Seven Must-Visit Spots in Marrickville for Every Occasion

Sibling restaurant to Cool Mac in Kirribilli, Kūrumac specialises in the sorts of breakfast offerings you’d find in family cafes around Japan. Think plenty of fish, onigiri (rice balls), green tea soba noodles with tempura, and refreshing Japanese sodas.

But the star of the menu is the spicy cod roe melt: a chunky toasted slice of Japanese-style milk bread, smothered in a piquant cod roe and melted cheese. As co-owner Eugene Leung told Concrete Playground in 2019, the team wants to make food that Japanese locals “would get served for breakfast by their parents”. So, if you’re after an authentic homemade Japanese brekkie, Kūrumac is the ultimate choice.

Image: Kimberley Low

Plant Girl began as a plant delivery service that allowed inner Sydney residents to indulge in their favourite interior decoration — succulents and leafy, low-maintenance plants — from home. In 2020, founder Felicity Keep graduated to having a bricks-and-mortar shop in Marrickville, so you have the option of using the original delivery service or popping into the shopfront to see which lovely greenery will become the next addition to your living room.

If you’re ever looking for gift ideas for one of those pesky ‘I need and want for absolutely nothing’ people, then Plant Girl should be your first stop.

Agreed to host a dinner party? Well, you’re going to need seafood. In Greek, faros means lighthouse — so let Faros Seafood be your beacon to guide you. The quality at this beloved Marrickville fish market is impeccable, so you’ll be able to prepare anything from prawn tartare to a baked snapper that’ll blow your guest’s minds. And, it goes without saying that the customer service at this long-standing family business is always exceptional. The staff members unsurprisingly love to talk seafood, so they’ll happily assist you with ideas for dishes or serving suggestions.

The market has been a staple of the Marrickville community for over 50 years. George and Dorothea Bananis, who emigrated from the Greek island of Limnos, set up the oyster shucking business on Buckley Street in 1969 in the rear garage of their house. Over the years, it expanded to include all manner of seafood with the couple’s son Peter now running operations.

We asked Plant Girl founder Felicity Keep to share her pick of the neighbourhood and she chose Factory Theatre. “Every time I walk past that venue I’m drawn in. It is just buzzing with energy,” she told CP. “I’ve seen some great live music and comedy there. If you’re looking for atmosphere this is the place.”

The Factory Theatre is one of those excellent multipurpose venues that every suburb needs. The Factory has a wide-ranging lineup of live shows, including music, comedy, dance and theatre — all of which are invariably excellent. So, if you’re looking to get in some live entertainment after finally clocking off for the day, then this is a no-fail choice. It’s also a perfect option for after-work drinks — one of the biggest appeals about Factory is the colourful outdoor bar that’ll provide hours of dancing and joyful memories.

This friendly neighbourhood bar won over Marrickville locals when it opened its doors in 2015, and it’ll undoubtedly win you over too. It’s the perfect place to stop in for a nightcap after hitting one of Illawarra Road’s affordable Vietnamese eateries.

The late-night small bar always has soul and hip hop playing from the speakers; ingenious cocktails and local craft brews on the menu; and serves up seriously tasty tacos. And, we can’t forget to mention the must-try Frankencheese Toastie, a multilevel grilled cheese sambo, served with Frank’s Hot Sauce, pickles and crisps. A recent change of ownership has ushered in more live music, too, including Saturday afternoon sessions, when you can also nab two-for-one cocktails.

Image: Arvin Prem Kumar

Panetta Mercato isn’t your average supermarket. If you’re feeling somewhat underwhelmed by your choices when you’re doing your weekly shop at one of the mainstream supermarkets, then you need to head to Marrickville Metro’s brand-new Panetta Mercato ASAP.

This is one of those glorious markets where you’re immediately surrounded by the heady aroma of fresh, ripe fruits and veggies as you walk in the door. Plus, it stocks a huge amount of specialist, hard-to-find ingredients for every cuisine under the sun, so you’re guaranteed to get everything you need in one place.

Bay Tinh is a true Marrickville institution. Locals have been enjoying its glorious Vietnamese feasts since founder Tinh Tran — a celebrated chef in Vietnam, and a refugee who had just arrived in Australia — opened his restaurant doors in 1986.

Bay Tinh’s menu is extensive and created with care, from the fragrant soups to the tantalising claypot mains and the signature ‘bonfire’ dishes cooked at the table. It also offers a wide variety of banquets. Head to Bay Tinh for a midweek meal (one of those nights you can’t be bothered cooking) and simply sit back and let these erudite chefs select your dishes for you.

Image: Cassandra Hannagan