What is bottomless brunch? How it works in Sydney

A bottomless brunch is a set-price meal where your drinks keep getting topped up for a fixed time,usually 90 minutes or two hours. You pay one price per person, eat a set or share menu, and the staff keep your glass full until the sitting ends. In Sydney it costs $59 to $179 per person, and most packages sit around $99.

It is now a Sydney Saturday fixture, with 260 venues listed on this site alone. Here is how it works, what you get and what to check before you book.

How a bottomless brunch works

You book a sitting. Most venues run set start times, often 11am, 12pm or 1pm. The clock usually runs from your booked time, so arriving late means less time on the drinks.

The food is fixed. Expect a set menu, a share-style banquet or a choice of one main. Some venues bring out plates for the table; others let each person order from a short list.

The drinks are free-flowing, from a set list. Mimosas, prosecco, spritzes, house wine and tap beer are the usual base. Cocktails such as espresso martinis and margaritas are sometimes included and sometimes an upgrade for $15 to $30 a head.

One drink at a time. Staff top you up when your glass is empty, but they won't line drinks up, and they can stop serving you. That is NSW responsible service of alcohol law, not the venue being stingy.

Bottomless brunch in Sydney, by the numbers

We've confirmed 117 bottomless packages on the venues' own websites and booking pages. Across those:

• Prices run from $59 to $179 per person, and the middle of the pack is $99.
• 17 venues (15%) charge under $80, and 8 charge more than $110.
• 67 give you two hours (57%) and 34 give you 90 minutes.
• 114 run on a Saturday and 79 on a Sunday.
• The cheapest confirmed option is Bar Nina in Darlinghurst, at $59pp.

See cheap bottomless brunch in Sydney for the full budget list, or our picks area by area.

What to check before you book

The whole-table rule. Many venues ask everyone at the table to take the bottomless package. If someone is pregnant, driving or not drinking, ask whether there's a lower food-only or non-alcoholic price.

Surcharges. A 10% Sunday surcharge and 15% on public holidays are common in Sydney, and some venues add a service charge for bigger groups. Check whether the advertised price includes them.

What is actually included. "Bottomless" can mean everything on the drinks list or only one or two drinks. Read the package before you book, and ask about cocktail upgrades if they matter to your group.

Dietary needs. Set menus can be hard to change on the day. Mention vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free or allergy needs when you book, not when you sit down.

Is a bottomless brunch worth it?

It works out well if you'd have three or more drinks with a meal anyway. At $99 a head, a typical package covers a set meal plus drinks that would cost more ordered one by one. It is less good value if you're a slow drinker, if half the table isn't drinking, or if you arrive late and lose part of the sitting.