Restaurants

Cafes

  • From a 50-year-old family-owned company that helped pioneer the Australian coffee scene, this cafe in a converted warehouse is where you’ll find espressos on the go, Italian pastries (like mini hazelnut bombolone and citrusy ricotta-stuffed sfogliatelle) and fresh panini sandwiches filled with freshly sliced cured meats.

  • A second cafe-bakery for one the city's finest Portuguese tart makers. Find a grand display of traditional and less-conventional baked goods, and a cafe menu that plays with the Aussie idea of breakfast while paying homage to its Portuguese roots.

  • If you haven't waited in line here at least once, you're barely a Sydneysider.

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  • COOH Curl Curl Cafe and Roaster brings the wholefood movement into the old Vicinity space in Alexandria.

  • Huge serves of colourful plant-based food in a space designed to delight the senses.

  • A strong sandwich and roll selection make this one good for takeaway and sit-in alike.

Bars

  • Belgian blondes, Czech pilsners and rare European spirits: this small, family-run brewery is one of the few places in Sydney you can try them fresh from the source. Curb the effects with pizzas and grazing boards in the bright, spacious tap room.

  • At this low-key brewery by a father-son team, you'll never drink the same beer twice. Find new-world riffs on classic styles pouring in a cosy taproom lined with tanks and planted with greenery.

  • Grab a can of soft drink, punch a hole in the top and add a dash of booze. Enjoy with a feed of taco rice.

  • Experimental cocktails in a converted warehouse.

  • Australia's convict history is treasured at this brewery, where you can drink a Convict Lager or Hangman's Pale.

  • Pouring 12 vegan beers, local vegan wines and serving a full menu.

Shops

  • Durability, recyclability and beauty are the three tenets of this furniture and homewares studio. Here, you’ll find plenty of innovative furniture and accessories by Australian designers.

  • Like its cyberspace counterpart, Drnks bricks-and-mortar bottle shop stocks one of the country’s best selections of natural wine. You’ll also find Aussie spirits and beer, plus pantry items and ferments. Best of all – prices here are the same as online.

  • A second-hand furniture destination for treasure hunters.

  • The place to pick up (barely) used designer furniture on the cheap.

  • A niche bakery with a wide range and sense of experimentation.

  • Original modern furniture, minus the aspirational price tag.