Shady Pines interior
Photograph: Anna Kucera

Darlinghurst area guide

Hit up hidden bars, intimate restaurants and happening clubs in Darlinghurst
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We're not meant to pick favourites, but if we had to, Darlinghurst would be one of our most loved Sydney suburbs. Sandwiched between Surry Hills and Kings Cross, this eclectic rainbow spot is home to many excellent bars like Love, Tilly Devine and The Cliff Dive. There’s also the new neighbourhood boozer The Waratah, and old favourite the Darlo.

If it's a feed you're after, Victoria Street is choc-a-block with great eats and home to one of Sydney’s most popular ice cream shops, Messina. Pick up brilliant baked goods and coffee at Shadow Baking. You'll find seriously good pizza and a banging set menu at Dimitri's Pizzeria. Plus, we love Italian hole-in-the-wall Sagra, charming diner Bar Vincent and killer wine bar Paski Vineria Popolare. You can spend your time hopping in and out of art galleries, perusing high-end furniture shops, catching a show at Darlinghurst Theatre Company or dancing at a live gig at Oxford Art Factory. Take our word for it: Darlinghurst is where it's at.

Darlinghurst highlights

The Waratah
Bars

The Waratah

A table on the terrace at The ’Tah, as it’s affectionately known, is considered prime real estate for people-watching long after the last of Mardi...
Australian Museum
Museums

Australian Museum

The country's oldest museum (established 1827) is the custodian of 21.9 million specimens and cultural objects, including the permanent 200 Treasures...
Bar Reggio
Restaurants

Bar Reggio

There's a lot to love about this classic red sauce joint, not least is that if you split the bill you can get out without hitting the $20 mark.
Big Poppa's
Restaurants

Big Poppa's

  • price 2 of 4
Where can you go and eat a full, delicious restaurant menu until 3am every night of the week? Big Poppa’s is open 'til the wee hours on Oxford Street.

The best restaurants in Darlinghurst

Vin-Cenzo’s
Restaurants

Vin-Cenzo’s

  • 5 out of 5 stars
Darlinghurst's newest Italian go-to from the Bar Copains and Bessie’s team is a certified red, green and white knockout
Bar Reggio
Restaurants

Bar Reggio

  • 5 out of 5 stars
This cheap-as-chips red sauce joint in Darlinghurst is perfect for long lunches with hungry hordes
Chaco Ramen
Restaurants

Chaco Ramen

  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • price 1 of 4
Keita Abe’s tiny Darlinghurst restaurant is leading Sydney’s new wave of ramen
Fabbrica Pasta Bar Darlinghurst
Restaurants

Fabbrica Pasta Bar Darlinghurst

  • 5 out of 5 stars
On-point pasta, a groovy dining room and a banging soundtrack are what you can expect from this Darlinghurst spot
Indian Home Diner
Restaurants

Indian Home Diner

  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • price 1 of 4
The orange neon signage and lacklustre shopfront may not look like anything special, but anyone who’s tried an Indian kebab from here knows that this...
Amuro
Restaurants

Amuro

  • 4 out of 5 stars
Highbrow meets lowbrow at Darlinghurst’s latest Japanese joint – and you have to talk for a tipple
Bones Ramen
Restaurants

Bones Ramen

This exciting pint-sized Japanese diner is making waves
Tenacious Bakehouse
Restaurants

Tenacious Bakehouse

  • 5 out of 5 stars
Tenacious’ brick-shaped Portuguese tarts give Sweet Belem and Tuga Pastries a run for their money
RivaReno
Restaurants

RivaReno

  • 5 out of 5 stars
It may not look like much, but this Darlinghurst gelato joint is serving the best gelato in town
Dimitri's Pizzeria
Restaurants

Dimitri's Pizzeria

  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • price 2 of 4
A Surry Hills pizza stalwart lives on in bigger, bolder Darlinghurst digs with old favourites, new additions, a banging wine list and spot-on service

The best bars in Darlinghurst

Claret Club
Bars

Claret Club

  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • price 3 of 4
The couple behind Claret Club are two well-versed Sydney sommeliers – but you should also go for the food
Love, Tilly Devine
Bars

Love, Tilly Devine

  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • price 2 of 4
A new chef with a flair for elegant invention steps things up at the laneway favourite
Dead Set
Bars

Dead Set

Darlinghurst's new underground rock venue is a gift to Sydney's after-dark scene

Shopping in Darlinghurst

The Lord Roberts Hotel
Bars

The Lord Roberts Hotel

This pub on Stanley Street keeps it nice and simple: Happy Hour Monday to Thursday from 4pm to 6pm; plenty of sports on the screens; and classic pub games...
My Plants and Garden Centre
Shopping

My Plants and Garden Centre

This tiny shop front on a corner opposite the National Art School packs a lot of  lush greenery into very limited space. The savvy use of footpath and...
Stoneheart
Shopping

Stoneheart

This colourful, street-front space is an easy ten-minute walk from Town Hall Station and it’s open seven days week. The current roster of...

What's on in Darlinghurst

Qtopia Pride Fest
Theatre

Qtopia Pride Fest

Join this month-long queer pride celebration of theatre, cabaret, music, comedy, art, workshops, talks and fitness in Oxford Street all June
Oxford Street Markets
Shopping

Oxford Street Markets

Oxford Street has welcomed two new weekly markets – a Friday night market and a Saturday morning farmers' market
Drag Queen Walking Tour
Things to do

Drag Queen Walking Tour

Do a walking tour of Sydney's secret queer history led by a famous drag queen

Arts and culture in Darlinghurst

Eternity Playhouse
Theatre

Eternity Playhouse

The Eternity Playhouse is situated in a restored and renovated heritage-listed building from 1887, formerly operating as the Baptist Tabernacle. The venue is...
Australian Design Centre
Art

Australian Design Centre

In conjunction with its 50th anniversary celebrations in 2015, this centre for design (formerly called Object Australian Design Centre) re-opened at a new...
National Art School
Art

National Art School

Housed in the historic walls of the old Darlinghurst Gaol, the National Art School is the oldest, most prestigious visual arts institute in Australia, with...
Chalk Horse
Art

Chalk Horse

This contemporary art gallery was started by artists Jasper Knight, Oliver Watts, Julian Meagher and Dougal Phillips in 2007, and showcases emerging...