The tastiest Eat Streets in Sydney

Illawarra Road / Marrickville  

In 2021, Illawarra Road was officially given the title of Little Vietnam. Marrickville is home to one of Sydney’s largest Vietnamese communities and the bustling strip is packed with restaurants and specialist grocers. Join the queue for a banh mi at the original Marrickville Pork Roll, tuck into a steaming bowl of pho at Pho PHD or Hanoi Quan, create your own bento box at VN Street Foods, sample some silky handmade banh cuon at the aptly named Banh Cuon Ba Oanh, or build your own rice paper rolls at Hello Auntie.

> See map

Wigram Street / Harris Park

Welcome to Sydney’s Little India. With more than 20 eateries lining Wigram Street, you’ll find food from all over the Indian subcontinent, as well as supermarkets where you can buy authentic ingredients to cook your own. Billu’s specialises in South Indian cuisine with a side of pumping Bollywood music, Punjabi Fusion serves North Indian surrounded by neon lights, Dosa Hut are the self-proclaimed 'Pioneers of Dosa culture' (and also do a mean bowl of Hyderabadi pressure-cooked biryani) and Chatkazz is the place for sweets and desserts.  

Of course, you can’t talk about Harris Park without mentioning Taj Indian Sweets, which opened its doors in 2003 as the only restaurant in the neighbourhood. Alternatively, get an insider’s perspective on a guided tour with I Ate My Way Through. 

> See map

Kensington Street / Chippendale

One of the most stylish Eat Streets in Sydney, Kensington Street is an elegantly designed precinct within the Central Park complex close to Central Station. Historic terraces have been converted into restaurants, warehouses have become chic bars, and a cobbled courtyard has been reborn as Spice Alley, a busy Asian hawker market.  

Try fine dining French at Gavroche, modern Sicilian at Olio, Spanish tapas at Paripé, contemporary Korean at Jung Sung, casual Southeast Asian at Mekong, award-winning ramen at Kyo-To or Saigon-inspired street food at Viet. For a tipple, choose from a selection of up to 80 gins at Gin Lane, or drop into Handpicked Cellar Door for a wine tasting. 

> See map

Crown Street / Surry Hills 

Surry Hills has long been one of Sydney’s best places to eat. Wander down Crown Street and take your pick from lively pubs, casual cafes or stylish restaurants. Start with breakfast at Bills, the spiritual home of smashed avo toast, or an epic okonomiyaki waffle at Cuckoo Callay. Sit down to a long lunch at Bartolo, Nour or Masala Theory. The Dolphin is a pub, wine bar and restaurant in one, perfect for all-day dining.  

Come evening, Mille Vini offers a classic trattoria experience, dishing up plates from all over Italy; The Winery does modern Australian in a bohemian, alfresco setting; Giuls has become popular with groups of friends after Tuscan-style eats and funky cocktails; and Yulli’s has a fantastic vegan menu, alongside rotating taps of craft beer. 

> See map

Church Street / Parramatta

It’s always bright and busy along Church Street. Tables line the footpaths, decked out with fairy lights and umbrellas for year-round al fresco dining. You can eat your way around the world here, from Japanese at Ginza Izakaya and Thai classics at Holy Basil to Indian at Itihaas, Greek at Souvlaky Country, Cuban at Coco Cubano and Italian at Restaurant 317.  

Meanwhile, for steak and a long (and impressive) wine list, head to The Meat & Wine Co; for cocktails and Mediterranean-inspired small plates, check out the trendy bar ALEX&Co; and for pizza, pasta and shisha, swing by Mamas & Papas. There are also plenty of spots for gelato, coffee and other sweet treats. 

> See map

Rowe Street / Eastwood 

A sleepy suburb on the leafy North Shore, Eastwood is home to a large Korean population. Rowe Street, which runs east from the train station, is lined with authentic neighbourhood restaurants offering Korean BBQ, fried chicken, hot pot and more. Top picks include Lai Lai Korean Fusion, Jonga Jip and Hang A Ri Haejangguk. If it’s your first visit to the area, don’t miss Dae Jang Kum, a grand BBQ restaurant serving hard-to-find cuts of meat to grill at the table. 

> See map

Dixon Street / Haymarket 

Dixon Street has been at the heart of Sydney’s Chinatown since the 1920s, when the city’s first Chinese residents began to set up markets, stores and restaurants. With its distinctive paifang gate at the entrance and neon lights lining the pedestrian street, you’ll feel as though you’ve stepped into Asia.  

Mamak dishes up Indian-Malay street food but is mostly famous for its perfectly flaky-meets-fluffy roti canai. Xing Xing Sichuan Dish is a must-stop for classic Sichuan cooking. Nanjing Dumpling is one of the few places in the Sydney CBD where you can try Nanjing specialties (aka duck, dumplings and flaky sesame rolls). Gumshara is beloved for its authentic ramen noodles. Emperor Puffs is a hole-in-the-wall selling cult-status custard puffs. And Spicy Joint is the Australian outpost of the wildly popular Chinese chain. 

> See map

King Street / Newtown 

There’s a lively and eclectic mix of restaurants, bars and shops along King Street. Some of Sydney’s best restaurants are here, but its proximity to Sydney University also means there are lots of options for diners on a budget.  

Visit the moody Bloodwood for modern Australian share plates and a top-notch wine list, Bella Brutta for innovative pizzas, Continental Deli for a European bar-meets-bistro experience, or Ante for Japanese snacks and jazz. For a cheap meal, try Cairo Takeaway for Egyptian or Belly Bao for Asian street food. Of course, you can’t talk about wining and dining along King Street without mentioning Mary’s, famous for their fatty and delicious burgers, and Black Star Pastry, home of “the world’s most Instagrammed cake”. 

> See map

Glebe Point Road / Glebe

There’s always been reliably good Thai and some excellent cafes along Glebe Point Road, but it’s slowly emerging as one of Sydney’s coolest new Eat Streets. No 92 is set in a bright and airy restored 1800s terrace, specialising in bottomless brunch and aperitivo hour cocktails. Beckett’s is an ode to New York’s mid-century bistros. The pretty-in-pink The Charleston is all about fun cocktails and Insta-worthy share plates. The retro-chic Glebe Point Diner is a favourite with locals and Pizzeria Da Alfredo promises authentic Neapolitan pizzas. 

For those who fancy a drink, The Little Guy is a local favourite due to its friendly staff, free popcorn, pool table and sunny outdoor area perfect for people watching, while charming second-hand bookshop Sappho Books is also a cafe by day and wine bar by night. 

> See map

The Spot / Randwick 

The intersection of St Pauls St and Perouse Rd in Randwick is known to everyone as The Spot. Just about every building is a restaurant or bar, serving up cuisines from every corner of the world. Arthur’s has been making pizza here for more than 30 years, though they have some competition from the trendy Maybe Frank a few doors down. There’s relaxed Italian at Seahorse, tapas at Spanish Fly and Del Punto, or Las Vegas-inspired soul food and cocktails at Bat Country.  

> See map