Woolloomooloo Wharf
Photograph: Chris Ting

Woolloomooloo area guide

Restaurants, bars, shops and events in Woolloomooloo
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The suburb that gives everyone pause (when they're trying to spell it) is one of Sydney's most dramatically gentrified – at least around the Finger Wharf (probably the coolest apartment block in the whole of Australia) on which you'll find look-at-me hotspots like Ovolo Hotel, OttoChina Doll and Aki's.

Bordered by the DomainKings Cross and Potts Point, the harbourside suburb is home to a real grabbag of Sydney landmarks, including the Andrew Boy Charlton Pool, Garden Island Naval Base and the Matthew Talbot Hostel, the largest hostel for homeless men in the Southern Hemisphere.

Woolloomooloo highlights

The best restaurants in Woolloomooloo

Neptune’s Grotto
Restaurants

Neptune’s Grotto

  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • price 2 of 4
An underground cave in Sydney’s CBD is now home to a rollicking, candlelit Italian-themed party – and one of the city’s most exciting new restaurants
A.P Bread & Wine
Restaurants

A.P Bread & Wine

  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • price 2 of 4
Purveyors of excellent baked goods, A.P Bread’s newest Darlinghurst venture is open for brekkie, lunch and dinner – plus, there’s booze
Olympus
Restaurants

Olympus

  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • price 3 of 4
Does your last trip to Greece feel like ancient history? Slip on your sandals and head to Sydney’s Olympus Dining
Olympic Meats
Restaurants

Olympic Meats

  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • price 1 of 4
Everything’s made in-house at Marrickville’s delicious new BYO Greek eatery – and nothing costs over $21. But you may need to wait
Ama
Restaurants

Ama

  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • price 1 of 4
Chinese-Thai street food is served with a nostalgic touch at this humble eatery
Pellegrino 2000
Restaurants

Pellegrino 2000

  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • price 3 of 4
This cracking Surry Hills Italian from the Bistrot 916 team has amped-up trattoria classics that will stay with you long after you've said arrivederci
Bella Brutta
Restaurants

Bella Brutta

  • 5 out of 5 stars
Clams on a pizza are a revelation at this Newtown pizzeria
Clam Bar
Restaurants

Clam Bar

  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • price 3 of 4
This New York-style steak house by the powerhouses behind Bistrot 916 and Pellegrino 2000 is a clam dunk

The best bars in Woolloomooloo

Joji
Bars

Joji

  • 5 out of 5 stars
Sydney’s newest rooftop bar is a shimmering, Japanese-inspired showstopper in the CBD’s beating heart – and don’t forget your Gucci
Nick & Nora's
Bars

Nick & Nora's

  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • price 3 of 4
Stepping into this cocktail bar 26 storeys above Parramatta's CBD is like entering another – more glamorous – world
Arcade
Bars

Arcade

A new Baz Luhrmann-coded bar has just opened its doors in a heritage-listed former bank in Sydney's CBD
Centro 86
Bars

Centro 86

  • 5 out of 5 stars
It doesn’t matter how crowded or empty it is – tequila bar Centro 86 is always a vibe

Other things to do in Woolloomooloo

Pleasure Club
Music

Pleasure Club

  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • price 2 of 4
With nostalgic cocktails and rollicking live performances every night, you can escape reality at Newtown’s purple-hued basement bar (well, until 4am at least)
A Studio
Health and beauty

A Studio

This multi-disciplinary creative space in Sydney's inner city proves that businesses don’t need to follow a blueprint to create something beautiful
Manly to Spit coastal walk
Sport and fitness

Manly to Spit coastal walk

This ten-kilometre trek is best approached from Spit if you want to reward yourself with snacks at the finish line

What's on in Woolloomooloo

Lakemba Nights
Things to do

Lakemba Nights

One of Sydney's most popular, vibrant and culturally diverse events is back for a month-long celebration
Lakemba
Sydney Comedy Festival
Comedy

Sydney Comedy Festival

With a stand-up bar crawl and exclusive headliners, Sydney's annual comedy takeover is gonna be bigger than ever for its 20th anniversary
Sydney
Song Of First Desire
Theatre

Song Of First Desire

  • 4 out of 5 stars
A passionate drama loaded with family secrets that had Spanish audiences captivated, Belvoir presents the Australian debut of Andrew Bovell’s new play
Surry Hills
Henry 5
Theatre

Henry 5

  • 4 out of 5 stars
Bell Shakespeare's carefully concentrated take on one of the most riveting war plays of all time is a fresh feat
Sydney
Hadestown
Theatre

Hadestown

  • 5 out of 5 stars
Christine Anu leads a powerful cast in this genre-defying musical sensation – and yes, it lives up to the hype
Sydney
Picnic at Hanging Rock
Theatre

Picnic at Hanging Rock

  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • price 1 of 4
Ian Michael directs a haunting and horrifying modern adaptation of this classic Australian Gothic tale for STC
Sydney