Guidebook for Darlinghurst
Food Scene
One of the few Sth African street food eateries in Sydney and has survived at least three years in a high-turnover and competitive dining strip!
Lucky Tsotsi Shebeen and Bar
245 Oxford StOne of the few Sth African street food eateries in Sydney and has survived at least three years in a high-turnover and competitive dining strip!
Saigon Bay Restaurant
249 Oxford StActually I can't currently recommend it but it has been there many years...
One of the first popular Thai restaurants locally and a real stayer on a block that was once wall to wall with diners, usually on a date, enjoying attentive,family-owned hospitality. Authentic food!
27 locals recommend
Thai Nesia Restaurant
243 Oxford StOne of the first popular Thai restaurants locally and a real stayer on a block that was once wall to wall with diners, usually on a date, enjoying attentive,family-owned hospitality. Authentic food!
Another decades-long institution, Croatian owned with fresh meat and seafood cooked on open grills at the window. Other 'The Balkan' outlets have cropped up elsewhere but I think this was first...?
10 locals recommend
Balkan Restaurant
249 Crown StAnother decades-long institution, Croatian owned with fresh meat and seafood cooked on open grills at the window. Other 'The Balkan' outlets have cropped up elsewhere but I think this was first...?
See Balkan Seafood Restaurant listing only this serves meat, smoked, cured, grilled, roasted, etc. etc. Maybe this was first!
10 locals recommend
Balkan Restaurant
249 Crown StSee Balkan Seafood Restaurant listing only this serves meat, smoked, cured, grilled, roasted, etc. etc. Maybe this was first!
They tried to start a franchise from this concept store but only this seems left! Tricky corner with wonderful views of the city but only 191 cafe really succeeded here, Cubano has outlasted most sinc
12 locals recommend
Coco Cubano Taylor Square
191 Oxford StreetThey tried to start a franchise from this concept store but only this seems left! Tricky corner with wonderful views of the city but only 191 cafe really succeeded here, Cubano has outlasted most sinc
The cafe is busy but deservedly so with great breakfast dishes & real chai, and efficiently gets through the queues while others file upstairs and down, leafing through secondhand fiction and non...
35 locals recommend
Ampersand Cafe & Bookstore.
78 Oxford StThe cafe is busy but deservedly so with great breakfast dishes & real chai, and efficiently gets through the queues while others file upstairs and down, leafing through secondhand fiction and non...
Drinks & Nightlife
Good counter lunches, selection of wines and beers, well furnished plus sidewalk dining/drinking/smoking. An old corner pub named after a reputedly gay state Governor and spruced up in the 1990s
9 locals recommend
Beauchamp Hotel
265-267 Oxford StGood counter lunches, selection of wines and beers, well furnished plus sidewalk dining/drinking/smoking. An old corner pub named after a reputedly gay state Governor and spruced up in the 1990s
Seems the only big regular social event ATM across Sydney's gay community – Sunday eve drinks at the Beresford. Once a popular pub in the 90s, now refitted by the leading publican group Merivale
203 locals recommend
The Beresford
354 Bourke StSeems the only big regular social event ATM across Sydney's gay community – Sunday eve drinks at the Beresford. Once a popular pub in the 90s, now refitted by the leading publican group Merivale
Everything Else
Once was the heart of gay culture outside of nightclubs, where we waited for imported books, calendars, cards, DVDs and 'earlier media' to arrive. Still hosts signings and launches, stocks books etc.!
The Bookshop Darlinghurst
207 Oxford StOnce was the heart of gay culture outside of nightclubs, where we waited for imported books, calendars, cards, DVDs and 'earlier media' to arrive. Still hosts signings and launches, stocks books etc.!
A specialist in art, graphic design, fashion, photography, architecture etc. 'coffee table' books, signed new releases and giftware. Great for browsing and set the tone for bookshopping for some time
19 locals recommend
Ariel Booksellers
326 Oxford StreetA specialist in art, graphic design, fashion, photography, architecture etc. 'coffee table' books, signed new releases and giftware. Great for browsing and set the tone for bookshopping for some time
A family-owned business with stores elsewhere and they know secondhand books - meaning some serious prices and rare editions. has a cafe upstairs & new releases and gifts, cards downstairs
50 locals recommend
Berkelouw Paddington
19 Oxford StA family-owned business with stores elsewhere and they know secondhand books - meaning some serious prices and rare editions. has a cafe upstairs & new releases and gifts, cards downstairs
Arts & Culture
Independent cinema chain Palace owns this and runs arthouse and indie films, shorts, festivals, awards nights, etc. Only 4–5 smaller theatres, cafe/bar, snack counter
139 locals recommend
Palace Verona
17 Oxford StIndependent cinema chain Palace owns this and runs arthouse and indie films, shorts, festivals, awards nights, etc. Only 4–5 smaller theatres, cafe/bar, snack counter
God help us, one of the few gay night clubs left – and even on Saturdays it's not particularly! Opened in 1999 when I was overseas so I never bonded with it but it means a lot to many
33 locals recommend
ARQ Sydney
16 Flinders StGod help us, one of the few gay night clubs left – and even on Saturdays it's not particularly! Opened in 1999 when I was overseas so I never bonded with it but it means a lot to many