Eat


While it’s not quite accurate to say Surry Hills has the monopoly on Sydney’s best Italian cuisine, it sure does come close. For authentic, wood-fired pizza – think perfectly thin, hand-stretched and loaded with top-quality produce – Vacanza, the Dolphin and DOC (the first Sydney branch of one of Melbourne’s most popular pizzerias) are must-tries, any way you slice it. The calibre of pasta is just as high, whether it’s served with traditional, rustic charm at Pasta Emilia, or with a contemporary wink at Mark and Vinny’s Spaghetti and Spritz. Pellegrino 2000 was already unmissable, but Taylor Swift's pitstop there on her Eras Tour really sealed the deal.
Italian eats may be this suburb's strong suit, but Asian flavours give them a run for their money. You’ll find one of Sydney’s best Japanese eateries, the small but mighty Izakaya Fujiyama, on a quiet backstreet just off Devonshire. Or if a steaming bowl of soupy noods is your pleasure, look no further than the kogashi ramen at Gogyo, or the soul-feeding (and very affordable) beef noodle soup at family-run outfit Ama. Some of the most beautiful dishes you’ll ever clap eyes on can be found at kick-ass Korean Sáng, but, then again, mighty Melbourne import Chin Chin is no stranger to plates that look as good as they taste.
Surry Hills is also the master of friendly neighbourhood wine bars (slash-eateries). For a killer happy hour (or as they call it, Australiano Hour), be sure to pop into Jane for a kangaroo tartare or duck croquette. Gildas, named aptly after the umami Spanish delicacy of anchovies and chillies, is dishing up delicious bites on teeny tiny skewers, while Bar Copains is pouring some seriously cool drops to pair with little fish sambos assembled on the fluffiest white bread you ever did see. Off the back of Bar Copains’ success, the team opened two additional spots in the Surry Hills hood: Bessie's (a wood-fired Mediterranean diner) and a sexy cocktail bar (Alma’s) right next door.
Want to eat like a baller on a budget? Be it flavour-packed street eats, like the loaded bowls of Korean goodness you’ll find at Kood or the stacked sambos at City Edge, finger-lickin’ fried chicken at Butter, affordable sit-down fare from the likes of Lebanese charcoal chook experts Henrittea, or beloved Thai Spice I Am, you really don’t have to flash that cash to eat well in Surry Hills.
Unless, of course, you want to. There are many fine-dining establishments that will happily help you part with your dollars in exchange for sublime service and knock-out food. Nour paints an incredibly rich and detailed picture of modern Middle Eastern mezze that's about as refined as it gets, while top-flight Spanish tapas gets an infusion of fine dining finesse at Porteño. On the top floor of the Ace Hotel, you’ll find Kiln, a high-end (high altitude) rooftop eatery, and on the ground floor you’ll find a buzzing lobby serving some of the best Martinis in town and fun, NYC-style energy every day of the week. For a flame-perfected feast, head to the city end of Surry Hills – you won’t find any flashy tech in the Firedoor kitchen, just open flames, wood smoke, and a menu that celebrates ingredients at their peak. For the grand, glittering jewel in Sydney’s crown (street), wine and dine away among the plush leather booths and marble tables of Armorica.