The Surry Hills sanctuary that made me a Sydney convert

Surry Hills and I didn’t get off to a great start.

I moved here in 2022 which, in case you had (justifiably) erased from your memory, was the year the city broke. It rained and rained, water seeped into my car and spawned mould on the seats, it flooded Central station and left me and hundreds of other claustrophobic commuters stranded in the dark. The grey skies were reflected in the moods of everyone I met, not least the Newtown parking inspector who welcomed me with a $350 fine. Sydney, eh? Bad news.

My conversion happened slowly at first. Maybe it was the Tassie kid in me, still a little scarred from getting lost Kevin McCallister-style at Taronga Zoo on grade six camp. Maybe four years in Melbourne had conditioned me to treat Sydney with suspicion.

Crown Street comes alive when the sun comes out. Credit: Edwina Pickles

But something happens to Crown Street when the sun comes out. The chairs and tables are strewn alfresco on the footpath, SUVs jostle for parking spaces in side streets, hordes queue for their choice of $14 frozen dairy. Designer dogs flood the park and the playground fills with children casually supervised by latte-toting parents. The buzz travels to my window and draws me out just for a look.

I’ve read about the gentrification of these parts, how crime and vice gave way to wine bars and fancy restaurants. But there are relics from a time before chilled reds and roasted artichokes. Brett Whiteley’s studio, where he lived and worked from 1988 until his death in 1992, is managed as a free museum by the Art Gallery of NSW, and is a welcome sanctuary on a blazing summer’s day.

The Shakey, where tradies, musos and long-lunch corporate types all mix on the curbside. Credit:

The greatest holdover of all is the Shakespeare Hotel (aka the “Shakey”). If you’ve ever strolled down Devonshire Street, you’ll recognise its mix of tradies, musos, footy fans, and long-lunch corporate types downing draughts on the footpath.

It’s the kind of place where they have your next schooner lined up before you’ve even touched the bar, where you’ll never have trouble striking up a chat if you’re looking for one. Publican Margaret Hargreaves, who has been pulling pints at the pub since 1975, is selling up for a well-earned retirement. I hope that whoever comes next holds on to what makes the Shakey special. In a city where most people stick to their tribes, where every pub is a variation on a (Merivale) theme, it feels like a rare thing.

Best cafe? Rustic Pearl on Crown Street. A hole-in-the-wall Turkish joint with excellent coffee, low-lying curbside tables and easygoing staff.

Best restaurant? It’s hard to go past $2 Sydney rock oysters and $10 martinis at Jane’s Australiano hour (5-6pm on weekdays and 4-6pm on weekends). It’s a great spot to take a date or a visiting Melbournite who needs converting. Honorary mention goes to Maya Da Dhaba, the best of the affordable Indian joints spanning Cleveland Street.

Best beach, park or pool? It’s not strictly in Surry Hills, but the hill behind Moore Park golf course is a great place to have a drink and enjoy the sunset (and soon there’ll be even more space to sprawl – thanks Chris Minns). Staying in the 2010 postcode, few places beat the grassy knoll at Prince Alfred park pool, although the $7.50 entry is tough to swallow.

First place you take visitors? For a dander up Crown Street all the way to the Domain and Art Gallery of NSW (with a stopover at Flour and Stone for a croissant that beats all comers).

Perfect night out in your suburb? People watching in the afternoon sun on the Clock balcony. Popping in to order a takeaway pizza at La Panchina. Running off to grab a bottle of wine and copping a scolding from the owner when you don’t come back in time. Retreating home to eat said pizza, spin a record and have a dance on the coffee table.

What would make your suburb better? No more frozen yoghurt. It’s not 2012 any more people, you don’t have to join an endless queue for an overpriced bowl of fermented milk and M&Ms that have been touched by dozens of kids.

Best secret spot in your suburb? Is anything really a secret in Surry Hills? I only recently visited Brett Whiteley’s studio, a secret oasis on a blistering hot day.

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