Located in Sydney’s CBD, Zaffi has drawn in large crowds with its unique day-to-night format and vibrant entertainment.
Owner Chady Khouzame opened his first venue, the Carter, in 2014, in the midst of Sydney’s lockout laws. Operating a venue in that environment was a significant challenge, with Sydneysiders wary of staying out late due to the confusing restrictions and misinformation around “high-risk” areas. Even though the lockout laws have now been lifted, Chady is still seeing their effects on Sydney’s nightlife.
“By the time the lockout laws were lifted, we were dealing with another significant hit to hospitality – it was the peak of COVID lockdowns and so we never felt the freedom of going out without restrictions. Too much damage had already been done to our nightlife, and only now are we seeing it slowly come back to life,” he said.
Zaffi, which translates to celebration in Lebanese, is trying to revitalize Sydney’s nightlife by providing a space where people can start, continue, or end their night out. With a casual drinks and dining focus during the day, Zaffi transitions into a late-night destination on Friday and Saturday nights.
“We have a DJ that sets the mood early on, but as the night progresses, we’ve got late-night entertainment that gets the party started. We have Lebanese drummers playing throughout the venue, and it gets the people standing up and dancing on tables. To make room, we like to clear the tables later in the night to make space for a dancefloor,” Chady explained.
“Our biggest hit is our Lebanese drummers, which always gets the party started on Friday and Saturday nights. From 8pm, we have a DJ playing a mix of RnB, pop, club classics, Euro club beats and Lebanese music – anything that will get the crowd singing along and the party going. On occasion, we have other forms of traditional entertainment including the Lebanese flute,” he continued.
Chady has noticed a lot of large groups ending their night at Zaffi, as the entire venue, including the kitchen, is open until 4am.
“Given a lot of other venues in Sydney close early or have short seating times, we also get a lot of late-night patrons who move on from other venues who are shutting early,” Chady said.
When it comes to the bar offerings, the Lebanese influence continues to play a role.
“All of our cocktails have a Middle Eastern influence – our Arakian Negroni is a popular order, with Campari, Gin, Antica Formula and Arak. Some other signatures include the Avant Garden which has a lychee Vodka base, and Paris of the East – a tequila based cocktail with a fruity and floral profile,” Chady described.
For Chady, the energy and ambiance are as central to the success of Zaffi as the food and beverage offerings.
“Zaffi strives to be a one-stop shop that aims to create an immersive and unique dining experience – along with a great meal, patrons get to immerse themselves in the real Lebanese party ambiance. We take pride in being the exclusive venue in Sydney that offers such a seamless transition from dining to lively celebration all night long,” Chady concluded.
