Spice Alley, ChippendaleCredit: Destination NSW
Spice Alley filled with evening diners. Chippendale.
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Welcome to the flavour capital of Australia. Sydney has it all: multicultural dining districts, internationally recognised restaurants, brilliant opportunities to try local produce and Aboriginal bush tucker, and more. Here’s how to get a taste of the city centre.
Whet your appetite in Surry Hills
Surry Hills, on the eastern fringe of the city centre, has long been a foodie magnet, making this a great place to base yourself for a culinary-centric visit. Bed down at the Paramount House Hotel. This well-designed boutique hotel has Paramount Coffee Project at its doorstep — so a good latte or burnt-fig muesli is not that far away. In the same complex you’ll find Golden Age Cinema & Bar on the lower ground if you’re after a cult film screening with a Gelato Messina choc top. Also downstairs: Poly, a wine bar with a smart drinks list and an inspired menu by head chef Isabelle Caulfield. Don't miss her sticky date doughnuts or fried potato snack with salted egg yolk.
At Firedoor, just a five minute walk to the south, every dish is cooked over smoke and hot coals — even the salads and dessert. The open kitchen allows guests a clear view of the action and you’ll definitely want a front-row perspective of chef Lennox Hastie at work. He creates high-temperature magic by placing local ingredients over embers and grills; his mastery of fire has made him a local star on Netflix’s Chef’s Table: BBQ series.
Learn about bush foods on an Aboriginal tour
Sydney’s culinary history goes back millennia, which you’ll quickly learn on an Aboriginal Cultural Tour conducted in the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Your Aboriginal guide will teach you about the Cadigal people, the area’s Traditional Owners, and point out significant plants found in this harbourside garden such as lemon myrtle and saltbush. You’ll get to taste some, too.
Hit the markets
Carriageworks Farmers Markets in the Inner West suburb of Eveleigh is the place to be on a Saturday morning. Overseen by Kitchen By Mike’s Mike McEnearney, the line-up of stallholders showcases growers and producers from across NSW — from Hilltops Free Range Eggs to Pecora Dairy. You’ll also encounter ingredients used by top chefs (like Randall Organic rice, which you’ll find in dishes at Quay and Lankan Filling Station). While you’re browsing the stalls, grab a coffee from Roasters with Altitude or a fruity drink from Parkers Organic Juice. Pick up some freshly baked bread from Berkelo, well-made cakes from Flour and Stone and the blueberry, coconut and chocolate flavours on offer from Crumpets By Merna.
You’ll come across Pasta Emilia’s tortellini and ravioli at the markets, but you can also head to the Surry Hills restaurant to learn traditional Italian pasta-making via its cooking classes. Master making three types of gnocchi or try the beginner’s class, where you’ll get to shape fresh linguine strands and twisted strozzapreti. Afterwards, enjoy a three-course meal fashioned from your own creations, as well as a complimentary glass of organic wine.
Firedoor, Sydney Credit: Nikki To
Chef Lennox Hastie in the kitchen at Surry Hill's Firedoor restaurant.
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Firedoor, Sydney Credit: Nikki To
Chef Lennox Hastie in the kitchen at Surry Hill's Firedoor restaurant.
Carriageworks Farmers Markets, Eveleigh Credit: Destination NSW
Crowds enjoying a day out at Carriageworks Markets in Eveleigh.
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Carriageworks Farmers Markets, Eveleigh Credit: Destination NSW
Crowds enjoying a day out at Carriageworks Markets in Eveleigh.
Discover laneway gems
Tucked away in the city centre’s Angel Place alleyway, Restaurant Leo serves delightful Italian dishes using seasonal local produce. Try the lobster maccheroncini and the veal saltimbocca. Around the corner, you’ll find Lorraine’s Patisserie, which is run by Lorraine Godsmark, one of Sydney’s greatest pâtissiers. Try her strawberry mascarpone cake, toffee vanilla choux puffs or the date tart, which became famous during her reign at Rockpool restaurant.
Back in Surry Hills, Brix Distillers took years to launch the first barrel release of its delicious rum, but you can take home your own special spiced rum blend immediately after participating in a rum-spicing masterclass and distillery tour here.
For a late-night cocktail, head to Cantina OK!, an intimate mezcal bar in Surry Hills. Or if you’re looking for somewhere more roomier, head to the much-loved Surry Hills institution that is the Hollywood Hotel for a casual beer or spritz.
Enjoy brunch with a twist
Yes, Nour in Surry Hills serves eggs for breakfast — but there’s nothing generic about its brunch menu. This Middle Eastern restaurant skips the default toast option and offers Baalbek fried eggs with tahini yoghurt, smoked almond crumb and flatbread. Your crumpets are flavoured with falafel and, should you opt for the bottomless brunch menu, you can start your morning with Persian spritzes.
Also in Surry Hills, Dead Ringer, the sister restaurant to the award-winning Bulletin Place cocktail bar in the city centre, does brunch with a difference — and not just because there’s no avocado toast on the menu. Here brunch means pulled pork and black bean tostadas, baked ricotta tarts and slow-roasted chicken with braised zucchini and lemon yoghurt), which are paired with bottomless mimosa spritzes. You can “brunch harder” with extra espresso martini and dessert, too.
Picnic in a Sydney park
Spend an afternoon picnicking in one of Sydney’s many relaxing parks. At the Gateway Sydney food court in Circular Quay, grab scoops of Gelato Messina or takeaway pancakes from Four Frogs Creperie to enjoy in the Royal Botanic Garden. Or pick up snacks from The Rocks Markets held nearby on weekends. Nearby Barangaroo’s foreshore has plenty of nice spots by the harbour — and an international selection of eateries to choose from, whether it’s Anason’s Turkish delights (make use of the simit cart if it’s around) or Ume Burger’s Japanese-inspired menu.
Wander to Spice Alley and Darling Square
For a fun evening, browse the Asian street food stalls at Spice Alley in Chippendale, a short stroll south of Central Station. Twirl your chopsticks around Kyo-to’s ramen, discover the rainbow dumplings at Shanghai Dumpling Bar, or check out KOI Dessert Bar for incredible sweets.
Or head to Darling Square in nearby Haymarket, where you can find Barcelona-inspired tapas at Boque By Tapavino, Japanese green tea desserts at Matcha-Ya and new-wave Chinese food at XOPP. This eatery is named after celebrity chef David Chang’s favourite dish in the world, the pipis in XO sauce at XOPP’s sister restaurant Golden Century.
Hotel Hollywood, Surry Hills Credit: Destination NSW
Art deco signage on the dacade of the Hotel Hollywood building in Surry Hills.
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Hotel Hollywood, Surry Hills Credit: Destination NSW
Art deco signage on the dacade of the Hotel Hollywood building in Surry Hills.
Spice Alley, Chippendale Credit: Destination NSW
People enjoying Asian hawker-style street food at Spice Alley, Chippendale.
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Spice Alley, Chippendale Credit: Destination NSW
People enjoying Asian hawker-style street food at Spice Alley, Chippendale.
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Corowa Whisky & Chocolate, CorowaCredit: Destination NSW
Couple enjoying a visit to Corowa Whisky & Chocolate, Corowa.
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Feast on the riches of one of Australia’s most important food bowls on a road trip through the Murray, named after the mighty river that flows through this southwest area of New South Wales. Float down the river on a historic paddlesteamer wine cruise, stop by farm gates to sample incredible fresh produce, and dine at chic restaurants and bars in this unique culinary playground.
Take the back roads for gourmet treats
Head off the beaten path along The Backroads Trail, a 250km driving route that passes through the small pastoral towns of Barham, Moama, Mathoura and Deniliquin on the upper reaches of the Murray River. Sink your teeth into fresh olives, avocados, free-range pork, honey and citrus fruit from farm gates along its loops and trails, and taste the region’s wines at vineyards such as Restdown Wines. While you’re at this winery, venture out along the Restdown Wetland Walk to encounter Aboriginal cooking hearths and an old sheep camp.
Cruise along to The Old School Winery & Meadery in Womboota to pick up wine, pottery and honey mead. Or seek out Ivy Joyce in Barham to indulge in a warm space, offering local produce from farms for a truly paddock to plate experience in the heart of Murray River country. For more snacks and meaty fare such as British-style pork pies and sausages, head to Pacdon Park’s factory shop in Moama.
You can work up an appetite as you build your own itinerary on the theme of food, paddocks and produce, and find suggested routes and maps to Murray River farm gates, at the Echuca Moama Visitor Centre.
Wine and dine along the river
Embark on a wine tour by water in Moama, where the first steamboats made their way up the Murray in 1853. Take a Murray River Paddlesteamers Wharf to Winery Cruise from the town to Morrisons Riverview Winery for a leisurely lunch. Or drive along the river, stopping in at Three Black Sheep for risotto and woodfired pizzas, and tasting crisp dry whites and full-flavoured reds at St Anne’s Vineyards, where you can nibble on a cheese platter overlooking a scenic lake.
Head east along the riverside roads to rest and recharge in the town of Tocumwal, known for its riverside beaches, golf courses, glider flying and iconic Big Murray Cod statue. Start the following day with a solid foundation of breakfast pizza (topped with bacon, eggs and a hash brown) at The Old Bank and indulge in a scoop of ice-cream or sorbet from Tocumwal Ice Creamery – flavours include rocky road, green apple or macadamia. If you’re in town on a Saturday, pick up honey, fruit, vegetables, olive oil, dressings and other condiments made by local producers at the Tocumwal Foreshore Markets.
Continue your odyssey along the river to Corowa, the birthplace of Australian Federation. Immerse in the town’s rich turn-of-the-20th-century colonial heritage as you make your way to the former 1920s flour mill housing Corowa Distilling Co. Here you can book a whisky tasting and behind-the-scenes tour and buy locally made chocolates and sweets from sister shop Junee Licorice and Chocolate Factory. Work off an indulgent afternoon with a walk along the river before settling into the stylish Circa 1936 hotel, which is housed in an Art Deco former bank on the main street of Corowa.
Celebrate regional ingredients in Albury
From Corowa, follow the Riverina Highway eastward to the city of Albury, a food, wine and culture hub. Taste how seasonality and locality are expressed at The Proprietor, a former butcher shop turned cafe offering brunch treats such as fruit toast with Beechworth honey and whipped ricotta, and banana waffles with Gundowring vanilla ice-cream. Or try the all-day breakfast offering at Mr Benedict, from cheesy bacon waffle with popcorn chicken to one of its signature eggs benedicts, including one with cider-braised ham hock.
At The River Deck restaurant, local ingredients are celebrated alongside stunning river views, and dishes may include chicken Caesar salad with Milawa eggs or beef brisket braised in coffee by Albury roaster The Brothers Cup. At tiny and elegant Bistro Selle, complement warm Gooramadda olives with a buttery Australian chardonnay and fresh market fish. Yardbird offers a bold-flavoured menu featuring dishes like scorched Albacore tuna, along with meats grilled in a Spanish woodfired oven.
In between meals, stroll along the Yindyamarra Sculpture Walk and take in the contemporary artworks by Aboriginal artists that line the Wagirra Trail. Meander through the Murray Art Museum Albury’s contemporary photographic collection, Aboriginal art and works by renowned Australian artist Sir Russell Drysdale. Afterwards, order lunch or dinner at the museum’s excellent Canvas Eatery – try the saltbush lamb rump or one of their Neapolitan-style pizzas.
The Old School Winery & Meadery, Womboota Credit: Destination NSW
Couple taste tasting mead at The Old School Winery & Meadery, Womboota
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The Old School Winery & Meadery, Womboota Credit: Destination NSW
Couple taste tasting mead at The Old School Winery & Meadery, Womboota
Morrison's Riverview Winery and Restaurant, Moama Credit: Destination NSW
Food and wine available from Morrison's Riverview Winery and Restaurant, Moama.
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Morrison's Riverview Winery and Restaurant, Moama Credit: Destination NSW
Food and wine available from Morrison's Riverview Winery and Restaurant, Moama.
Corowa Whisky & Chocolate, Corowa Credit: Destination NSW
Corowa Whisky & Chocolate located in a 1920âs old flour mill in Corowa.
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Corowa Whisky & Chocolate, Corowa Credit: Destination NSW
Corowa Whisky & Chocolate located in a 1920âs old flour mill in Corowa.
Canvas Eatery, Albury Credit: Destination NSW
Food and wine available at Canvas Eatery in Albury.
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Canvas Eatery, Albury Credit: Destination NSW
Food and wine available at Canvas Eatery in Albury.