The best ways to make the most of the summer in Parramatta

In recent years, Parramatta has cemented a place as an important hub for the annual cultural explosion that is Sydney Festival. In 2023, that status is underlined with the arrival of one of the upcoming program’s headline installations. The breathtaking portraits of photographer Brenda L Croft will be projected across the facade of Old Government House, as both a tribute and a memorial to the site's enduring significance for First Nations women. Seventeen portraits will wash across the building’s bricks and columns, while a newly composed bluesy score by singer-songwriter Emma Donovan plays alongside. 

It’s not just art installations that will be lighting up the streets of Parramatta during the fest. Parramatta Park, Parramatta Square and the Riverside Theatres will all be hosting a range of incredible performances including the spectacular Symphony Under the Stars, the mind-bending acrobatics of the Afrique en Cirque, and an intriguing immersive sound adventure, Message Bank, which lets audience members listen in on the secret lives that exist all around them.

At the ripe old age of 160, this leafy 87-hectare oasis is one of the most historic green spaces in Australia – earning itself UNESCO world heritage status in 2010. Historic monuments and buildings offer a glimpse into Parramatta’s past, but that’s not to say this park is behind the times. With modern picnic and play areas, four contemporary eateries, walking and cycling tracks and a packed calendar of events, Parramatta Park is the perfect place to spend a sunny summer’s day in 2022 and beyond. 

For a slice of opulence that would make Gatsby green, head to the Deco dream that is Nick and Nora’s cocktail lounge and Champagne bar. Here you’ll be transported back to the Roaring ’20s with a modern twist, but it’s not just the aesthetic that makes this a must-visit venue for a summer sundowner. Perched on the 26th storey with a wraparound terrace, it ranks as one of the most unbeatable places to watch the sun setting over the Blue Mountains anywhere in Greater Sydney, and that really is saying something. 

The food scene in Parramatta has always had its strong suits (keep reading to find out about the area’s sublime Indian cuisine), but in recent years, some of Australia's most exciting restaurateurs have looked to Parramatta as an ascendant dining destination. Among these hospo heavyweights are the team behind Lilymu, whose other venues include sensational Middle Eastern fine diner Nour in Surry Hills and the Time Out Food and Drink Award-winning Aalia at 25 Martin Place. Lilymu channels an effortlessly chic vibe, located in the heart of Parramatta's shiny new dining precinct, and take our word for it, its riffs on Asian classics make it one of the area’s best places to eat.

The diaspora of Asian cultures has gifted Sydney an incredible array of authentic cuisines, and when it comes to the delicious eats of the Philippines, Estelita’s is one of Sydney’s most beloved go-tos. Whether you’re hankering for rich lechon with perfectly crisp skin, a tangy bowl of sinigang na baboy, a hearty helping of Kare-Kare stew or a sticky, chewy, ooey-gooey slice of sapin-sapin, you’ll find it all on the menu right here. 

Fact: the best authentic Indian cuisine in Sydney can be found in Harris Park. Since 2003, when the area’s first Indian outpost, Taj Indian Sweets, first opened its doors, the suburb has seen such a huge influx of top-quality Indian fare that it’s earned the affectionate nickname of Sydney’s ‘Little India’. If you're a newcomer (and even if you’re not), you can’t go wrong with a visit to Chatkazz. The hype, queues and Friday night bustle are due to the fact that this outwardly humble-looking diner serves street food as it’s done in Mumbai, and they were the first in Sydney to do so. Expect to find soft white bread rolls buttered to high heaven and plated up with rich chickpea stews, puffy flat breads crisped on a hot grill and perfectly spiced samosas.

When the mercury soars, a nice refreshing splash is the perfect way to cool off, and that’s exactly what you’ll find at one of Parramatta's public water parks. From fountains to tipping buckets to water jets, plus a bunch of other interactive features, parks like James Ruse Reserve water playground, Philip Ruddock water playground and Ollie Webb Reserve all-abilities water playground are the ideal excursion for families looking to beat the heat. In addition to the aquatic antics, you’ll also find change facilities, communal barbecue areas and picnic zones, so you can really make a day of it.

If you’re looking for an excuse to buy a new fascinator or a reason to don that swanky linen suit, a trip to a race day at Rosehill Gardens is an occasion where you can dress to impress. Yes, there are horse races, but that’s only the start of this glitzy affair. Expect stylish lounges, Champagne bars, exclusive dining options and a refined yet relaxed vibe where the people (and their extravagant fashions) are every bit as watchable as the thoroughbreds.