Lavender Bay will welcome a new French bistro, boulangerie and traiteur when Loulou opens Wednesday, December 22. Next door is the très French combination of Boulangerie and Traiteur. Here, the delicious aroma of take-home artisanal baguettes, croissants, batards, and baked sweets spill from the boulangerie all day, just like in Paris. An unfamiliar concept to most Australians, a traiteur is one of the most frequented destinations in a French neighbourhood and will no doubt be as beloved in Sydney. After months of secret building and design, Block’s Bar has emerged beneath the iconic 4 Pines Brewpub. This cheeky, younger, subterranean bar is a late-night haunt, hosting local and international DJs, with a lot of Caribbean soul.

Become a team of detectives to go deep into the memories of a maniac to investigate the kidnapping of a child. Work together to solve diabolical and dangerous puzzles and uncover the secrets held in the mind of a madman in 60 minutes. Experience zero-gravity flight, shoot lasers, fight against hostile robots, and use telekinesis, all while collaboratively solving puzzles and working to save Earth in 60 minutes. My twins loved this virtual reality game, saying it was the most awesome thing ever and they’re dead keen to get back to play with their friends. Escape rooms are a real-life puzzle experience where a small team are locked in a themed room and must work together to escape. I took a group of 4 boys to celebrate one of my son’s b’day and really enjoyed myself…

The storyline follows the heist of the Bank of Australia in 1828, and players must find the criminals before they flee the city. This escape room in Sydney’s CBD is perfect for those who have played escape games before and are looking for the next challenge. At Labyrinth Escape Rooms, there are five dark rooms to test yourself in and be warned—you’ll need every ounce of logical-thinking and skill-based talent you can muster. All challenges have a strong plot, which makes trying to escape these rooms even more fun.

Mike Bennie, a champion of the Australian drinks scene, is helping to curate the hotel’s beverage menus. Inspired by the authentic cooking techniques, sauces and spices of Lebanese culinary culture, everything on the menu at Bar Tikram comes straight from the on-site wood-fired oven. To wash it all down, the outdoor bar will serve up fresh cocktails, mocktails, Lebanese spirits, and drinks infused with Middle-Eastern flavours. Highlights include the Rubi Margarita with tequila, pomegranate and rhubarb liquor, as well as the selection of arak . For those looking for an extra thrill, the Paniq Room has a psychology twist, such as dealing with a situation where you are in a prison cell, handcuffed, and blindfolded, with stifling smoke.

Even though it’s the new kid on the block, Giuls wants to be the new local for lingering after-work drinks, and delicious bowls of pasta to soak up happy hour. The culinary team spent years exploring dishes and techniques from lesser-known regions and coastlines of the Middle East and North Africa. They discovered forgotten ingredients from millennia ago and uncovered recipes from within the pages of 10th century Arabic cookbooks. Aalia beautifully combines ingredients from across territories and times, contrasting tradition with modern techniques to offer diners an Arabian nomadic time-travelling odyssey of dishes. A new fish n chipper has landed in the heart of Earlwood, and it’s taking the nostalgic battered fish and chips to the next level. Here, wood-fired whole snapper and wood-fired shellfish are the stars of the menu.

They also have won the Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Award, which gets our seal of approval. Only steps away from Bondi Beach, Chuck Trailer’s is the new dive bar with a difference bringing a little grunge, a touch of debauchery, and a whole lotta-style to Bondi. Around the bar, you’ll spot skateboards pinned between rock ‘n’ roll posters, neon signs hanging from scaffolding and even taxidermy toads. During the day, the bar spills out Roscoe Street with outdoor seating in the sun but come night, the windows close, curtains are drawn, and the “anything goes” vibe comes into its own. For those not partial to wings, there’s the Thunderbird Chicken inspired by Nashville buttermilk style chicken or even the No Chook Yoself beef burger for those swerving the chook completely. A fresh and modern Greek venue is coming to Bondi Beach Thursday, April 14.

Each brilliantly imaginative game that Escape Hunt offers takes place in a themed room designed with incredible attention to detail; to ensure that you, the participants, can really lose yourself in the experience. There’s a wizard’s quest, a secret service mission, a robbery and an assassin to choose from – and the immersive games promise fun for the entire family. Get ready for an out of this world adventure with Sydney escape rooms. Offering immersive thrills and live-action challenges, these world-class venues deliver an interactive experience like no other. For those new to the phenomenon, an escape room offers the chance for players to physically step right into the game – a detailed scenario where challenges and puzzles must be solved before time runs out. Meanwhile, VR escape rooms take things to the next level, throwing you into the midst of virtual worlds where you can feel the intensity of action up close and personal.