Our Sydney favourites
2 - Food
It's cheap and it's a great spot for a quick focaccia. The lunch and dinner meals are served upstairs. Look out for the massive schnitzels.
25 locals recommend
Bill & Toni Italian Restaurant
72-74 Stanley StIt's cheap and it's a great spot for a quick focaccia. The lunch and dinner meals are served upstairs. Look out for the massive schnitzels.
One of the best Italian family style joints around.. Simple place, always busy, can sit outside, BYO... Very reasonably priced! If the restaurant is too full go to Reggio Lounge next door, same people, same menu, just no pizza but licensed - we actually prefer the lunge, go for the outside tables on Stanley Street.
60 locals recommend
Bar Reggio
135 Crown StOne of the best Italian family style joints around.. Simple place, always busy, can sit outside, BYO... Very reasonably priced! If the restaurant is too full go to Reggio Lounge next door, same people, same menu, just no pizza but licensed - we actually prefer the lunge, go for the outside tables on Stanley Street.
Rey's place is a great new addition the neighbourhood. Modern Filipino food. Awesome lunch specials, $14 rice bowls with skewers and a reasonably priced drinks. Also great for dinner or a drink and a snack.Jonathan, the owner is lovely and looks after his guests like family.
Rey's Place
163 Crown StRey's place is a great new addition the neighbourhood. Modern Filipino food. Awesome lunch specials, $14 rice bowls with skewers and a reasonably priced drinks. Also great for dinner or a drink and a snack.Jonathan, the owner is lovely and looks after his guests like family.
Amazing Ramen - best in town. Ramen is lunch only Tuesdays- Friday - 12pm until sold out. Also for dinner Monday evenings. Regular evenings it is a Teppanyaki place, BBQ skewers, can get expensive but lunch is reasonably priced $15-18 for a massive ramen.. So good!
27 locals recommend
Chaco Bar
186-188 Victoria StAmazing Ramen - best in town. Ramen is lunch only Tuesdays- Friday - 12pm until sold out. Also for dinner Monday evenings. Regular evenings it is a Teppanyaki place, BBQ skewers, can get expensive but lunch is reasonably priced $15-18 for a massive ramen.. So good!
The closest thing to Tokyo you will find in Sydney. A small restaurant run by mother and daughter team. They are lovely people and the food is amazing!! Proper Japanese, small menu, lots of seasonal changes. Very good Sake selection. Highly recommend booking the day before as they are often fully booked. Go there!!!
6 locals recommend
Nom Japanese
166 Riley StThe closest thing to Tokyo you will find in Sydney. A small restaurant run by mother and daughter team. They are lovely people and the food is amazing!! Proper Japanese, small menu, lots of seasonal changes. Very good Sake selection. Highly recommend booking the day before as they are often fully booked. Go there!!!
Another favourite of ours. A great gastro pub with classic modern Italian. Amazing ingredients, amazing food and quality ingredients. Their pizza is amazing, as are all the main dishes and pasta. Looks the specials. Head to their wine room too, it won 2018 Australia's bar of the year. It's a really interesting venue. Gets busy.
140 locals recommend
The Dolphin Hotel
412 Crown StreetAnother favourite of ours. A great gastro pub with classic modern Italian. Amazing ingredients, amazing food and quality ingredients. Their pizza is amazing, as are all the main dishes and pasta. Looks the specials. Head to their wine room too, it won 2018 Australia's bar of the year. It's a really interesting venue. Gets busy.
A very interesting menu. Great food with a casual, yet fine dining atmosphere. Bookings pretty much essential. Not the cheapest place but very worth every penny.
88 locals recommend
Ester Restaurant
46-52 Meagher StA very interesting menu. Great food with a casual, yet fine dining atmosphere. Bookings pretty much essential. Not the cheapest place but very worth every penny.
Another great new addition for the local Japanese food scene.. A little pricey but so so good. Nice for a local romantic dinner or celebration.
Gaku Robata Grill
132 Darlinghurst RdAnother great new addition for the local Japanese food scene.. A little pricey but so so good. Nice for a local romantic dinner or celebration.
Great place for breakfast / lunch. BRUNCH! Really delicious and interesting menu. Japanese fusion influenced. Great coffee and friendly staff. Reasonably priced. Involves a bit of a walk up the hill but you then deserve that extra naughty dish at bottom of the menu!
8 locals recommend
Fable Coffee sydney
128 Darlinghurst RdGreat place for breakfast / lunch. BRUNCH! Really delicious and interesting menu. Japanese fusion influenced. Great coffee and friendly staff. Reasonably priced. Involves a bit of a walk up the hill but you then deserve that extra naughty dish at bottom of the menu!
Decent dumplings, great selection of beer. We come here sometimes as it is close and an easy option if you need that dumpling fix but can't make it to Chinatown.
61 locals recommend
Dumplings & Beer
9 Ward AveDecent dumplings, great selection of beer. We come here sometimes as it is close and an easy option if you need that dumpling fix but can't make it to Chinatown.
Close to home, comfort food. Nice place to sit outside and relaxing atmosphere. Simple menu, fairly classic café fare, but well done with excellent coffee and attentive staff.
14 locals recommend
Bloodhound Espresso
230-232 Palmer StClose to home, comfort food. Nice place to sit outside and relaxing atmosphere. Simple menu, fairly classic café fare, but well done with excellent coffee and attentive staff.
Italian asian fusion? Yes please. Famous chef (and friend) Mitch Orr will not disappoint you with his clever take on classic Italian.
50 locals recommend
Acme
60 Bayswater RdItalian asian fusion? Yes please. Famous chef (and friend) Mitch Orr will not disappoint you with his clever take on classic Italian.
The closest and bested place for a coffee in the morning. Robbie is proper Italian and he loves his guests! They have a nice simple weekday breakfast and lunch menu. Always check the lunch specials! Great! (WEEKDAYS ONLY)
9 locals recommend
Quattro Passi
176 Liverpool StThe closest and bested place for a coffee in the morning. Robbie is proper Italian and he loves his guests! They have a nice simple weekday breakfast and lunch menu. Always check the lunch specials! Great! (WEEKDAYS ONLY)
Our go to when we can't be bothered cooking.. It' close to home, very good Thai food and reasonable prices.
Roy Siam Thai Viet Restaurant
70 Stanley StOur go to when we can't be bothered cooking.. It' close to home, very good Thai food and reasonable prices.
Great old pub with a theatre! Colourful locals, amazing contemporary english pub food, interesting wines and beers on tap. Nice spot to spend an afternoon.
46 locals recommend
The Old Fitzroy Hotel
129 Dowling StGreat old pub with a theatre! Colourful locals, amazing contemporary english pub food, interesting wines and beers on tap. Nice spot to spend an afternoon.
Every Saturday early till 1pm. Great fresh produce and loads of good food stalls.
33 locals recommend
Carriageworks Farmers Market
245 Wilson StEvery Saturday early till 1pm. Great fresh produce and loads of good food stalls.
3 - Bars, Pubs & Music Venues
Ching-a-Lings
133 Oxford StBest local bar in the area. Not to be missed.
The Flinders Hotel
63-65 Flinders StTrendy late night bar. The restaurant upstairs is worth the visit also.
Excellent underground flintstones-like space, great drinks. Check out to see what bands are playing.
13 locals recommend
Hudson Ballroom
53-55 Liverpool StreetExcellent underground flintstones-like space, great drinks. Check out to see what bands are playing.
Nice wine selection and great food.. Not the cheapest option, but quality wine and food. Good lunch $15 specials. Close to home! Monday night steak specials are also great!
33 locals recommend
East Village Hotel
234 Palmer StNice wine selection and great food.. Not the cheapest option, but quality wine and food. Good lunch $15 specials. Close to home! Monday night steak specials are also great!
A small wine bar hidden in a back lane. Amazing wine list, very fun staff. A romantic spot for a glass of wine as well and nice food. Can have a full meal there or just some snacks. Romantic.
83 locals recommend
Love, Tilly Devine
91 Crown LnA small wine bar hidden in a back lane. Amazing wine list, very fun staff. A romantic spot for a glass of wine as well and nice food. Can have a full meal there or just some snacks. Romantic.
Bar, bordering on nightclub. Open late 3am. Easy stumble home :) Always has a great music line up with Sydneys best DJ's and regular internationals. The food is also great, lunch specials are very good value.
16 locals recommend
Harry's & Hotel Harry
44 Wentworth AveBar, bordering on nightclub. Open late 3am. Easy stumble home :) Always has a great music line up with Sydneys best DJ's and regular internationals. The food is also great, lunch specials are very good value.
Amazing wine bar & restaurant, amazing, amazing.. All the best sommeliers, chefs and hospitality crew frequent this place. A short cab ride up to paddington, but also very walkable if you are up for a 20 minute stroll along Oxford street.
45 locals recommend
10 William St
10 William StreetAmazing wine bar & restaurant, amazing, amazing.. All the best sommeliers, chefs and hospitality crew frequent this place. A short cab ride up to paddington, but also very walkable if you are up for a 20 minute stroll along Oxford street.
A classic Aussie pub. Very local scene. Always fun, gets busy and a little rowdy but in a very safe and friendly way. The place is like a big happy family. They have live Jazz every Wednesday night. Cheap drinks, friendly staff.. Good vibes. Open until midnight. Also do decent pub food, check website for specials.
34 locals recommend
The Cricketers Arms Hotel
106 Fitzroy StA classic Aussie pub. Very local scene. Always fun, gets busy and a little rowdy but in a very safe and friendly way. The place is like a big happy family. They have live Jazz every Wednesday night. Cheap drinks, friendly staff.. Good vibes. Open until midnight. Also do decent pub food, check website for specials.
The Bearded Tit
183 Regent St1 - Essentials
IGA Supermarket
23 Oxford StClosest Supermarket, 3 minute walk from home.
A great new addition to the grocery side of things.They have nice things and its not too expensive. A small independent group of grocers. Great place to pick up some breakfast ingredients or cooking a simple meal at home.
117 locals recommend
QE Foodstores
235 Bronte RdA great new addition to the grocery side of things.They have nice things and its not too expensive. A small independent group of grocers. Great place to pick up some breakfast ingredients or cooking a simple meal at home.
4 - Bottle shops
Best Cellars
91 Crown StAll your wine needs with friendly gents to help you pick out a real gem.
Decent shop, independently run, nice people, good selection of wines and cheap import beers.
Corkscrew Cellars
108 Oxford StDecent shop, independently run, nice people, good selection of wines and cheap import beers.
Great selection of Natural wines available take away from the wine room. Really nice and unusual selection, don't be afraid to ask for advice. Have a glass there and take home a bottle.
140 locals recommend
The Dolphin Hotel
412 Crown StreetGreat selection of Natural wines available take away from the wine room. Really nice and unusual selection, don't be afraid to ask for advice. Have a glass there and take home a bottle.