Ten Essential Spots To Visit in Pyrmont
Including a New York-style jazz joint, an Egyptian bakery and the home of some of Sydney's most interesting art.
Ten Essential Spots To Visit in Pyrmont
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Including a New York-style jazz joint, an Egyptian bakery and the home of some of Sydney's most interesting art.
Just west of Sydney CBD, across the sparkling waters of Darling Harbour, you'll find Pyrmont. It's famously the home to a number of tourist hot spots, including Sydney Fish Market, the Powerhouse Museum and The Star. But, beyond these legendary landmarks, there's a cornucopia of quirky restaurants, small bars, cafes and friendly pubs to explore.
Begin your day with Egyptian bakery treats, stop for lunch in a 177-year-old pub and finish up with a degustation where Italian fare meets Japanese influences. In between eats, step into the future at the Powerhouse Museum and catch some live jazz in a New York-style club. Here are ten places in Pyrmont that you really, really shouldn't miss. Plus, for a few more hot tips, check out our video above for Terminus Hotel venue manager Luke Reimann's favourite spots around the suburb.
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Your Pyrmont adventures begin at Pioik, which means ‘bread’ in Coptic — a form of the ancient Egyptian language. Head chef Shady Wasef (who has worked with Stefano Manfredi) creates an array of treats every day, both savoury and sweet. If you’re up for a feast, order the Egyptian Breakfast, which consists of soft-boiled eggs with simit (a Middle Eastern bread) or the Arabic granola, with seasonal fruit, labneh and jersey milk. Alternatively, you can take your pick of baked snacks, which include fruit toast fused with fig, apricot, almond and fennel seed, raspberry and pistachio pastries and an exceptionally moreish orange cake.
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Pyrmont may not be known for its coffee, but head down to the end of Harris Street and you’ll find Call Me Harris — a kiosk-style cafe right by the water. Nestled by Pirrama Park, Call Me Harris makes the most of its waterfront views and lush surroundings with its outdoor seating. As well as your morning caffeine fix, which uses beans from south Sydney roasters Three Pence Roasters, there are juices, smoothies, teas and tonics. Feeling peckish? Select from the array of freshly baked goods — think ricotta-filled cannolis, Oreo muffins, croissants (vegan and regular) and cakes. If you’re after something heartier, you’ll find breakfast staples like shakshuka, granola and avocado brioche on the menu. Come lunchtime, you’ll be feasting on za’atar lamb wraps, a variety of health food bowls and toasties with ham, smoked fior di latte and tomato as you bask in the sunshine.
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After spending 30 years bolted down and boarded up, this 177-year-old pub reopened in 2018 following a whizz-bang revamp. On a sunny day, grab a table in the spectacular sandstone courtyard draped with greenery. If the weather’s chilly, head for the majestic downstairs bar, where you’ll be surrounded by brass fittings, ultra-comfy stools, mustard yellow banquettes and original tiles — or head to the elegant cocktail bar upstairs. For a light lunch, try the suckling pig sausage roll with apple sauce. For a feast, share the slow-cooked lamb shoulder with salsa verde, truffle parmesan spuds and whole roasted carrots.
Image: Kitti Gould.
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LuMi means ‘small lights’ in Italian. This restaurant is like an alternate universe, dotted with tiny pendant lights and impeccably composed plates. Since opening in 2014, chef Federico Zanellato has scored two chefs hats and, in 2017, was named Citi Chef of the Year. Gear up for a long and luxurious tasting menu, created from the best of fresh, seasonal produce. Dishes are ever-changing, with previous offerings including macadamia-and-crab, hapuka (groper) and white chocolate with saduchi — a small, green citrus fruit from Japan. The drinks list, put together by Michaela Boncagni — Zanellato’s wife — ranges from Italian vermouth to champagne and sake.
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You’ll definitely need to break up your wanderings with a beverage or two. And the place to do it is Gallon, a cosy wine bar on Harris Street. Step out of the traffic and into a tranquil, low-lit room that feels like it should be in some pretty Italian village. There’s even a leafy courtyard out the back. The traditional wine list follows suit, offering drops from across New South Wales’ many regions and Western Australia, plus a bunch from Italy, France and New Zealand. You could easily while away an hour or two here, armed with a bottle or two. Should you get peckish, order a snack, like the crumbed soft cheese with cranberry sauce and toast or the crispy duck shanks with plum sauce.
Image: Jess Kneebone.
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One word: bird. There’s no shortage of fried chicken in Sydney — especially of the buttermilk variety — but few eateries offer the variety of chook that Whirly Bird does. Try Messy Seoul Wings, with chilli caramel, pickled radish, lime and sesame; chicken-and-chorizo croquettes with basil mayo, parmesan and lemon; or the Dirty Burger, packed with fried chicken, bacon, cheese and pickle. Vego? Don’t fret. You’re looked after with eggplant schnitzel, salt and pepper silken tofu and more. There’s also a stack of tempting signature cocktails, all inspired by music. The Harvest, a tribute to Neil Young, is a concoction of chardonnay, thyme-infused vermouth, mascarpone, fig and honey, while the Dusty in Memphis comes with Wild Turkey rye, Chocchi Americano, beetroot and Fanta.
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Keen to take a piece of Pyrmont home with you? Make tracks to the Sydney Fish Market, where you’ll find fresh seafood of every kind imaginable — from prawns and oysters to lobster and catches of the day. But it’s not all ocean-dwelling creatures. There’s also wine, baked goodies, fruit, veggies, gourmet deli treats, sea-inspired gifts, fishing gear and loads more. The Market is perched right on the water, so you can interweave your shopping with dreamy harbour views. Come 2023, it’ll reopen following a $250 million makeover — with its very own ferry stop.
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This Pyrmont gift shop houses goods from Australian jewellers, ceramists, designers and artists. Basically, it’s your one-stop shop for last-minute (but thoughtful) birthday gifts — or for when you just feel like treating yourself. Plus, there’s something nice about a well-curated collection of stock set in a physical shopfront for ease on the eye and on the research. Open for over a decade, this neighbourhood stalwart stocks a range of Australian designers including Prene, Inoko and MA Dainty, with everything from Africanologie bookends to baby toys, cookbooks to cufflinks.
Image: Kitti Gould.
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There’s always a new show at the Powerhouse Museum. So, even if you think you know it inside-out, there’s probably something you haven’t seen yet. Right now (until January 2020), you’ll find the Fantastical Worlds exhibition, which is displaying new works from four well-known artists and designers: Timothy Horn, Alexander McQueen, Kate Rohde and Timorous Beasties. Go along to to see familiar art styles transformed into surprising, brilliant, colourful creations. Meanwhile, the trusty permanent exhibitions cover everything from the steam revolution and the history of technology and design to lace from all over the world and climate change.
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Wind up your day with some live jazz at Foundry 616, a New York-style jazz club, where the best musicians from across Australia and the world play. The program varies from killer vocalists like Steve Clisby and Emma Pask (you might know them from The Voice) to quartets improvising over original compositions to entire orchestras. Grab yourself a glass of wine, a beer or a cocktail, find yourself a bar stool and kick back for the evening. Many shows sell out, so it’s a good idea to book in advance.
Image: Kitti Gould.
See Terminus Hotel venue manager Luke Reimann’s favourite spots around Pyrmont above and discover more around the city here.
Top Image: Kitti Gould.
