Bar Julius. Photo / Tamara Thiessen
Inner Sydney’s Surry Hills has become a creative, flourishing foodie hotspot for new sip, eat, shop, play and stay lifestyle destinations with a capital D for design, discovers Tamara Thiessen
From working-class suburb to urban playground extraordinaire, city-nudging Surry Hills was once the hub of Sydney’s rag trade – now flotillas of cafes, restaurants, wine bars and hotels occupy its former industrial warehouses and iron-fenced terrace houses.
Sydney’s culinary and lifestyle revolution kicked off here. A foodie Mecca, perfectly pivoted between Central Station and the city, its new generation of hotels are hubs of local design and community-centric animation.
Afternoon
A 10-minute walk from Central Station, the entry to the ACE Hotel is like a glowing deco vintage cinema sign. Enter into a world of colourful ceramic bricks, hanging plants and theatrical lighting. Housed in the historic Tyne House brick factory, the neighbourhood’s industrial heritage is on show in the raw materials, concrete walls, rustic brass and timbers. My room has a minty green palette with terracotta tiles and a vintage-touch turnstile.
READ MORE: Room Check: Paramount House Hotel in Sydney’s Surry Hills
Downstairs, I settle into a leather banquette in The Lobby and enjoy a lovely crisp Patrick Sullivan Chardonnay from South Australia’s Limestone Coast. The bar flows seamlessly into the casual eatery LOAM across a multitude of recessed alcoves. The post-industrial space is decked with marble tables and swivel chairs. Yellows, tans and ochres evoke Australian landscapes, set off by indigenous artwork.
Evening
Tucked in a leafy laneway haven off Crown St, I discover The Winery. Between street art and sculptures, the bucolic but buzzy fairy-lit terrace contrasts with the dark, woody restaurant. The Bottomless Brunches are a hit at this Italo-inspired eatery (think arancini and gnocchi, but with sirloins too).
Back at The Ace, I head to the 18th-floor restaurant Kiln, which has stunning views over the neighbourhood. Creativity hits a high note too on the locally sourced meets Scandinavian simplicity menu by ex-Noma chef Beau Clugston. Cocktails sport fanciful names and ingredients – like the Witching Hour with gentian and orgeat and cherry liqueur-infused Preaching to the Choir. Food highlights are Sydney rock oysters with rhubarb and pink pepper, and Arnhem land-inspired leeks cooked in paper bark and dabbed with locally-made Monforte cheese and caviar-like native finger lime.
Morning
On a breakfast hunt, I stumble upon hole-in-the-wall A.P Bakery in tree-lined Commonwealth St. Pastry heaven, I pick a superb hot cross bun from other delights such as the Roasted Buckwheat Pain au Chocolat, Mango, Coconut & Almond Danish and Zucchini Flower, Saltbush & Cawdor Curd Focaccia. From farm to grain, the flour is milled at its main Marrickville bakery.
Under an American retro red sign, Brooklyn Boy Bagels is another breakfast option on nearby Reservoir St. The mouthwatering offerings – boiled and baked traditionally – include cinnamon and raisin, poppy seed and pumpernickel.
Next stop is my caffeine target, Single O, where the usual breakfast mob is seated at the little wooden tables or perched on bathroom stools in Hands Lane. A two-decade-old espresso tour de force, the ‘Sideshow Specialty Brew Bar’ offers novel takeaways on tap such as the Iced Oat Latte.
Stock up on your favourite roasts (some beans are wrapped in an ‘art bag’ by a local artist), coffee paraphernalia and merchandise, including cups and caps.
Afternoon
Arriving before the tiled logo of February-opened The Eve Hotel and entering the corridor of white sandy breezeblocks, the wow factor is at X factor. My Sunset King Suite room is eucalyptus-green themed from the curtains and bathroom tiles to the channel-tufted sofa. Setting the lighting control to Zen, I soak up the dusk city views from the large west-facing terrace.
The Eve’s curvy biophilic exterior and flourishing ferny internal courtyards are part of the buzzing Surry Hills Village precinct of Wunderlich Lane, whose name recalls a former terracotta roof tile factory.
The exquisite Murano-style glassware in my room, yellow topaz Champagne flutes with scalloped bases and jade borosilicate coffee cups, is from the Saardé boutique downstairs. Shop here for toiletries too – hand creams, fragrances and olive oil-based hand and body wash in a refillable beachy-toned glass bottle.
Evening
After a sunset dip at the EVE’s leafy rooftop pool, swept in by red cabanas, I head to Mexican-leaning Lottie. The restaurant Mezcaleria is run by the food-savvy Liquid & Larder mob. Here it is tortillas downed with a Margarita Picante (or a non-alcoholic Marg-No-Rita), from a long liquor list of mezcals and wine.
Morning
Over a French omelette of chervil and chives with sourdough toast from local baker Breadfern, I lap up the rich, earthy saffrons, ochres and woody browns and relaxed, sophisticated vibe of Bar Julius from a window banquette.
Crowned by a ceiling-spanning artwork by Dinosaur Designs co-founder Louise Olson, the street-facing Euro-style bistro has an all-day menu of burgers, bagels, broccolini and seafood – and a 10-page drinks menu.
Before heading off, I get pampered at The Parlour Room with a one-hour relaxing and aromatic massage followed by a “signature facial” with an all-in-one cleanse, steam and exfoliation plus hand, foot and scalp massage. It’s just around the corner – but so is everything in this new eat, sleep, stay, shop and spa lifestyle hub.
The chef chats to Herald Travel about unforgettable foodie experiences in Aotearoa.