Surry Hills Food and wine

Inner-city dining

Food and wine fans visiting chic, urban Surry Hills will find a great range of pubs, wine bars, cafés and restaurants. And because many of the best aren’t on the main drag of Crown Street, it pays to do a bit of exploring.

Cosy cafes are everywhere. Try La Mint on Crown, browse the recipe books and sample the delicious, unfussy fare at The Book Kitchen on Devonshire Street, or join the crowds at the Bourke Street Bakery to buy freshly-baked cakes, pastries and sourdough loaves.

For pub grub to write home about, the Forresters on the corner of Foveaux and Riley is a favourite, as is The Clock on Crown Street and the friendly, Irish-inspired Trinity Pub on the corner of Crown and Devonshire.

The restaurant scene here is also superb. Squeeze into the lively, family-friendly Pizza e Birra for casual Italian fare, watch the talented chefs at Toko making sushi and grilling yakitori, or book Bentley Restaurant and Bar’s innovative degustation. Other musts include tapas bar Bodega, Red Lantern for celebrity chef Luke Nguyen’s award-winning Vietnamese and the unique dining experience that is Table for 20.

Ready to check out local bars? Good food and wine abounds in Surry Hills but some of the best are well hidden. Sticky Bar (entered via a back alley after texting the ‘secret’ password on the door to a mobile number), is one of them, as is the intimate Bar H on Campbell Street, 121BC on Holt Street and Gardel’s Bar on Cleveland, above fantastic Argentinian restaurant, Porteno. On Crown Street, don’t miss super-cool Mille Vini or Gazebo at The Winery, both are fun, lively bars to visit with a group of mates.