Guidebook for Surry Hills

Deena + Rory
Deena + Rory
Guidebook for Surry Hills

Food Scene

Great food and bar. Close to home. You can call and book a table (a rarity in Surry Hills!)
88 locals recommend
NOMAD
16 Foster St
88 locals recommend
Great food and bar. Close to home. You can call and book a table (a rarity in Surry Hills!)
Great modern Thai food and a fab bar downstairs that serves great Thai bar food. Amazing cocktails and some of Sydney's finest DJs spinning tunes.
65 locals recommend
Longrain Restaurant
65 locals recommend
Great modern Thai food and a fab bar downstairs that serves great Thai bar food. Amazing cocktails and some of Sydney's finest DJs spinning tunes.
Northern Thai street food. Their signature dessert is amazing.
6 locals recommend
House
202 Elizabeth Street
6 locals recommend
Northern Thai street food. Their signature dessert is amazing.
Breakfast, brunch, lunch, coffee.
13 locals recommend
BangBang Cafe
113 Reservoir St
13 locals recommend
Breakfast, brunch, lunch, coffee.
Considered by many as Sydney's finest coffee.
68 locals recommend
Single O Surry Hills
64 Reservoir St
68 locals recommend
Considered by many as Sydney's finest coffee.
They serve my favourite tea - Japanese green tea known as Genmaicha.
35 locals recommend
Kawa
348 Crown St
35 locals recommend
They serve my favourite tea - Japanese green tea known as Genmaicha.
Famous for the ricotta hotcakes. Worth a visit. Or wander over to their Darlinghurst branch.
106 locals recommend
Bills
355 Crown St
106 locals recommend
Famous for the ricotta hotcakes. Worth a visit. Or wander over to their Darlinghurst branch.
Delicious vegetarian fare and great wines in the heart of the Surry Hills dining precinct.
66 locals recommend
Yulli's
417 Crown St
66 locals recommend
Delicious vegetarian fare and great wines in the heart of the Surry Hills dining precinct.
Modern Chinese. Book in for a mahjong lesson one Saturday each month.
Mahjong Room
312 Crown St
Modern Chinese. Book in for a mahjong lesson one Saturday each month.
My favourite sandwich bar. Great food and great staff!
Sly
212 Devonshire St
My favourite sandwich bar. Great food and great staff!
Considered the best gelato in Sydney. What's not to love about that?
236 locals recommend
Gelato Messina Surry Hills
389 Crown St
236 locals recommend
Considered the best gelato in Sydney. What's not to love about that?
It's super convenient to the house, quick, easy and tasty modern chinese right in the pub. Grab some takeaway and sit in the garden or enjoy your meal with one of the many tasty craft beers on offer.
8 locals recommend
Bamboo Dumpling Bar
140 Commonwealth St
8 locals recommend
It's super convenient to the house, quick, easy and tasty modern chinese right in the pub. Grab some takeaway and sit in the garden or enjoy your meal with one of the many tasty craft beers on offer.

Essentials

Your nearest 'grocery store'. This is a health food/grovcery store. They also do ready to go meals which are quite yummy. It's a bit pricier than the big stores when it comes to the daily necessities.
27 locals recommend
Thomas Dux Surry Hills
27 locals recommend
Your nearest 'grocery store'. This is a health food/grovcery store. They also do ready to go meals which are quite yummy. It's a bit pricier than the big stores when it comes to the daily necessities.
It's a supermarket. Nothing special but when you need one.. well...
184 locals recommend
Woolworths Metro Surry Hills
413-417 Bourke St
184 locals recommend
It's a supermarket. Nothing special but when you need one.. well...
Another handy supermarket
75 locals recommend
IGA Supermarket
23 Oxford St
75 locals recommend
Another handy supermarket

Drinks & Nightlife

Lovely bar with outdoor seating day and night. A nice distraction when grocery shopping.
228 locals recommend
The Winery
285A Crown St
228 locals recommend
Lovely bar with outdoor seating day and night. A nice distraction when grocery shopping.
A Sydney institution. If you're lucky you'll meet Doris the owner who is often found perched at the end of the bar. Check out the walls for newspaper clippings from her Hollywood career in the 40's
19 locals recommend
Hollywood Hotel
2 Foster Street
19 locals recommend
A Sydney institution. If you're lucky you'll meet Doris the owner who is often found perched at the end of the bar. Check out the walls for newspaper clippings from her Hollywood career in the 40's
A local small bar for some great hip hop and rnb from local and international DJs. Be warned, closes at midnight!
Play Bar
72 Campbell Street
A local small bar for some great hip hop and rnb from local and international DJs. Be warned, closes at midnight!
Make a booking and get green.... A nice twist to bar hopping. And yes, they only serve absinthe...
10 locals recommend
Absinthesalon
87 Albion St
10 locals recommend
Make a booking and get green.... A nice twist to bar hopping. And yes, they only serve absinthe...

Everything Else

Take a rug and a book and kick back. It's dog o'clock from about 430-6pm most weekdays.
9 locals recommend
Harmony Park
147 Goulburn St
9 locals recommend
Take a rug and a book and kick back. It's dog o'clock from about 430-6pm most weekdays.
An oasis of green in the city. Check out the War Memorial and The Archibold Fountain. Find a giant tree to sit under or go look for possums at dusk.
374 locals recommend
Hyde Park
Elizabeth Street
374 locals recommend
An oasis of green in the city. Check out the War Memorial and The Archibold Fountain. Find a giant tree to sit under or go look for possums at dusk.
Indoor swimming pool and a great vegan yum cha restaurant along side. Also right next to St Mary's Cathedral.
42 locals recommend
Cook Phillip Park Pool
4 College St
42 locals recommend
Indoor swimming pool and a great vegan yum cha restaurant along side. Also right next to St Mary's Cathedral.
Beautiful park, outdoor heated pool and grassy areas to sit, BBQ and relax. Great kids play areas too.
272 locals recommend
Prince Alfred Park
Chalmers Street
272 locals recommend
Beautiful park, outdoor heated pool and grassy areas to sit, BBQ and relax. Great kids play areas too.
Harbour side outdoor pool. Only open during the spring/summer months. Lovely cafe, morning yoga classes. Walk around Lady Macquarie's Chair and into the Botanical Gardens.
168 locals recommend
Andrew (Boy) Charlton Pool
1c Mrs Macquaries Rd
168 locals recommend
Harbour side outdoor pool. Only open during the spring/summer months. Lovely cafe, morning yoga classes. Walk around Lady Macquarie's Chair and into the Botanical Gardens.
Hire a bike for the day for only $20 (as at Jan '15). Jump onto the bike paths around the area and the city and explore!
8 locals recommend
tokyobike
8 locals recommend
Hire a bike for the day for only $20 (as at Jan '15). Jump onto the bike paths around the area and the city and explore!

Shopping

Major shopping precinct. All the high street stores as well as high end designers, big department stores (David Jones and Myer).
455 locals recommend
Westfield
Market Street
455 locals recommend
Major shopping precinct. All the high street stores as well as high end designers, big department stores (David Jones and Myer).
If designer furniture and homewares are your thing...
Hub
118 Birmingham St
If designer furniture and homewares are your thing...

Sightseeing

Beautiful Gardens right on the harbour. Take it all in, have a picnic, walk around to the Opera House.
985 locals recommend
Royal Botanic Garden Sydney
Mrs Macquaries Road
985 locals recommend
Beautiful Gardens right on the harbour. Take it all in, have a picnic, walk around to the Opera House.
If you can't afford the bridge climb, try this. A few stairs to climb but a magnificent view and only $10 (at Jan '15).
30 locals recommend
Pylon Lookout
Sydney Harbour Bridge
30 locals recommend
If you can't afford the bridge climb, try this. A few stairs to climb but a magnificent view and only $10 (at Jan '15).
Well worth the money if you can. A spectacular view and lets face it, who doesn't love the idea of climbing the bridge!!!!
202 locals recommend
BridgeClimb Sydney
3 Cumberland St
202 locals recommend
Well worth the money if you can. A spectacular view and lets face it, who doesn't love the idea of climbing the bridge!!!!

Arts & Culture

As well as various travelling exhibitions, this gallery has a great collection of Australian and Aboriginal art. Download the app for a guided tour of the collection when you go.
891 locals recommend
Art Gallery of New South Wales
Art Gallery Road
891 locals recommend
As well as various travelling exhibitions, this gallery has a great collection of Australian and Aboriginal art. Download the app for a guided tour of the collection when you go.
If Dinosaurs are your thing, then head to the Australian Museum. Check out the website for current exhibitions.
320 locals recommend
Australian Museum
1 William St
320 locals recommend
If Dinosaurs are your thing, then head to the Australian Museum. Check out the website for current exhibitions.
Check the website for current exhibitions. Lovely rooftop cafe for a coffee/wine overlooking the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. They also run kids programs so jump on the website to see whats on
829 locals recommend
Museum of Contemporary Art
140 George St
829 locals recommend
Check the website for current exhibitions. Lovely rooftop cafe for a coffee/wine overlooking the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. They also run kids programs so jump on the website to see whats on
A small 60 seat cinema and bar showing mainly cult films and classics. This used to be a screening room for Paramount pictures and is located in the lovely Paramount building.
75 locals recommend
Golden Age Cinema & Bar
80 Commonwealth St
75 locals recommend
A small 60 seat cinema and bar showing mainly cult films and classics. This used to be a screening room for Paramount pictures and is located in the lovely Paramount building.
Gallery/shop - alternative art
Outré Gallery
285 Crown St
Gallery/shop - alternative art