Bubble tea and walks along the Cooks River equal a perfect summer

Ah, Wolli Creek: unless you literally live here, blink and you’ll miss it. This suburb, once an industrial wasteland, has in the space of a few years rapidly transformed into a residential hub popular among professionals, international students and young families.

Dominated by towering apartments, it can be easily dismissed as a concrete jungle, but its location, a stone’s throw away from Sydney Airport and a nine-minute drive from Australia’s coolest suburb, makes it a solid stopover option if you’re travelling in and out of the city’s south.

Cooks River winds through Wolli Creek, making it a waterfront suburb within minutes of Sydney Airport and Marrickville.Credit: Brook Mitchell

You’ll especially like Wolli Creek if you like Asian cuisine (we have excellent Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai, and Korean options), croissants (Top Impression bakery is located directly opposite the train station), water views in the midst of suburbia, or bubble tea.

I grew up in south Sydney’s Hurstville, so Wolli Creek always struck me as a nice halfway point between it and the central business district. While there’s no shortage of other residential suburbs with much more to boast about, I fell in love with Wolli Creek for the gentle community buzz that reveals itself if you stick around long enough to see it. Princes Highway splits the suburb: the heart of the suburb is near the train station, while the most peaceful sections hug the water.

Best cafe?

The LoKal Cafe wins the title. You’ll always nab a table even though it’s bustling, and expect Aussie brunch classics on the menu (the fish taco is very popular).

Beans are from Campos. If you visit mid-morning on a weekday, you’ll likely catch more than one remote worker nursing a coffee with their headphones on and laptop out, or people waiting for their takeaway with a dog in tow.

Best restaurant?

Asian smokehouse Yan Restaurant has earned a reputation as a local gem, and rightfully so: celebrating a variety of smoked proteins alongside crowd favourites like beef tataki, fried squid and snapper ceviche, Yan has struck a fine balance between elegant and relaxed that means it wouldn’t be out of place in the likes of Surry Hills or Darlinghurst.

Wolli Creek’s Yan is now a hatted restaurant, making it a beloved local gem.Credit: Anna Kucera

It’s also a hatted restaurant, awarded by the Herald’s Good Food Guide a few years in a row now.

Best beach, park or pool?

I go for a walk around Cahill Park every other day, and it never gets boring. There’s a fenced dog park to let your canine run free off-leash and a playground area for the kids.

First place you take visitors?

While all the action is in the piazza-style Village Square, the footpath that stretches along Rowers on Cooks River is my favourite.

Village Square is the heart of Wolli Creek.Credit: Dean Sewell

Perfect night out in your suburb?

If you don’t live near the area, make a day of it and time your visit with a trip to IKEA Tempe five minutes away. Park at Cahill Park and take a walk along Cooks River, preferably at sunset if you can.

Head to the Square and do a lap before you decide on which restaurant or cuisine you want (you will never go wrong with VN Street Food, Grilled Korean BBQ, or Fresh And Hot malatang, which is a bit of an institution). After dinner, head over to Discovery Point Park (you can find an entry point near St Magdalene’s Chapel) and enjoy the peace and quiet.

Kayaking amongst the mangroves at Wolli Creek at dawn.Credit: Brook Mitchell

What would make your suburb better?

If Wolli Creek had an Italian restaurant, I think my life would be complete.

Best secret spot in your suburb?

Starting from Cahill Park, walk across the bridge and turn into Holbeach Avenue. You’ll walk past a boat ramp, and the end of that is where I like to sit with the dog and my headphones.

Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.