Anyone who's visited the bright lights of Burwood Chinatown will know it's as much a feast for the eyes as it is for the belly. That same neon-powered, eye-popping, multi-coloured aesthetic is also on display at Spicetown Leichhardt, the new multi-cultural dining destination by the Burwood Chinatown team in the Inner West. While the suburb has long been known as Sydney's unofficial Little Italy, Leichhardt will now be a major drawcard for diners with a more pan-global palate, thanks to this hawker-style food court that has reinvigorated the long-dormant Leichhardt Hotel on Norton Street. More than 20 vendors are serving up tasty bites from around the world, from Turkish kebabs to freshly steamed dumplings, Afghani appetisers to Japanese desserts. The former pub, which had been abandoned for more than a decade, is now unrecognisable, thanks to Spicetown's vibrant signature look, also on display at its pop-up market cousin, Spicetown Sefton. A feature unique to Leichhardt's Spicetown, however, is the Cosmos Bar, a mezzanine drinking den overlooking the hustle and bustle of the food court below. With Norton Street already under consideration to become one of Sydney's new Special Entertainment Precincts, the arrival of Spicetown Leichhardt, which operates until 11pm Thursday–Sunday, is a shot in the arm for the area's nightlife as well as its dining scene.
