed walls. So on one hand, you're standing in a loud pub (the very same one where people used to knock each other's teeth out for tuppence a show), and on the other you're sitting down to some really outstanding food like Thirlmere chicken stuffed with morel mushrooms followed by apple and rhubarb crumble. The wine's wonderful, too (again, there's always beer if wine don't float the boat) and though some of it's on the exxy side (you could spend some serious dough on the wine list if you were of a mind to), there's also some quality drops by the glass. You may need to book ahead. 

Four in Hand

Paddington

$115
Head chef Colin Fassnidge delivers the best value in seriously high-end pub dining in town. Try dishes like pig's ear schnitzel or go for some carnad carnage with confit duck salad complete with duck egg while floor man extraordinaire Steve Whitbread pours some stunning wines by the glass. Vino not your thing? Head into the bar for a Barons Lager, Becks or Tooheys New. At the mo, they're offering a five ($115) or eight ($155) course degustation with matched wines now, as well as the regular menu, just to really fancy it up.

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