Sydney’s inner west has boomed in recent years in all the ways that matter.
Here, you’ll find new restaurants celebrating myriad cuisines, niche bars perfecting both classic and crazy cocktails, independent boutiques boasting vintage collections, and secondhand bookstores with obscure titles and that beloved old-book scent.
We’ve teamed up with American Express to sift through the vast collection of stores spanning Sydney’s inner west and find the creme de la creme. These local gems will no doubt become your new favourites — and you can shop small here with your Amex Card.
If you feel like stretching your legs, Glebe is a short walk from Central Station — but if you aren’t up for the trek, hop on the light rail. For Newtown, take the T2 line from Central. Enmore is a six-minute walk from Newtown Station. The most scenic way to reach Balmain is by ferry, but if you’re prone to seasickness, the 442 bus from the QVB will get you there promptly.
If you’re yet to jump on the e-book bandwagon, the inner west will certainly deliver all your physical literary needs. Sappho Books‘ huge collection may take a while to trawl through so, fortunately, there is a wine bar attached. Newtown’s Better Read Than Dead hosts regular author talks and book clubs, while specialist bookstore and gift shop Pentimento is the place to head for hard-to-find titles, candles and stationery.
SWOP Clothing Exchange in Newtown is all about unique, beautiful and sustainable fashion. It’s got both contemporary and vintage threads — all hanging in colour-coded order. Glebe Point Road is the main thoroughfare in Glebe — after walking the length and taking in the stores, stop for a drink at Staves Brewery.
Connoisseurs of craft brews, organic wines and bespoke spirits are well catered to in this area. From the cosy bars like Earl’s Juke Joint and Where’s Nick to the specialty booze shops like Bucket Boys and P&V Wine and Liquor, the inner west is the spot to track down, or discover, a rare tipple or two.
THE SHOPPING LISTS
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BarThe Lady Hampshire
91 Parramatta Road, Camperdown
Camperdown's resurrected pub is a haven for live music, cheap beers and classic pub feeds.
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BarNorth Annandale Hotel
105 Johnston Street, Annandale
Come for the live music on Sundays and a chicken parmy.
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ShopMr Burrows Hair Newtown
27 Enmore Road, Newtown
Lounge in leather slingbacks while getting your hair washed and massaged.
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ShopThat Vintage Shop
395-397 Enmore Road, Marrickville
Allergic to IKEA? You'll find old gems at this antiques specialist on Enmore Road.
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ShopThe Corner Booth
105 Booth Street, Annandale
This Annandale boutique has a surprisingly extensive range of goodies.
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ShopAcademie Salon
110 Johnston Lane, Sydney
Treat yourself to a relaxing hair cut in a 19th-century chapel building.
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ShopSouvlaki Boys
179 Marrickville Road, Marrickville
Find authentic Greek souvlaki in Marrickville.
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ShopNapoli Food and Wines
1-21 Smith Street, Marrickville
This Italian wholesaler is where to come for deli items from the motherland.
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ShopWheelhaus Bicycle Boutique
263 Enmore Road, Enmore
Where you'll find road, gravel and cyclocross bikes alongside Attaquer apparel.
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ShopInner City Cycles
151 Glebe Point Road, Glebe
Glebe Point Road's long-standing bicycle shop has a broad range of bikes, including electric and hybrid.
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ShopAnnandale Cellars
91 Booth Street, Annandale
Discover preservative-free wines at this independent bottle-o.
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ShopChiswick Cellars
45 Blackwall Point Road, Chiswick
Test your pairing prowess at this bottle shop cum Italian deli.
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ShopSeed Flora
44, 76b Edinburgh Road, Marrickville
This events floristry duo isn't afraid to experiment with grand gestures.
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ShopPanetta Mercato Marrickville
Marrickville Metro, 20 Smidmore Street, Marrickville
A one-stop shop for your grazing platter needs.
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ShopFlowers On Norton St
332 Norton Street, Leichhardt
Pick up posies from $40 a bunch at this Norton Street flower and gift shop.
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CafeCherry Moon General Store
77 Nelson Street, Annandale
A cafe, general stores and woodfired bakery in Annandale.
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ShopThe Source Bulk Foods
183 Glebe Point Road, Glebe
Pick up organic treats and healthy ingredients at this waste-free corner store.
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ShopGalluzzo Fruiterers
187 Glebe Point Road, Glebe
Find fresh fruit and veg in the bustling hub of Glebe.
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ShopNewtown Garden Market
538 King Street, Newtown
Whether you have a green thumb or not, these gardening specialists have got you covered.
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ShopTilly's Art & Print
661 Darling Street, Rozelle
Your one-stop inner west shop for all the supplies you need to get arty.
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ShopAlly Bell Floral Design
493B Darling Street, Balmain
This Balmain florist is a local go-to for fresh flowers and bespoke bouquets.
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ShopBlue Dog Posters
311 King Street, Newtown
This is where you can finally get that life-sized Spider-Man print framed and mounted for your wall.
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BarBucket Boys Bar
300 Illawarra Road, Marrickville
The bottle shop's upstairs bar is slinging craft brews, wines, spirits and top-notch toasties.
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RestaurantThe Charleston
199 Glebe Point Road, Glebe
This millennial pink-hued Glebe eatery is inspired by the coastal towns of South Carolina.
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CafeOna Marrickville
140 Marrickville Road, Marrickville
The award-winning Canberra coffee roaster has opened its first Sydney cafe in the inner west.
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CafeFlour Drum
531 King Street, Newtown
This south King Street gem is serving up banoffee pancakes and slow-cooked lamb ragu with heaps of hospitality.
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ShopBetter Read Than Dead
265 King Street, Newtown
Thriving since 1996, and keeping the independent bookshop spirit alive.
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ShopP&V Wine and Liquor
64 Enmore Road, Newtown
A boutique bottle-o stocking organic wine, beer and spirits, as well as its own pre-batch cocktails.
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RestaurantFlour Eggs Water
1 Dalgal Way, Forest Lodge
An authentic pasta bar serving up some of the best pappardelle in Sydney.
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BarBotany View Hotel
597 King Street, Newtown
An iconic south King Street pub that's home to one of Sydney's best beer gardens.
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BarRose of Australia
1 Swanson Street, Erskineville
A local hang for Erko residents with standard pub grub — and plenty of space for your pooch.
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RestaurantBelles Hot Chicken Tramsheds
1 Dalgal Way, Forest Lodge
Finger-licking fried chicken goodness.
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RestaurantGelato Messina Tramsheds
1 Dalgal Way, Forest Lodge
There's no such thing as too much of a gelato-flavoured good thing, Messina is proving just that its move into Tramsheds.
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ShopFlowers on the Point
321 Glebe Point Road, Glebe
You'll find no nonsense flowers, cards and plants at this reliable gift store in Glebe.
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ShopBelle Fleur Fine Chocolates
665 Darling Street, Rozelle
This Rozelle chocolate shop makes its own a truffles, pralines and caramels.
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RestaurantOsaka Trading Co.
Shop 18,1 Dalgal Way, Forest Lodge
From sake and chicken karaage to whisky and edamame, this izakaya has all your Japanese cravings covered.
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RestaurantBarzaari
65 Addison Road, Marrickville
Enjoy a modern Mediterranean feast at this Addison Road eatery.
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CafeRising Sun Workshop
1C Whateley Street, Newtown
A ramen cafe and bike shop run by ramen-loving bikers.
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BarThe Toxteth Hotel
345 Glebe Point Road, Glebe
This Glebe pub straddles old and new with great pub grub and a mixed crowd.
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BarStaves Brewery
4-8 Grose Street, Glebe
Get stuck in with two-for-one pints at Glebe's backstreet brewpub.
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RestaurantRosso Antico Pizza Bar
52-60 Enmore Road, Newtown
Perfect pizzas have arrived on Enmore Road.
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BarThievery - CLOSED
91 Glebe Point Road, Glebe
The Middle Eastern restaurant home to that burnt butter hummus — and a cracking vegetarian feast.
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CafeThe End of King
609 King St, St Peters
The End of King is another reason why we should be exploring the less trodden paths in life.
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CafeMoretti Ristorante Pizzeria
99 Norton Street, Leichhardt
After 17 years on Leichhardt's Norton Street, this authentic pizzeria is still at the top of Sydney's Italian game.
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CafeSappho Books Cafe & Wine Bar
51 Glebe Point Road, Sydney
Have tea in the sci-fi section at this long-loved bookstore cafe.
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RestaurantZeus Street Greek - CLOSED
187-189 Lyons Road, Drummoyne
The Apollo and Alpha may have put the sexy back into saganaki, but Zeus is taking it smart-casual.
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BarOne Penny Red - CLOSED
2 Moonbie Street, Summer Hill
The location is great, the atmosphere is just what you want and the food? More than worth the journey.
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CafeThe Stinking Bishops
Shop 5, 63-71 Enmore Road, Newtown
A place where cheese gets the recognition it deserves.
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RestaurantEfendy - CLOSED
79 Elliott Street, Balmain
Turkish food icon Somer Sivrioglu offers both casual meze and a formal Turkish feast in Balmain.
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BarThe Balmain Hotel
72-76 Mullens Street, Balmain
The West End Hotel is reborn as The Balmain, complete with Flamingo Room, outdoor dining area and a transcontinental menu.
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BarThe Cottage Bar & Kitchen
342 Darling Street, Balmain
Where every night is the dinner party you've dreamed of one day throwing.
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RestaurantSixpenny
83 Percival Road, Stanmore
A tiny seven-table restaurant in culinary ghost town Stanmore is turning heads.
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BarCantina Bar
350 Darling Street, Balmain
Cantina Bar makes the grade as a watering hole alone, but additional casual grazing amps up the experience.
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CafeCafe Shenkin
53 Erskineville Road, Erskineville
Erskineville's long-loved home of hearty shakshuka and insanely good pastries.
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BarThe Hive Bar
93 Erskineville Road, Erskineville
A true local bar, the Hive is one of the best spots on the Erskineville Road strip.
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BarFactory Theatre
105 Victoria Road, Marrickville
Live music and comedy are at the core of the Factory's operation.
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BarEnmore Theatre
118-132 Enmore Road, Newtown
Sydney's most beautiful theatre maintains an antique, old-world feel inside a contemporary venue.
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BarTimbah - CLOSED
375 Glebe Point Road, Glebe
A neighbourhood wine bar pouring whatever's open and dishing out a world of flavours.
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