Bridge St Garage, Sydney CBD

The recent opening of Bridge St Garage in the "big end of town" is another welcome addition to CBD dining. I remember first working in the city in 1995 and there was NOWHERE to eat after work unless you wanted to venture down to Chinatown (which is fine, but just not EVERY time you wanted to go out).


Needless to say, I really think it's wonderful that more casual style eateries are opening up in the city. Recently we've seen Jamie's Italian open, then Mejico and now Bridge St Garage (plus everything that's going on in Westfield too). It certainly makes catching up with friends in the city after work for a meal SO much easier.

Sometime in its past this building was a "car garage".  I'm not sure if this means cars were serviced here...or parked here but I'd LOVE to know (so if you know please tell me). I also wonder how recently this place was a garage..so many questions! Given it's garage-y past there are, of course, nods to the buildings history all throughout the restaurant - an oil can here, some spark plug boxes there. It's pretty cliche really, but it's cute and gives the vast space some personality. It seems like a lot of thought has gone into the fit out of this restaurant.

The space occupied by Bridge St Garage is HUGE! The front part of the building is a bustling (and very busy) bar.  I'm glad when we're lead around the back of the restaurant to an equally large area that is reserved for diners only. Whilst this space is also pretty busy and also noisy (you have polished cement floors to thank for that I think) it's more more spacious feeling as everyone is sitting down...and eating.

Bridge St Garage seems to have a "thing" for red lighting and as we all know red lighting = BAD BAD BAD food photos. I struggled to take a photo of my lamb burger (don't you love it's pink hue) with the crazy lightening so you'll just have take my word that everyone's meals looked great and that the ribs got two messy thumbs up from Swah and Katie.

The menu is a mix of American diner-style food with some South American options. I've heard good things about the burgers so I already know what I'm having before I even arrive.

The lamb burger ($20.00) is massive and unlike the burgers my friends ordered, it comes on long roll (and a plate rather than a wooden board, thankfully). I like the Greek flavours in this burger - feta, olive tapenande. YUM! All of the burgers come with a side of fluffy hand cut potato chips and mine had the added bonus of a side of coleslaw too. It's not the best burger of my life, but it's flavoursome and filling and I feel like I got my $20 worth.

 

Bridge St Garage is at 7-19 Bridge Street, Sydney. Phone them on 9251 9392 (they take bookings)!!!