A sports lover's guide to Sydney: Where to eat, drink & play

Morning 

You’ve probably seen Sydney’s icons on postcards and social media, but exploring the harbour in real life offers a completely different angle. See the Sydney Opera House illuminated by the rising sun with an eco-certified Sydney by Kayak sunrise tour and follow it up with a BridgeClimb walk to the summit of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, showcasing unparalleled views of the city. After an energetic morning of sightseeing, refuel with a Sydney tradition – yum cha. The Eight, famous for both the range and quality of its dim sum, is one of the city’s best. 

BridgeClimb, Sydney

Afternoon  

After seeing Sydney’s icons in the morning, view the city from a different perspective via Dreamtime Southern X, an Aboriginal-run tour company that has been providing culturally immersive tours around The Rocks (a historic colonial neighbourhood) for more than two decades. Need merch for a game? Get loaded up at Mick Simmons in the city, which stocks Matildas jerseys, or travel a little farther to Alexandria’s Ultra Football, which has a huge range of jerseys (including a big selection of national teams) as well as the usual epic collection of football kit.

Dreamtime Southern X tour, Balls Head

Evening 

Sydney has been named the best steak city in the world, with 11 restaurants featured on the World’s 101 Best Steak Restaurants list for 2025. Of these, Margaret, took out the coveted second spot and Rockpool Bar & Grill Sydney stands at number 12. The latter is renowned for dry-aged steaks cooked to perfection and served with mustard and housemade barbecue sauce. Can't get a reservation? Try Bistecca, The Gidley, Porteno or Firedoor, which also made the list. 

Margaret, Double Bay - Credit: Petrina Tinslay

Morning 

Sydney has a thriving cafe culture and, no exaggeration, some of the best coffee in the world. Your second day in Sydney could start with a sample. In the leafy, historic suburb of Paddington try Morris for a modern Australian iteration or Barbetta for a traditional Italian breakfast and cappuccino. Paddington is a short walk from both the Sydney Football Stadium and Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). Soak up some sporting history with an SCG Tour, which takes you through the 100-year-plus history of the ground, its celebrated legends and epic moments.   

Barbetta, Paddington - Credit: Nikki To

Afternoon  

Recharge with one of Sydney’s best burgers nearby at Mary's EQ in the Entertainment Quarter, then spend the afternoon making your own sporting memories at Moore Park Golf Course, home to a full 18-hole course and driving range. If you need to improve your swing, visit Howe2Golf where you can enjoy a beer and a meal after tackling a training course. 

Moore Park Golf, Moore Park - Credit: Andrew Burgess | Moore Park Golf

Evening 

Paddington isn’t just famous for its pretty streets and cafes, it also has an incredible density of great pubs. Start at The Village Inn, a two-storey building that was the first pub to open in Paddington Village in 1890. From its charming facade, a balcony with views over the high-end shopping spot The Intersection and hearty menu featuring dishes like spice bags and pub classics, it’s an enticing proposition. From there, make your way to award-winning Paddington pubs like The London, Paddo Inn, Four In Hand and The Lord Dudley. For a more elevated experience, head to Middle Eastern tapas bar Caness, or stay casual with a pub meal on the rooftop of Light Brigade Hotel, which also has a sports bar downstairs.

The Light Brigade, Woollahra

Morning 

Start your day on the other side of the stadium precinct. Surry Hills is known for good eats and pretty streets. There are many lauded cafes in the neighbourhood but, for two options in one, head to Paramount Coffee Project, a sleek cafe with a sunny rooftop space housing one of Sydney's best bakeries, AP House. 

The edge of Surry Hills borders Moore Park. Today you can swap golf clubs for the wheel of an F1-imitating go-kart at Hyper Karting and Virtual Reality. The German RiMO electric karts are cutting-edge and reach a maximum speed of 65km/hr. 

Hyper Karting and Virtual Reality, Moore Park - Credit: Hyper Karting and Virtual Reality

Afternoon

If you’re after something a little more chilled after a high-intensity morning, lock in recovery time at Soak Bathhouse Alexandria, where you’ll find magnesium-infused baths, cold-plunge pools and saunas. But if you’re keen to keep playing, visit Archie Brothers: a circus-themed arcade host to retro games (think Pac-Man, Space Invaders and Whack-a-Mole), bowling lanes, dodgems, laser tag, and VR platforms that take you on roller-coaster rides and down ski slopes... all under one roof in Alexandria. It's easy to while away the hours jumping from one activity to the next, so make sure to grab some lunch beforehand at Sydney Brewery Alexandria, which is a three-minute walk away, where you can grab ice-cold brews poured straight from the source alongside burgers, wings and nachos. 

Soak Bathhouse Alexandria - Credit: Soak Bathhouse

Evening 

Everyone has heard of smash rooms and escape rooms. The new kid on the block? Challenge rooms. And Sydney has its own version in a nearby warehouse. Developed by the Funlab team (the creators of the mini-golf chain Holey Moley), Hijinx Hotel lets you choose between five, 10 or 15 games (with the full course taking around 2.5 hours), and the rooms are themed around classics like Scrabble and Twister, historic events like Titanic, or just crazy concepts like ‘the floor is lava’. Bar snacks and cocktails are available, so you can indulge while you play. 

Got a post-game thirst? Head to Yulli's Brews, a taproom and brewery less than a five-minute drive away. The menu is brimming with tasty vegan bar snacks, such as kimchi dumplings and satay eggplant skewers, plus board games and late-night live music will keep everyone entertained.  

Hijinx Hotel, Alexandria - Credit: Zennieshia Butts

Morning

Today it’s time to head west. Parramatta has a diverse and rapidly growing cafe scene that includes spots like Misc, a trendy restaurant nestled in Parramatta Park with a menu and interiors tailor-made for Instagram. If you’re looking for a more humble and homey setting, then settle into Circa Espresso in central Parramatta. The cafe is a local institution that’s been winning awards for its coffee and Middle Eastern-influenced fare since opening in 2010. After breakfast, go and explore. The park where you started the day overlooks Parramatta River and it’s full of World Heritage-listed colonial sites, including Elizabeth Farm and Hambledon Cottage, some of the oldest colonial buildings in Australia. In the city centre check out the local theatre and arts scene.   

Circa Espresso, Parramatta - Credit: City of Parramatta

Afternoon 

Just next to Parramatta is one of Sydney’s most bustling street food scenes, Harris Park, also known as Little India. Wigram Street is the main street, where the heritage federation homes have been refitted as restaurants or street food pop-ups selling flatbreads, sweets and fried snacks. Try favourites such as Chatkazz, Dosa Hut and Ginger Indian Restaurant.

Chatkazz, Harris Park

Just a few train stops from Harris Park is Sydney Olympic Park, an adventure playground for both international competitors and amateur athletes. Jump into the pool at the Aquatic Centre and see how close you can get to Ian Thorpe’s record, then head to the Archery Centre to see how many attempts you need to take to replicate Simon Fairweather’s gold medal-winning score. Perhaps you’re keen to learn or hone your surfing skills? URBNSURF is Sydney’s first urban surf park, where you can paddle out in sessions with consistent waves geared to your skill level. After all that activity, you can dine at Rafi URBNSURF for generous share plates, flame-grilled meats and big flavours.

Sydney Olympic Park Archery Centre - Credit: Sydney Olympic Park Authority

Evening  

Sydney Olympic Park is also home to one of the most storied stadiums in the country, Accor Stadium. Sporting fans will get a thrill out of visiting the epic stadiums that hosted the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, which are now open to the public.  

Stadium Australia, Sydney Olympic Park - Credit: Ethan Rohloff

Head for dinner at Burwood Chinatown, just two stops away by train. This neon-lit food precinct has become a popular spot for late-night snacking, with traditional restaurants and more than 50 street food stalls and eateries hawking everything from guo kui (clay oven-baked flatbreads), lamb skewers, sweet egg waffles, bubble teas and more. 

Burwood Chinatown, Burwood

Morning  

The last day in Sydney is an exploration of the Inner West, an area historically known for artistic communities and early European migration, and now for its thriving community, diverse eats and late-night options. Start in Newtown at an innovative but comfy cafe like Rising Sun Workshop  where Asian-inspired breakfasts are served next to a motorcycle workshop or Soulmate Coffee, a relaxed space with great sandwiches and breakfast burgers. Then take a few minutes to explore the cute, leafy Newtown backstreets or bustling King Street for vintage shops, music stores and a huge range of snack options.   

Rising Sun Workshop, Newtown - Credit: Rising Sun Workshop

Afternoon 

Newtown has one of the best escape rooms in Australia, The Cipher Room. Check out this international award-winner for a range of immersive puzzles suitable for newbies or escape-room veterans. For lunch, take a short train or bus ride to Marrickville, a vibrant neighbourhood where Greek, Vietnamese and Sydney’s art communities mix. Both Marrickville and Illawarra Roads are dotted with excellent Vietnamese restaurants such as VN Street Foods and Banh Cuon Ba Oanh. For Greek food, the iconic Corinthian Rotisserie, which has been serving Marrickville’s Greek community for four decades, is a must-try. Olympic Meats is also worth earmarking for more delicious Greek flavours as every dish is made completely from scratch. If you've stayed on Marrickville Road, cleanse your palate at old-school gelateria Gelato Franco. 

VN Street Foods, Marrickville

Evening  

Marrickville has more breweries than most cities.To end this epic five days in Sydney, tour through the best on the Inner West Ale Trail. Starting at the southern end, pop into Batch Brewing Company then The Bob Hawke Beer & Leisure Centre next door. Grab a bowl of noodles and a plate of dumplings while you’re there. Just up the road is the beer garden of Philter and the warehouse brewery Sauce Brewing Co. Just another few blocks down the road are the award-winning Grifter Brewing Co and the one-of-a-kind wild fermented sour beers at Wildflower. Or visit the sunny courtyard of Kicks Brewing for a beer and food truck snack; and Mixtape Brewing and Bar to sample from independent beers, local natural wines and whiskey. 

Grifter Brewing Co, Marrickville