Barangaroo House, Sydney

Barangaroo House makes its point before you even step inside. Completed in 2017 and designed by Collins and Turner Architects, this circular, timber-wrapped structure sits right on Sydney’s waterfront, looking more like a sculpted pavilion than a standard restaurant building. Its curved timber battens and stacked terraces follow the shape of the harbour edge, giving the place a calm, organic feel amid the surrounding glass towers.

The design leans heavily into openness and sustainability. Timber, greenery, and open-air decks dominate, with vertical gardens softening the lines and letting sea breezes do part of the work. Inside and outside blur together, so you’re never far from water, sky, or the steady movement of the promenade below. Against the sharp angles of nearby office blocks, Barangaroo House feels deliberately human-scaled—less corporate landmark, more social gathering point...

Food and drink unfold vertically across three levels, each with its own mood. At ground level, House Bar keeps things casual, spilling straight onto the waterfront and working equally well for a daytime coffee or an early evening drink. One level up, BEA shifts the tone to contemporary Australian dining—polished but relaxed, with menus that focus on seasonal ingredients rather than culinary theatre. At the top sits Smoke, a rooftop bar designed for lingering, with wide views over Darling Harbour and the city skyline that tend to hold attention longer than the drinks menu.

Barangaroo House is part of the wider Barangaroo redevelopment, which converted a former container port into a public-facing precinct of offices, parks, and dining spaces. Its circular form and timber detailing nod quietly to maritime history without turning it into nostalgia. Instead, the building signals where Sydney’s waterfront culture has landed: design-forward, environmentally aware, and built around the simple idea that good views, good food, and good company should share the same address.