Bondi Beach Public Bar

EVEN BONDI PEOPLE are calling Bondi Beach Public Bar ‘very Bondi’. Maybe it’s the macadamia milk cocktails; or that it’s next to Lululemon and a stone’s throw from the beach. Or it could be the fact that it’s from the team behind Icebergs and Da Orazio. But crisp white shirts and activewear aside, at its heart it’s really just a pub. BBPB sits on the mostly touristy section of Campbell Parade and on a balmy Friday night it’s a total scene, making it a bit of a trick to get a table. Wait to nab a spot on the promenade – this is your best bet as the turnover is quicker. But here’s the rub: inside, you order at the bar, but you can’t take your drinks with you to the outside tables. It’s a whole different ordering system and they deliver the drinks to you. It weirdly divides the venue. They’re kinks that the uninitiated (staff and punters) have still to figure out, but hopefully with time the flow of the venue will organically settle in. You want the double squish burger. What seems like a gimmick is actually a pretty genius idea. The bun is compressed down (a heated iron weight is responsible), toasting the outside nicely and soaking up the juices of the double meat patty, bacon and cheese. This results in a surprisingly neat and compact burger holding in all the flavours in a no-mess package. Another gussied-up counter classic is the minute steak, charbroiled perfectly on the outside and just pink in the middle. And the chips are some of the best we’ve had in a while. Pizzas here aren’t Napoli-style woodfired numbers (head to Da Orazio for that), but they’re still good – the Mr Presto is a smart combo of thinly sliced zucchini, potato and onion doused with an ultra fresh green pesto. Try a BBPB Spritz, an Italiano-Aussie match made in heaven with Cappelletti Vino Apertivo and prosecco. There are also pre-batched cocktails, like the White Mike Russian. Nut milk replaces dairy in the mix of vodka and Mr Black coffee liqueur for caffeinated sweetness. Your first sip will be confusing, but you’ll keep going back for more.