Our Sydney ‘ins’ and ‘outs’ for 2026

Sydney, it’s been a big year of discovering our beloved city in a new light. From the best places to boogie to a surge in hot new cafés to prioritising wellness, there have been heaps of wins! As well as plenty of learnings along the way…

With the end of 2026 creeping up ever so quickly, it’s about that time of year when everyone’s beginning to think back on the last ten months. So we’ve curated a list of what we think should stay, while also ruling out a few things that don’t serve us anymore – literally.

Here’s our list of Sydney ‘ins’ and ‘outs’ for 2026 (what would you add?)...

INS

• Lasagne – whether it’s Vineria Luisa’s “seven layers of happiness”, the Bat & Ball’s renowned $17 number, Sippenham's vodka sauce lasagne, or Vitelli’s Upstairs’ lasagne bites)
• Idyllic weekend escapes down the South Coast for a change of pace
• Watching your favourite films with a live soundtrack by Sydney Symphony Orchestra
• Hyper-specific, regional dining – e.g. Padang Indonesian at Temu Kangen, Isan at Yum Club and Thai Chinese at Ama
• Sunny trips on the Manly ferry (what can we say? It’s a classic for a reason)
• The reopening of the Powerhouse in Parramatta
• Cheap eats – not just because they’re affordable but because they’re delicious
• Granita (hey, Mapo Gelato!)
• Saunas with outdoor cold plunges
• Lime biking to work
• Planning end-of-year festivities before the group needs six months' notice for plans

OUTS

• Only having one flight option (hello, new Western Sydney Airport)
• Waiting forever for the Bankstown-to-Sydenham metro line to be finished
• Scrambling to find a seat at the old Sydney Fish Market
• Thinking that good Sydney nightlife is only in the CBD or Inner West
• Never crossing the bridge

So as we enter 2026's closing months, it’s time to look ahead and get excited. And what better way to ring in the upcoming festive season than with a celebratory feast or two? It's time to start booking.

To party in style, Park Hyatt Sydney is sorting Sydneysiders out with a huge month of festive dining, exclusive Christmas menus and even a lavish rooftop party.

From Tuesday, December 1 ’til Wednesday, December 23, you can say cheers to the end of 2026 with The Dining Room Set Menu. This is perfect for those overdue catch-ups that have fallen off the calendar. Pair this $140pp set menu with panoramic views of the Sydney Opera House. You can book a time to try the limited-time menu from Tuesdays to Saturdays, 5pm to 9pm.

And that’s not all on the food front – if you’re searching for festive fare for Christmas Day or New Year’s Eve, let the Park Hyatt Sydney sort you out. With a choice between harbourfront dining at The Living Room or scenes of the Sydney Opera House at The Dining Room, it’ll be one for the books.

The elegant Christmas Day menu will star a classic Aussie Xmas spread, including seafood, Christmas ham, roasted strip sirloin and a tart cherry pavlova, with pricing starting at $450 for adults and $200 for kids. Lunch seating times range from 12pm to 3pm, with a dinner service from 6pm. 

As for the New Year’s Eve selection, the two venues will be dishing up decadent wagyu bresaola with onion créme; a fresh spanner crab salad; quality cuts of sirloin with short rib beef ragu; and a chocolate and mint cake. Spots are priced at $880 for adults and $110 for kids in The Living Room, with early dinner from 5pm and standard dinner seating from 7.30pm. As for The Dining Room, expect spots for $550 for adults and $105 for kids for early dinner 5pm and adults-only late dinner seatings from 8pm priced at $1600 per head.

Or you can toast to the new year at Park Hyatt Sydney’s luxe New Years Eve Rooftop party. On Thursday, December 31, the breezy rooftop space will be transformed into the ultimate festive bash from 8pm to 1am, primed for you to welcome in all that 2027 has to offer with your loved ones and enjoy the glittering skyline in style. You can snap up standing tickets from $1,200 per guest, so bring your closest crew and linger a little longer in the free spirit of a whole new year.

If you enjoy playing host instead, you can also opt to hire out the venue’s gorgeous event space for a celebratory bash of your own from $2,500. Think: client dinners, team gatherings and big milestones.

You’ll find Park Hyatt Sydney located at 7 Hickson Road, The Rocks, NSW 2000. For further info on Park Hyatt Sydney’s festive dining offering, head to the venue’s website. To enquire or book Park Hyatt Sydney’s event space, head here.