It’s no secret real estate is premium in the city. And there’s nowhere busier than the blocks on and around Geroge Street. When you can’t go up, you go down. Down to the basement.
Basement 33 is a brand new restaurant right on the cusp of Chinatown and as the name suggests, it sits below street level. And that’s not the only thing that’s a little different. Keep an eye out for the neon sign and the street art – Michelangelo’s famous Creation of Adam has been given an edge by Jamie Preisz.
This is not another Chinese restaurant. It’s not even a karoke bar (although the venue was one in a former life).
Street art will lead you down to the basement
Italian is the name of the game in this cool new space – not the family-style pizzeria of the burbs, but cool and funky Italian. The stairs lead you down into a large open plan, all black dining room. Subway tiles, galvanised pipes and more graffiti give the bar a definite subway station vibe and the raised booths along the walls are just plain cool (the tables are refurbished wooden cable spools).
The cocktail menu runs with the train station vibe – The Underground is a refreshing concoction of gin, lime and 33 foam – while the pizza menu is just having a little bit of fun. Get your classic Queen Margarita or roll the dice with Gates of Hell (HOT salami). The Struggling Vegan is worth ordering just because of the name, as is Rocket to the Moon. There’s a bit of everything on the sharing menu – fennel and kale salads, cheesy fries, lamb cutlets, even BBQ Baby Back Pork Ribs.
Work your way through the cocktail list
Grab a big group of friends, relish in all the elbow room and load up on a cocktail and pizza for a relaxed night away from the chaos of George Street.
Basement 33
27-33 Goulburn Street, Sydney
(02) 8970 5813
www.facebook.com/basement33bar
