Newtown Food and wine

Drink and dine on King Street

Cocktails, cafes, a crazy array of restaurants and an unapologetic ‘anything goes’ vibe … Newtown’s food and wine scene is one of the city’s best.

But whether you congregate with the coffee lovers on cushioned window seats in the Vargabar or join the crowds at Campos, make time for Australia Street, home to breezy Barmuda and famous patisserie Black Star.

Try a short black and a raspberry crème brulee at Black Star and you could turn a good day into a great one.

If small bars are your thing, start with too-cool-for-school Bloodwood, where cocktails and polenta chips are mandatory. Or, bag a retro couch at Madame Fling Flongs, a teeny seat at cute-as-a-button Corridor, a tall stool at Enmore Road’s Ra Bar, or a 50s sofa at Mad Men-style lounge bar Green Room.

Newtown’s main drag and leafy backstreets boast great beer gardens, too. While away a Sunday arvo with a jug of beer and a chunky schnitzel at the Courthouse, soak up the Moroccan vibe of the Zanzibar rooftop or find a spot on the open-air decks at the Balinese-inspired Bank Hotel. There’s decent food, wine and beer at the iconic Carlisle Castle or head to the Coopers Arms’ airy indoor/outdoor bistro. Also, check out The Marlborough’s outdoor beer garden and upstairs veranda, perfect for people watching.

Hungry? Prepare for a bout of indecision – there are over 140 restaurants and all kinds of cuisines along King Street. Izote does a mean Mexican, Iiza boasts some of the best Japanese food this side of the city and for Lebanese, don’t go past Al-Aseel or Emma’s on Liberty. For great cheap eats, you could slurp a spicy soup at Pho, enjoy pork and chive dumplings at Dumpling King, or a Chicken Guerrero taco at Guzman Y Gomez.