Zephyr Bar – The Arrival
“Arghhh, I forgot my sunglasses.” If the sun is shining and it’s 5pm, don’t leave home without them – unless you want to share more in common with the lobster popcorn you’re about to order. Sunglasses or not, we’re shown to our perches overlooking Darling Harbour. Geez, she’s a pretty city. Zephyr boasts the most incredible, uninterrupted views of the skyline, like an airborne bar that never leaves the port.
The Vibe
Party on! The rooftop is buzzing. The last time we were here, it felt like a Mediterranean yacht cruising around the French Riviera. Today, it’s been reimagined with an activation by Moët & Chandon. Gone are the murals; in their place are bold backdrops of navy and gold panels leading us to the exclusive Moët & Chandon Sky Lounge. If it wasn’t already hired out by a corporate party, we could’ve experienced a private section of the bar, complete with a dedicated waiter and a Champagne Tower featuring Moët & Chandon. No worries—we take our harbour view seats and we’re happy.
The Food & Drinks
Moet & cocktails
The menu features some stellar champagne cocktails. Jen, my dining partner, orders a Basil and Limoncello spritz cocktail. As a purist when it comes to champagne, I stick with having it straight up—pop the cork and let the lees and years of aging do their thing. We order the lobster popcorn, which arrives on top of its host of origin—a lobster. The meat is a bit overcooked (much like us in the heat!) and the batter is a touch heavy. However the beetroot arancini balls are beautifully balanced, delicate, and a crowd-pleaser.
Beetroot aranci 
Lobster popcorn
As the sun sets, we could hang out all day, but we’ve got dinner downstairs and I’m excited!
Sailmaker Restaurant
The Design
Nestled in the harbourside area of the Grand Hyatt, the restaurant’s design, inspired by the hull of a yacht, creates a nautical vibe that’s both elegant and cozy. Wooden touches, from dividers to tables, and large windows offering views of Darling Harbour enhance the maritime feel.
Sustainable Seafood
Executive Chef Sven Ullrich began cooking at 15 and has worked in kitchens throughout Germany, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and the U.S. While few hotels manage to carve out notable restaurant brands, Sailmaker is making its mark. Commended for its commitment to sustainably sourced produce, it’s earning spots on all the listicles for best seafood restaurants in Sydney.
The dining format is unique: $95 gets you a three-course meal plus a tapas-style buffet table and a wonderfully nostalgic dessert trolley where you can pick two desserts! We’re seated by the window, and our server arrives with a large woven basket brimming with breads, like a modern-day Little Red Riding Hood.
Next, we’re invited up to a curated boutique buffet. I’m not a fan of buffets, but after two plates of shrimp ceviche, a juicy Fremantle marinated octopus salad with rocket and sundried tomatoes, along with a ranch pasta salad, I’m converted – especially with the lobster gazpacho shots.
Six entrées and six mains featuring seafood from sustainable fisheries practicing eco-friendly farming or offering wild-caught products is our next dilemma.
Tuna 
Kingfish crudo
Favorites include Humpty Doo barramundi, kingfish from Spencer Gulf’s Clean Seas, Skull Island Prawns, and Aquna Murray Cod from NSW. It’s wonderful to see these producers showcased, with easels framing full-page editorials on the produce, our food tastes so much better when we understand the care that goes into how it’s farmed and grown.
Four slices of Ulladulla yellowfin tuna are bordered with fluffy nori tinsel. The dashi jelly and yuzu make the flavors pop. Jen, has a prettily plated dish of yellowtail kingfish from the Spencer Gulf region. As it’s Christmas, a bottle of Veuve Clicquot Brut is the only way to salute beautiful produce, though it’s encouraging to see a thoughtful wine list with interesting picks like Canberra’s Nick O’Leary.
Onto the mains. Aquna grows high-quality Murray Cod in open ponds (or dams) on the Murray-Darling Basin river system—the fish’s native environment. From managing organic waste, water systems, and restocking systems, they are world-class. No surprise my barra dish has crispy skin and creamy flesh, complemented by a seafood bisque on an earthy bed of wild mushrooms. Jen’s Queensland red emperor sits on a fish jus, with some fennel and a creamy cylinder of potato gratin. Both are well-balanced and make the fish the hero.
The final act is the sweets trolley, which makes me feel like we’re in the ’80s (or at Pendolino?). It’s a tough pick from classics like chocolate brownie, Basque cheesecake, or pear-rhubarb cobbler. The cheesecake wins hands down, but the fun is in the generosity of the experience and that we both get to pick two.
Hyatt Regency, Sydney – Zephyr and Sailmaker
Hours: Zephyr – open daily from 3pm; Sailmaker – Thu–Sun 6:00pm – 9:30pm
