A relaxed Paddington pub is one of Sydney’s greatest pleasures, and none is more relaxed and welcoming than The Imperial Hotel on Oxford St.
Now renovated and revitalised, it’s a cosy escape from Sydney’s inner-urban pressures, with stress-free parking, a light and airy off-the-street bar, a young, friendly crowd and hidden nooks of old-world style for intimate conversation.
After sinking some of their fine ales, or quaffing a couple of glasses of Devil’s Lair vino, you’re enticed to the deep-cushioned comfort of their many chesterfield lounges. There’s always a good crowd, and late afternoon on the weekends the place takes on a more lively atmosphere, with the odd group of footy fans fresh from a game at the nearby Sydney Football Stadium.
Atmosphere – many pubs aspire to it, but the Imperial seems to have hit on a mixture of mood and style that helps generate the real stuff. A crew of dedicated staff and friendly regulars keeps the place hopping.
The in-house bistro, Daniels, serves excellent Thai food at very reasonable prices. You can dine in the bistro itself, quiet and secluded from the main pub, or have your dishes delivered to wherever in the pub you and your mates have decided to squat.
The Imperial’s late night bottle shop boasts an impressive range of quality wines, and is open until midnight most nights of the week.
Upstairs is the Imperial’s hidden secret: its Function Room. Gaining in popularity for parties and celebrations from birthdays to bar-mitzvahs, its the old-world style of the main pub taken a step further, with plenty of room to host a decent-sized do.
Right at the top of the hill as you come up Oxford St from the city, its a grand old Victorian pub on the corner. You can’t miss it. And you’d be mad to.
Imperial Hotel, 252 Oxford St, Paddington (cnr Underwood St). For functions information, phone Jason on (02) 9331 2023.
