Sydney’s food and bar scene is as legendary as its beaches and bucket-list views. It’s the kind that’s made for backpackers who want to eat well, spend less, and have fun doing it.
But to make the most of it, you have to know where to go. So, we wrote this guide so you can do just that.
It’s filled with recommendations from our local teams, interns and reception staff, managers. They share the cafes, bars, restaurants, even the specific drinks and dishes, that they’ve fallen in love with while wandering the streets of Sydney.
This isn’t any old generic list of must-eats and drinks. It’s the melting pot of our team’s favourite finds. And we’re pumped to be able to share it with you!
In this one-of-a-kind list, you’ll find:
- Where to get the best food near our hostels, Wake Up! Sydney Central and Wake Up! Bondi Beach
- The places locals actually love
- Which bars have the best DJs, drinks and vibes
- The viral spots which are worth the hype
- Budget eats when you only want to spend $10
- The best food you’ll find by the beach
And to make it easy, we’ve broken this list down by area, so you can eat your way through Sydney neighbourhood by neighbourhood, such as:
- Sydney CBD (Haymarket, Sydney)
- Inner City (Redfern, The Rocks, Chippendale, Glebe)
- Inner West (Marrickville, Newtown, Enmore)
- Bondi Beach
- Manly
Hungry? You’re in the right place. Save this list, and don’t leave Sydney ‘til you’ve eaten your way through it!
Sydney CBD (Haymarket, Sydney)
Marrickville Pork Roll (Darling Square): There’s a reason 2,000+ people have left positive reviews for this spot. Many name this the best bánh mì in Sydney. Each crunchy baguette roll is made in-house, the fillings are spot on, and it’s one of the cheapest lunch options you’ll find (around $10)! They also do vegetarian options.
Extra bonus: Just a 10 minute walk from Wake Up! Sydney Central
Opera Bar (Sydney): Make sure you head here for lunch, dinner, or even just drinks. You’ll be rewarded with iconic views over the Harbour. There’s live music and always a vibe. For cocktails, Nora recommends the Sydney Espresso Martini.
Bar Luca (Sydney): The burgers here are seriously good. And while you can’t go wrong with any, please try the Blame Canada Burger. It’s got a beef patty, maple glazed bacon, maple aioli and… poutine!
Mamak (Haymarket): Malaysian goodness, as evidenced by the queues you’ll often see (it’s worth the wait). Do yourself a favour and order the roti canai. Crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, it’s perfection.
Chinese Noodle Restaurant (Haymarket): We’re never unhappy after a visit here, with comfort eating at its best. Order a few serves of dumplings and the braised eggplant, and you’ll walk away satisfied.
Extra bonus: Just a 3 minute walk from Wake Up! Sydney Central
Sydney Chinatown Markets (Haymarket): The markets are open every Friday night from 5-10pm, offering delicious Asian street food. Cuisines range from everything from Hong Kong to Hanoi with favourites including yum cha, teppanyaki, sushi and pho. A very cool way to spend your Friday night!
City Oltra (Haymarket): Pizza by the slice, under Central Station. Expect late nights, music to carry you through, and – of course – darn fine pizza.
Inner City (Redfern, The Rocks, Chippendale, Glebe)
The Grounds Coffee Factory (Everleigh): Nora loves this place! Amazing breakfasts, big portions, and all sorts of coffee. If you’re an extreme coffee lover like Nora, then add on a coffee tour in the factory, which is attached to the cafe.
Butterboy Bake (Broadway & Manly): They call themselves the best cookies in Australia, and we reckon it’s worth testing that tagline for yourself. All cookies are made from scratch in store, and their specials change each month.
Good Ways Deli (Redfern): You’re in Australia. And Australia means Milo. And Milo means a trip to Good Ways Deli for their Milo iced coffee.
Spice Alley (Chippendale): Spice Alley will always be a favourite of Holly’s for cheap eats and free BYO. There’s Asian street food in a laneway setup, and it’s a great one to go solo or with a group of mates. PS. Keep an eye on their What’s On – there’s often epic happy hour specials throughout the year!
Fortune Of War (The Rocks): This is Sydney’s oldest pub (pouring pints since 1828). Nora suggests grabbing a seat outside on the main street for a beer in the sunshine. They generally have live music throughout the week too.
The Glenmore (The Rocks): When Liv first moved to Sydney, The Glenmore was the first pub she went to. There was something about having drinks on the rooftop, looking over to the Sydney Opera House, which made her think she’d made the right choice in moving to this amazing city.
Pancakes On The Rocks (The Rocks): Open 24/7, this spot is your ever-reliable establishment… no matter the hour. There’s both sweet and savoury pancakes on the menu, as well as many extra side dishes. A great choice when heading out with a group of friends.
Inner East (Surry Hills, Darlinghurst, Potts Point)
AP Bakery (Surry Hills): You might’ve seen AP Bakery all over social media? Well, it’s worth the hype. This rooftop bakery atop of Paramount House bakes up the kind of croissants and pastries you’ll fall in love with.
Reuben Hills (Surry Hills): A walk-in only venue, for breakfast, lunch and impeccable coffee. Cerys highly recommends the Huevos Divorciados, which also happens to be vegetarian and gluten-free.
Brooklyn Boy Bagels (Surry Hills): These are the real deal. Proper NY-style bagels, which are chewy, malty, and have just the right flavour.
South Dowling Sandwiches (Darlinghurst): Legendary, gourmet sandwiches. According to Conor: “if I’m buying a sandwich, it has to be from South Dowling.”
Butter (Surry Hills): Hip hop beats, fried chicken and high vibing energy. Particularly great when you’re needing to cure a hangover. Hot tip, end your meal with the hot cinnamon donuts.
Sal’s Pizza (Darlinghurst): When you’re craving that proper New York-style pizza, this is your go-to. We love that they offer pizza by the slice, a NY half pie, or a whole pie; so you can enjoy no matter how your budget is looking that day. While you’re here, dabble in the mozzarella sticks, pepperoni wheels or extra hot buffalo wings.
Goros (Surry Hills): “I come here for the chicken karaage. I come here for the karaoke. I come here to just have a good time with mates” – Andy. Yep, make sure to have at least one late-night sesh at Goros while you’re in Sydney!
Gelato Messina (Surry Hills & Various Locations): Can we call this the best gelato in Australia? We very much want to, and the lines of fellow well-informed people waiting for their two-scoops, tell us perhaps Messina really is the best. Make sure you try it for yourself, and keep an eye out for their weekly special flavours.
Inner West (Marrickville, Newtown, Enmore)
Tokyo Lamington (Marrickville): These guys bring the humble Aussie lamington to the world, mixing up both local and international flavours (we’re talking the likes of Matcha & Lemon Myrtle, Fairy Bread Popcorn, and many more)
El Jannah Chicken (Newtown): Sometimes, all you want is a cheap, satisfying hot chip roll. And for that, El Jannah delivers.
Courthouse Hotel (Newtown): A sunday sesh in a great beer garden is an Aussie right of passage. And for that, you can’t go pass our favourite, ‘The Courty’. Along with a great selection of Australian craft beers (like Grifters), there are also a LOT of cute dogs. Double win!
Mary’s (Newtown): A burger joint like no other. If you’re a burger lover, you MUST go here during your Sydney travels. Graffiti lines the walls, the rock ‘n’ roll music is loud, and the candlelights drip from high up above.
Cairo Takeaway (Newtown): “I love grabbing a falafel pita pocket here, or eating in for a counter meal where I order the Pocket options as a more substantial plate.” – Conor
Bar Planet (Newtown): A weird, delicious, small martini bar. Cerys can’t go pass the Buzzcut Gin for an alcoholic choice, or the Tempo for her absolute favourite mocktail.
Emma’s Snack Bar (Enmore): Emma’s is a little bit further out than Newtown, but completely worth it. It’s small (suggest booking a table), a little loud, and a lot delicious, with some of the best Lebanese food you’ll find in Sydney.
Chatkazz (Harris Park): We’ll admit: this is a trek and it’s not technically the inner west. But if the 20,000 happy reviews tell you anything, you know it’s worth the pilgrimage. Expect unpretentious, vegetarian Indian street food with insane variety.
Bondi Beach
Hot tip: These will be walking distance from you when you stay at Wake Up! Bondi Beach
Sundays (Bondi): If you’ve seen scroll-stopping buns on the internet, they may well have come from Sundays Bondi. And it’s worth the hype! Known for their matcha lattes and cinnamon scrolls, you honestly need to try one. Queues but again, worth it!
Calipress (Bondi): Sam and Liv can’t go past Calipress for their amazing smoothies and sandwiches. Liv is a big time lover of the Field of Greens smoothie, and Sam’s go-to sandwich is the Chicken Club. PS. Have a cold coming on? Fix yourself up with a bottle of their Golden State juice and Glow shot.
Blackwood (Bondi): A great all-round breakfast spot, which always satisfies.
Harry’s (Bondi): For a quintessential Bondi Beach lunch, you need to try Harry’s. Order the Mongo Matcha and the Sushi Salad Bowl.
Birichina (South Bondi): Sam reckons Birichina is perfect for coffee and a quick bite. Their acai bowls are legendary, and the service is lovely.
Bottega (Bondi): According to Sam, the Bottega Focaccia here is an absolute must!
Salty’s (Bondi): What is Bondi without Salty’s? This Southern Californian-inspired bar and eatery brings the sun-drenched vibes, seven days a week. DJs, margaritas and beachy bites, all served by the friendliest team. When we asked Sam for her favourite marg: “Of course, the Coconut Marg”.
Cafe Bikini (Bondi): Super relaxed, we love Cafe Bikini for a few beers with friends.
Pocket (Bondi): Bondi Beach and margaritas must go hand and hand, because here’s another for you! Open from sunrise to sunset, come to Pocket for coffee or cocktails or even better, a bit of both.
Lulu (Bondi): A little cheeky, a lot delicious. Lulu’s isn’t necessarily budget-friendly, but when you want something a little more splurgy with a fun atmosphere and solid food, add this to your list!
Yo-Chi (Bondi & various locations): Yo-chi is always worth the stop, but especially after the beach. If you don’t know, Yo-Chi is where you’ll get your hands on self-serve frozen yoghurt and acai. Don’t skip it, trust us.
Manly
Hot tip: Hit these up when you join our Manly Beach Day hostel activity.
Rollers Bakehouse (Manly): Liv and Holly have never had a Rollers pastry they didn’t like. There’s a whole bunch of flavours being baked here, often rotating monthly. We haven’t yet tried, but it looks like they do a good strawberry matcha, too.
Norma’s Deli (Manly): A big fat Greek deli that does it all? Sign us up. Norma’s Deli is where you can get your hands on a perfectly Mediterranean- and IG-worthy feast. Grab one of their signature sandwiches or delicious pastries. Dine in or sit on Manly Beach to enjoy.
Bote (Fairlight): As a Manly local, take this tip from Holly: Do the Spit to Manly walk through the National Park and stop off at Bote at Manly Boat Shed for harbour hangs.
Manly Fish & Chips (Manly): The very best old school vibes. Grab a spot on the seating overlooking the water, and order your tucker and drinks from the QR code. Or as Holly says, you can even just sit there and enjoy the view, as it’s public seating
Las Palmas (Manly): A Mexican garden bar and taqueria, open 7 days from midday ‘til late. We’re not talking budget tacos, but everything about Las Palmas will make you happy you dined here.
Espy (Manly): Located at Manly Pavilion, head here for drinks in the sunshine overlooking the harbour, under dreamy umbrellas.