Sydney Eat Street: Top dining venues in Crown St, Surry Hills
From simple sandwich shops to Michelin-starred restaurants, Crown St in Surry Hills has more dining options than most suburbs of Sydney.
From simple sandwich shops to Michelin-starred restaurants, Crown St in Surry Hills has more dining options than most suburbs of Sydney.
Take a tour of the area’s best eateries right here with The Sunday Telegraph’s Eat Street. Are you hungry for more inspiration? Follow us on Instagram.
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MV BISTRO AND WINE BAR
This intimate wine bar’s eclectic collection is sure to offer a tipple to your liking. One entire wall is lined with bottles, which restaurant manager Will Jones explains are boutique wines predominantly from Italy and Australia, 40 of which are available by the glass.
You won’t necessarily find mainstream blends here as MV looks to push you out of your comfort zone.
“We want to make wine more approachable,” said co-owner Aaron le Saux.
“Sometimes people are just too scared to even know where to begin.”
Complementing the drinks list is an impressive menu that ranges from grazing plates to Italian-influenced seasonal dishes including Head Chef Simone Pirelli’s signature duck pappardelle.
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Or just order the appropriately named “Just Feed Me!” option, a selection of favourite dishes that includes another of Simone’s specialties, salt and pepper calamari.
— 397 Crown St, Surry Hills
CUCKOO-CALLAY
Cuckoo-Callay is a take on a phrase from Alice Through The Looking Glass and you’ll find an abundance of Alice In Wonderland-inspired elements such as a story excerpt spelled out in pink neon along the ascending staircase, as well as bespoke coffee cups with illustrations.
The drinks and dishes here are as clever as a Cheshire cat. Try the Pimp Mi Goreng, a burger stacked with Mi Goreng chicken thigh, maple bacon, kimchi, avocado and coriander.
For those craving colour, try the delicious and nutritious Gorgeous Jorge — sourdough toast topped with avocado, tomatoes, goat’s fetta, dukkah and a poached egg.
Or maybe the wildly decadent I Speak Fluent French Toast, made with waffles, vanilla gelato, raspberry ricotta, berries and pistachio fairy floss.
And as if running three venues isn’t bonkers enough, Ibby Moubadder and friend Romel are key contenders on My Kitchen Rules Australia. Crazy for taking on so much? Well, as that cheeky Cheshire cat might say: “No. My reality is just different from yours.”
— 413-415 Crown St, Surry Hills
NOUR
Falafels, kebabs and dozens of sides are fantastic when you’re hungry and out with family and friends but when dinner calls for something a bit more polished, head to this contemporary Lebanese restaurant.
Head chef Riyad Seewan has created a menu that he describes as offering “a taste of Middle Eastern flavours but in a welcoming way that is elegant and familiar” such as the samke harra, a pistachio-crusted white fish.
Another specialty is the melt-in-your-mouth short rib. Made with premium beef, it takes 36 hours to prepare.
— 3/490 Crown St, Surry Hills
THE CLOCK
The Clock has been a local favourite for well over 100 years and is now a spot for quality food, impressive cocktails and a thriving social scene. The hotel is pseudo-separated into sections, each with its own identity.
While the beer is frosty and the cocktails creative, there’s plenty on the menu to suit every taste, ranging from the vegaroni pizza with zucchini and spinach to the Big Ben Angus beef burger and 300g scotch fillet.
You can see why this hotel has remained a hot spot from day dot.
— 470 Crown St, Surry Hills
MAMASAN
The brainchild of Gemma Lin and Adam Hunt, this three-level space is, as Adam likes to say, “an art gallery in a really cool bar”.
The cocktails are phenomenal and inventive. Try the popcorn fish, amazing morsels of kingfish, snapper and basa in a tempura batter.
Like everything here, it’s quirky yet fabulous. The menu is essentially contemporary Japanese with Taiwanese influences, such as the kingfish, snapper and basa dumplings.
— 403 Crown St, Surry Hills
MUST TRY
MIXED PLATE AND ROSTI
Try the mixed plate with Moroccan-spiced lentils, roast pumpkin, pickled beetroot, sheep’s milk feta and more. But be sure to order the rosti as well. It’s a favourite.
— Kawa, 346-350 Crown St, Surry Hills
EGGS BENEDICT
This dog-friendly cafe gleefully serves up some tasty breakfast and lunch dishes such as the eggs Benedict with salmon or toasted bagel with avocado and tomatoes.
— In the Doghouse, 428 Crown St, Surry Hills
DELFINO APERITIVO
From Sunday through Thursday from 5pm-7pm, visit The Dolphin Wine Room for aperitivo hour, with wines and snacks for the truly reasonable price of $5-$7.
— Dolphin Hotel, 412 Crown St, Surry Hills
GELATO
RivaReno prides itself on gelato that is scrumptious all by itself without the need for any artificial flavours, colours, preservative or trendy gimmicks.
— RivaReno Gelato, 280 Crown St, Surry Hills
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Parramatta’s very own Eat Street is as exciting and diverse as the city itself. Take BL Burgers for example, which brought its premium burgers — including the Blame Canada, Blame Indian and Mac Daddy burgers — to western Sydney.
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