King St, Newtown’s best foodie, bar spots: Flour Drum, Cafe Paci, Odd Culture
Whether you’re craving something sweet or savoury, these ten bars and restaurants in Newtown could be the place to go. Check out the faces and dishes behind them.
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No suburb in Sydney is quite as lively or packed with as much character as Newtown — an area bustling with cafes, bookshops and thrift stores, nestled just outside the CBD and a beneficiary of the previous lockout laws.
The eclectic neighbourhood offers live entertainment, vintage shops and a buzzing night-life.
But what makes Newtown stand out is its food — from fine dining to casual bars, there are many different tastes to enjoy. Here are 10 places to check out for your next meal.
10 of the best foodie spots in Newtown
Flour Drum
A charming little cafe located right down King St is Flour Drum — known for its handmade treats and warm environment.
Founders Christopher Heaps and John Ageletos are two very different people: Mr Heaps spent most of his time in fine-dining while Mr Ageletos is more familiar with the cafe-like environments.
But while they come from “different worlds,” they’ve used their individual backgrounds to make the most of their business.
“(Our backgrounds) make it easier for us to open a whole new world you’re looking for,” Mr Heaps said.
Now open for seven years, the cafe has been operating as a place for customers to take a break and relax. Even during the pandemic, the business was running.
“We only shut for the two weeks,” Mr Heaps said. “So, we very quickly went to takeaway.”
Regarding the future, the founders hope for the cafe to continue to evolve as they do.
“Our philosophy was to start something that will grow with us over time,” Mr Heaps said.
But this cafe, more than anything, serves as a tribute to Mr Heaps and Mr Ageletos’s partnership with one another.
“(This restaurant) really is about us,” Mr Heaps said.
Continental Deli Bar Bistro
Charcuterie boards, delicious wine and canned goods — all offered in the Continental Deli Bar Bistro, located just off King St.
According to venue manager Michael Nicolian, the business combines a deli, bar and restaurant – a remix of “all the things we love.”
Opened almost seven years ago, the restaurant started off as a “real passion project” where the owners wanted to start something special to them.
“Continental is sort of our favourite things about European dining done our way,” Mr Nicolian said.
Even though there have been some times where things were “uncertain” and unstable, Mr Nicolian has always loved the community and enjoyed those that pop in for a beer or some olives.
“Newtown’s an amazing place and I love just providing the space for them to come and escape their day to day,” Mr Nicolian said.
Continental Deli Bar Bistro closes at 11pm every night and has the perfect food for any kind of event — whether that be a first date or a family outing.
Mr Nicolian said the bar’s ultimate goal was to make sure customers feel included and happy.
“We put a big emphasis on finding the best possible projects to put on a plate and we serve them with a smile on our faces and make people feel good about being here.”
Cafe Paci
Opened by Finnish-born chef Pasi Petanen, Cafe Paci offers modern Australian dishes with a pleasant European twist.
The restaurant offers an intimate setting with a great atmosphere, but what makes it stand out from other restaurants is its variety of food.
“The food is modern European — like anywhere from Italy to France to Finland or English, anything like that,” Mr Petanen said. “Because I worked in all those places so it’s been a mixture of everything.”
With a background in fine dining, Mr Petanen prides his restaurant in its cooking process, where the food is fresh and everything is “made from scratch.”
“It’s a long process to produce it but it’s worthwhile to put in the effort to get the flavour,” Mr Petanen said.
Originally opened in Darlinghurst, Cafe Paci was unfortunately closed when the building it occupied was slated for demolition. But the Newtown reboot is showing no signs of slowing down.
Famous British chef and personality Nigella Lawson swung by a few weeks back, raving about Cafe Paci’s food on Instagram.
Mr Petanen emphasises the frequent changes in the menu so guests will always have something new to try.
“The menu and wine selection changes often,” Mr Petanen said. “So there’s always something to come back to.”
Odd Culture
Situated in the heart of King St, Odd Culture only recently celebrated its grand opening little over six months ago. Offering a natural wine bar as well as an assortment of dishes and snacks, the new restaurant calls to people of all tastes.
Jordan Blackman, the group manager of the business, said the community feel of regular faces and familiar locals defines what Odd Culture is about — from its customers to its employees.
“It is an all-day, community space in the sense that we just want anyone to be able to come in and hang out, whether it is for a coffee or a beer or a cocktail,” Mr Blackman said.
“And we do see a lot of the same faces, if not every day. There’s definitely a lot of regulars and locals and people that come back.”
The staff who work there have also been known to be friendly and genuinely passionate in what they are doing, according to Mr Blackman.
“We have a lot of programs and training and other initiatives to make sure our staff are not only happy but have career progression,” Mr Blackman said. “We treat hospitality industry as a viable career option and it should be a sustainable one, too.”
Drop in anytime from 7am to late at night to work from home or just for a drink — the Odd Culture workers are dedicated to making a memorable experience for everyone.
Mr Blackman said although their business opened its doors recently, Newtown had greeted them warmly.
“The reception has been positive and I think we’ve been welcomed into the neighbourhood.”
Bloodwood
Nestled in the farther end of the Newtown strip is Bloodwood — a restaurant and bar that provides customers with bold and heartfelt foods from the best of fine dining. And not only that, but its interior design offers an industrial-chic vibe, conjuring the feeling of a darkened alley.
Open from 5pm to midnight on weekdays, the restaurant is a hit on TripAdvisor and with guests who applaud the fabulous food, friendly staff and atmosphere.
Bella Brutta
There are many pizzerias around Sydney but none quite capture the Italian ambience like Bella Brutta. The base of the pizza is made with a mix of Australian wholegrain and Italian flours, so that the edges are fluffy but still just as flavourful.
The toppings range from the basic pepperoni to tasty clams, so even the pickiest eaters will have a solid array of options to choose from.
Flying Tong
For Asian-food fanatics, Flying Tong is the perfect choice. A fairly simple design with a few wooden tables stacked with plates and cutlery, this Korean restaurant serves dishes such as bulgogi, bibimbap and of course its highly renowned Korean chicken.
The venue is run by a brother and sister and inspired by their mother’s recipe for sauces.
This is exactly what makes Flying Tong so special: there isn’t a set style — rather, it’s simply the food that resonates with their family.
Rising Sun Workshop
Both a ramen bar and motorbike workshop, this unique restaurant is open early in the morning until late at night everyday, with a two-hour break in between.
The menu consists of Hokkaido milk buns, yakitori skewers and of course every kind of ramen imaginable. Along with the savoury food, the business is paired with a bike workshop via memberships and hourly bookings.
Belly Bao
Opened in September 2017, Belly Bao brought Taiwanese baos and bao burgers to Sydney before either item became mainstream popular. From foods like thick-battered fried chicken to many vegan desserts, this little restaurant has a dish for every kind of diet.
Decorated with a brightly coloured tropical mural as well as a bar inlaid with mahjong tiles, Belly Bao combines the aesthetic appeal of a traditional Chinese restaurant and a tiki bar. Business hours vary throughout the week, but the small eatery is open until 10pm every night.
La Favola
Calling all Italian-food lovers: La Favola may just be the perfect cup of tea to satisfy your tastes. This simple Italian diner offers six different pastas with your choice of sauce, as well as an array of fruit-filled desserts.
The restaurant’s pasta dough is handmade daily and for four hours every morning, Italian-born chef Fabio Stefanelli creates the rich pasta sauce, made with chunks of beef, Roma tomatoes, mushrooms and red wine. With a simple yet comforting ambience, La Favola is the perfect place to go for a relaxing dinner or a night out.
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