The Anchor South Bondi

For the damned sea rats, miserable landlubbers, those shafted with the deadrise shift and the fore and afterguys, The Anchor in Sydney’s South Bondi is the spiritual home of those that promised their hearts to the sea. Campbell Parade’s damnable house of disrepute is a safe haven for sailors ashore, on the lookout for rum (or a beer or two, let’s be honest). There’s food, drinks and a whiff of debauchery at The Anchor, there’s no need to stubble any further, this’ll do nicely.

Given that The Anchor is a sailor’s pub (or at least it could be, with its enviable coastside views) it’s only natural that the food here is fittingly fish-orientated. There’s fresh oysters, Sydney style, with mignonette dressing and salted cod croquettes, which should take the edge off that unpleasant seasickness as your rediscover your land legs. If you’re more of a homebod, or just can’t face another fish supper, there’s also meat and veggies at this shire by the sea in South Bondi’s Campbell Parade.

Once the monster in your belly has been fed, it’s time to indulge in that age old sailor’s pastime with a drink or three. Of course there’s rum (why wouldn’t there be rum?) and it comes in sailor friendly varieties (ahoy there, hot buttered rum, you have been everything we’ve been waiting for) along with modern favourites like tequila, with lemon, to keep the scurvy at bay. The crew at The Anchor in Sydney’s South Bondi can’t quite convince themselves to open on a Monday, but they’re there the rest of the week for food and drink along Campbell Parade.