If your cruise ship has docked in Circular Quay in Sydney and you’re into craft beer, you’re in luck. Sydney has so many breweries for you to visit. You can hire the lovely people at Dave’s to take you and your mates around or you can use the brewery info below to do it yourself. Whether you’re after a full tasting paddle, a quick schooner, or discovering a new style you haven’t had before, Sydney has what you need within a few minutes of Circular Quay.

Here’s how to sip your way through Sydney’s local beer scene—without straying far from the ship. We’ll start from the furthest away (an 11 minute walk) and working back to the cruise terminal.

We have included a Google map below to make it easy for you to find your way around.

1. The Lord Nelson Brewery Hotel (The Rocks)

📍 19 Kent St, The Rocks
Distance: 11 min walk from the Circular Quay cruise terminal

Sydney’s oldest continually licensed pub—and it brews its own beer. The Lord Nelson is must-stop for beer history buffs. Their house beers (like the Three Sheets Pale Ale) are English-style and cask-conditioned. Classic Aussie pub food, heritage surroundings, and it opens most days from 11am (for post-breakfast pints — hey, we’re not here to judge).

2. Harts Pub

📍 Essex St &, Gloucester St, The Rocks NSW 2000
Distance: 11 mins walk from The Lord Nelson

Established in 2009, Harts Pub champions an all-Australian craft beer line-up, with 12 rotating taps showcasing the best local brewers. Harts opens from 11:30 and has a pretty extensive kitchen menu as well.

Exterior view of the Australian Hotel at The Rocks, Sydney

3. The Australian Heritage Hotel

📍 100 Cumberland St, The Rocks
Distance: 4 mins walk from Harts Pub

The Australian doesn’t brew its own beer, but it’s a hub for independent Australian breweries—over 100 craft beers in bottles and cans, plus rotating taps. Check Untapped for recently poured beers. For the full Aussie meat-eater experience Try the ‘Coat of Arms’ pizza - it is half emu and half kangaroo meat. Fun fact, Australia is the only conutry in the world where you can eat the animals on the coat of arms. When it comes to beer, try anything from breweries like Mountain Culture, Grifter, or Akasha

4. Tap Rooms – Endeavour Brewing Co

📍 39–43 Argyle St, The Rocks
Distance: 4 mins walk from The Australian Heratige Hotel

Previously a flagship venue for Endeavour Beer Co, The Tap Rooms has shifted formats a few times — worth checking if they’re still pouring local taps or guest beers. At minimum, it’s a cool corner of The Rocks.

5. Back to the ship

The walk back to the Overseas Passenger Terminal is about 3 minutes from the Endevour Tap Rooms. You might even be able to hear the ship’s horn from here. (Just kidding: don’t be one of those pier runners.)

Optional add-ons (if you have a bit more time)

Batch Brewing Co (Darling Square precinct)

📍 11 Little Pier St, Haymarket
The Batch tap room is located conveniently in the Makers Dozen at Darling Square. Here you can explore Batch’s beer range (plus some favourites from other breweries). Batch is about a 10–15 min Taxi/Uber from the Circular Quay Cruise Terminal.

Mountain Culture Brewery (Redfern)

📍158 Regent St, Redfern NSW 2016

Mountain Culture, the darling of the Australian craft beer scene have now opened up a Sydney brew pub in Redfern. This location is about 23 minutes by train and 18 minutes by taxi or Uber.

Bitter Phew (Oxford St)

📍1/137 Oxford St, Darlinghurst NSW 2010

Craft beer bar with serious cred. Bitter Phew have 12+ rotating taps, a chilled out vibe, and staff who know their stuff. To get here, it will be a 10–15 min taxi/Uber ride. If you can snap up a seat by the windows, there is a prime Oxford Street people watching here.

Staying for a couple of days?

See our Marrickville Brewery Map for some of the best beer in Sydney

Wrap up

Whether you stick to the Rocks circuit or venture further afield, Sydney’s craft beer scene has plenty to offer within easy reach of your ship. From heritage pubs brewing English-style ales to modern taprooms pouring the country’s most talked-about beers, this crawl gives you a taste of Australia in just a few pints. Just remember to pace yourself, stay hydrated, and leave enough time to stroll back to Circular Quay before your ship sets sail—no one wants to be the last-minute pier runner!

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