Merch to Buy When You Want to Wear Your Love of Your Favourite Sydney Venues on Your Sleeve
Support local — loud 'n' proud.
Merch to Buy When You Want to Wear Your Love of Your Favourite Sydney Venues on Your Sleeve
in partnership with
Support local — loud 'n' proud.
Our fair city is home to some cracking pubs, restaurants, cafes and stores — we'd even go as far to say they are some of the best in the country. But, as we saw much too pointedly last year, many of our faves are only as strong as our support. With many hospitality joints and retailers shut for some time last year, we saw a rise in amazing merch as an alternative way for small businesses to make ends meet. Thankfully, the trend continues, so we can hit up our favourite local spots to wine, dine and shop and go on reppin' them.
Yep, we want you to wear your love of food, coffee, drinks and more on your sleeve. Not only will you look fresh as can be, but you'll be supporting local loud 'n' proud — just the way it should be. Together with American Express, we've rounded up some of the top branded wares around town, from cosy hoodies and easy breezy tees to kitchen equipment and sleek calico totes.
-
10
Family-run restaurant Sáng by Mabasa in Surry Hills quickly became a crowd favourite from the day its doors opened. The teeny 22-seater offers beautifully delicate and authentic Korean food in a swish setting. The eatery serves up Korean dishes we don’t commonly see in Australia, so head here if you’ve ever had a hankering for yassam (pickled white radish wraps, cucumber, nashi pear and perilla leaves) or eohwe (raw kingfish, pickled garlic scape and crispy quinoa and brown rice). The Sáng team also offers a lot of its dishes takeaway.
And to make your takeaway meal even more lovely, you can purchase this minimalist Sáng by Mabasa calico bag for a tenner and your food will then get packed up in it.
-
9
What’s better than ramen? A ramen club, duh. If you didn’t know one existed, then make tracks to your closest Butter location ASAP. After opening in Surry Hills in 2016, the hybrid fried chicken joint, champagne bar and sneaker store has amassed a cult following and now has three Sydney outposts. On top of its delicious chicken, burgers and sides, it now offers fried chicken ramen in the colder months. This year, there’s even the Butter Ramen Club Tour: a monthly dish series of limited-edition ramen bowls created by esteemed Sydney chefs, including Ume Burger’s Kirby Craig and Rising Sun Workshop’s Nick Smith.
So if you, like the Butter team, love ramen and are committed to slurping as many bowls as possible when the cold weather hits, then make sure you nab one of the Butter Ramen Club tees.
Image: Sean Alcantara
-
8
Poho Flowers is a true Sydney institution. Many Potts Point locals carry its beautiful blooms wrapped in blue wrapping paper on any given day. This artisan florist not only offers up some of the most stunning, Instagrammable bouquets, but it also dabbles in philanthropy.
If you purchase its simple Poho x AWC tote bag, you can leave knowing all proceeds go directly to the Australian Wildlife Conservancy. The charity protects and rehabilitates native wildlife across the Kimberley, Cape York, Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre and the Top End regions, so you can tout a stylish cotton tote on your next grocery shop and know you did a good thing. Win-win.
-
7
P&V — which stands for Piss and Vinegar— is not your standard bottle shop; it stocks natural and funky wines, local craft beers and small batch spirits galore. Plus, it offers a range of nibbles and other fixings from local producers, including pickled pineapple from Adelaide’s Nice Pickles, Bloodwood’s spiced chickpeas and native ingredient condiments from Torres Strait-owned Mabu Mabu. And, if that wasn’t enough, it also hosts regular wine tastings and drink-themed events and it offers a top-notch drink subscription service.
It’s a community hub as much as it is a booze store, so if you want to jump on board the supportive bandwagon, get your mitts on some P&V merch. If we’d have to pick one thing, it’d be the aptly named Good Times Tee.
-
6
Gypsy Espresso has long been the go-to, hole-in-the-wall coffee spot for Potts Point locals. More recently, the cafe broadened its fanbase with an expansive second location in Alexandria. But, even regular patrons might not know that this team of coffee aficionados also happens to be passionate cyclists.
In fact, Gypsy sells its very own bike merch. Yep, if you too are an avid cyclist, and also love your morning cup of joe, then you’ll surely want this lightweight cycling jersey produced by Cuore Cycling. You can grab it via the Gypsy Espresso website, or in store.
-
5
Josh Niland is well known as the Australian master of fish. His fine diner Saint Peter has been changing the seafood game since opening in 2016. He and wife Julie are also opening a Rose Bay fish ‘n’ chip joint in the (very) near future and his cookbook, The Whole Fish Cookbook, picked up the prestigious James Beard Book of the Year Award last year.
And that’s all before mentioning Fish Butchery, located just a few doors down from Saint Peter, which is a one-stop-shop for high-quality fresh seafood and everything you’ll need to prepare it at home. This includes the fish weight used in the Saint Peter kitchen. The circular, flat-bottomed weight ensures your fish cooks evenly and develops that delicious crispy skin. As simple as this tool may sound, it’s one of those things that once you have it, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it. Pre-order yours now with more stock coming soon.
Image: Cody Duncan
-
4
The crew behind Yulli’s Brews jumped around Sydney gypsy brewing its craft beers until it found its own digs in Alexandria in 2018. The brewery also services as a restaurant, bar, bottle shop, tasting room and live music venue, making it a vibrant and buzzing hub for people from all walks of life. The diversity of the Yulli’s barflies is reflected in its wide range of beers inspired by members of the Yulli’s family — patrons, employees, friends and actual blood relatives.
If you’re a fan of the Yulli’s Brews way of life, you can pick up some of its wares and wear them with pride. While the t-shirts are popular, the Norman, Seabass and Amanda hats have our name on them this summer.
-
3
Paramount House is the ultimate Surry Hills destination. It’s the place for a killer coffee, catching a flick at the Golden Age Cinema, a rooftop fitness class or some modern hotel luxury — with some seriously stylish rooms. And, let’s not forget, the stellar wine bar Poly is just downstairs.
PHH is located in the former headquarters of Paramount Picture Studios, bringing you the perfect combination of old Hollywood glamour and contemporary Surry Hills charm. Why not take a piece of Paramount luxury home with you with a pair of printed pool slides? The Permanent Vacation slides are the perfect addition to your summer wardrobe — these run small so make sure you size up.
-
2
Winona Wine is the northern beaches go-to for minimal intervention drops, craft beer, sours and artisanal spirits. This beautiful gallery-style bottle-o has built quite the following, offering an approachable space for consumers to come in and explore the world of natural wines. Plus, it offers same day delivery in Sydney, so you can get your natty fix in no time.
Winona has teamed up with award-winning artist Jason Phu to create a gorgeous limited-edition tote bag. Phu’s signature style is showcased on raw indigo denim and will be the perfect vessel to hold your drops in. Get in quick — there are only 200 of these screen printed beauties.
-
1
Redfern Surf Club might be a bit further from the beach than expected, but that doesn’t stop it from being the quintessential Aussie local spot. The club is decked out with an indoor courtyard, a pool room that doubles as a shrine to surfing and an all-Aussie lineup of seasonal beers. It also has a great list of natural wines and classic cocktails to enjoy.
If you want to head to the bar looking like a real local, then grab a Redfern Surf Club tee. Featuring a skeleton riding a wave, this bright green and purple design will make the perfect pub-attire.
