- Sydney
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Australia
An Italian restaurant hidden away in Surry Hills. Not easy to find - which makes it even more rewarding - but very busy when we were there. Fantastic, fresh, al dente Italian cooking accompanied by the mother of all wine lists. Try the crab if it's on.
3/118 Devonshire St, Surry Hills, NSW
www.vini.com.au
No bookings.
Cheap and so easy to negotiate, even with a surfboard! Helpful drivers who often wait for you to be seated before driving off, a real shock for any visitors from London.
check the excellent website
www.131500.com.au/
to get you from place to place
If you are going to be in Sydney for a while, and you like good food, I recommend you stop by a bookshop and buy the SMH good food guide. It's updated yearly, and gives you the place the locals go to. It covers restaurants, bars, and places to shop for good food. Well worth shelling out for.
Any good book shop, Dymocks etc, even some news stands.
If you want to get out of Sydney there are a few options.
The Hunter valley for a day of wine tasting (if you want to stay overnight, try Peppers).
The Blue Mountains are another option.
However, for a day to remember get the seaplane (seaplanes.com.au) up to Berowra Waters. Have lunch there and then fly back.
For a day trip with a difference, why not fly and dine with the Sydney Seaplanes experience www.seaplanes.com.au. They will fly you from Sydney to various places that are a world away from Sydney. I would recommend Cottage Point Inn and Jonahs. Both fabulous places but Cottage Point Inn feels a bit more unique within the Ku-ring-gai national park.
It's reasonably priced, in a great location, you get automatic membership to the NSW club which is attached. Rooms are great space with microwave, fridge, sink, decent bathroom. It's a great all round hotel for those on a budget but still don't want to be too far from anything (it's just round the corner from Martin Place and five mins walk from Darling harbour).
Phillip Street
Free bus sevrice (route 555) operates a continuous loop between Central Station and Circular Quay along George St & Elizabeth St in both directions.
Approx. every 10 mins.
Mon - Fri 09:30-15:30 (extends to 21:00 on Thurs)
Sat, Sun & public hols (excl Christmas Day) 09:30-18:00
Map of route & stops at url below
www.sydneybuses.info/uploads/File/pdfs/regular_route_maps/555map.pdf
www.sydneybuses.info/news/115/91.htm
It's a restaurant/bar on the fifth floor of the old Customs House (which also includes a library with a scale model of Sydney under a glass floor). It's not that expensive and you get a fantastic panoramic view from the Bridge to the Opera House & beyond.
It's not open that late, however only until about 11pm.
31 Alfred Street, Circular Quay, NSW 2000
Telephone: 02 9242 8551
www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/customshouse/index.html or
www.cafesydney.com
Neraest Station/ bus stop/ ferry stop is Circular Quay.
Another recommendation to add to the 'used by Bondi locals' list. Full breakfast here comes on two plates for the really serious to keep your toast free of egg or tomato leakage. This is the king of breaky that keeps you going all day - the veggie one comes highly recommended as well... Mmmmm.
The menu for the rest of the day is pretty good too, but in Bondi breaky is king - after a swim and before a trip to the Sunday markets.
Gould Street Plaza (leads onto Campbell Parade), Bondi Beach
We were travelling with our two kids aged nine and 14 and the serviced apartments were just right. The apartment building is a converted mill and stands right next to Darling harbour and the monorail. The apartments are compact but cosy with everything you need for a family.
243 Pyrmont Street
Darling Harbour, NSW 2009
Phone +61 2 9518 5166
1800 996 922
I'm a Bondi beach local and am saddened when I see the Brits packing the cafes on Campbell Parade (the slightly dingy strip behind the beach) when no self-respecting resident would ever stop there. Get with the locals and try Jeds, Gusto, Le Paris Go, Speedo, Wet or Three Eggs for your morning bacon. You won't regret the change!
This is an incredible natural free show. Go down to the botanical gardens just before dusk and wait for the roosting bats to take off for their nocturnal feeding. There's thousands of them and it's quite an astounding spectacle. The noise is unbelievable.
For the best results lie on your back in one of the green spaces and take a video camera. The experience is totally unforgettable.
Great restaurant in central Sydney that’s reasonably priced and has soaked up more than a little of the city’s party atmosphere… Loud, funky music makes a great night out but probably not the best romantic meal! They also have a BYOB (bring your own bottle) policy on wine ($2 corkage) that helps save some more cash.
1 Broughton Street (Kirribilli)
In a city of hostels, you can’t get much better than the YHA Central with its comfortable new beds and rooftop terrace with pool and sauna… A lounge, nightclub and games room all on the premises means you don’t even need to leave this hostel in Sydney to enjoy yourself!
Next to popular Sucbar and opposite central station, the location is just as great as the facilities.
www.hostelbookers.com/hostels/australia/sydney/32902/
11 Rawson Place
It’s been called THE backpacker bar in Sydney and its easy to see why – ping pong tables, discount drinks every day (2 for 1 cocktails on Fridays, yum) and fancy dress theme nights.
Not the most authentic experience in some ways, but as Sydney is so huge on the backpacking trail, it’s definitely worth the experience!
2-24 Rawson Place, Haymarket
Plenty of dance music, loud crowds and cheap drinks during the week (avoid for the queues and cover charge on the weekend), the World Bar is a good mix of backpackers and Sydney youngsters and makes for a fun night out in this party city.
24 Bayswater Road (Kings Cross)
Take a 30 minute ferry from Circular Quay to the surfers’ community of Manly! Away from chaotic downtown Sydney, there’s a bit more privacy and great views over the ocean. It’s still vibrant though – from the Quicksilver shops to the busy Manly Beach.
For the views, go right along the beach from the Corso around Fairy Bower to Shelly Beach.
Open 9am-5pm Thursday through Sunday, this market is a great place to pick up cheap ingredients when you’re in Sydney on a budget! Food fish, fruit, nuts etc. but also tourist souvenirs if this takes your fancy (lots of boomerangs in particular!) and handy backpacker essentials like socks and alarm clocks…
In Chinatown on Hay Street
For a place to stay, Shangri-la draws the suited and booted but is also the hangout for beautiful people. The Horizon Club serves canapés in the lounge every evening and there’s wireless broadband throughout.
The restaurant Forty One at the top of Chifley Tower has private dining rooms. You can enjoy breathtaking views of Sydney Harbour and the city’s impressive skyline, and the food is also excellent – there's a six-course dinner menu with wines chosen by the sommelier.
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