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
-
Design & StyleNewtown
Mr Burrows Hair Newtown
Lounge in leather slingbacks while getting your hair washed and massaged.
-
Design & StyleMarrickville
That Vintage Shop
Allergic to IKEA? You'll find old gems at this antiques specialist on Enmore Road.
-
Design & StyleAnnandale
The Corner Booth
This Annandale boutique has a surprisingly extensive range of goodies.
-
Design & StyleSydney
Academie Salon
Treat yourself to a relaxing hair cut in a 19th-century chapel building.
-
Food & DrinkMarrickville
Napoli Food and Wines
This Italian wholesaler is where to come for deli items from the motherland.
-
Design & StyleEnmore
Wheelhaus Bicycle Boutique
Where you'll find road, gravel and cyclocross bikes alongside Attaquer apparel.
-
Design & StyleGlebe
Inner City Cycles
Glebe Point Road's long-standing bicycle shop has a broad range of bikes, including electric and hybrid.
-
Food & DrinkAnnandale
Annandale Cellars
Discover preservative-free wines at this independent bottle-o.
-
Food & DrinkChiswick
Chiswick Cellars
Test your pairing prowess at this bottle shop cum Italian deli.
-
Design & StyleMarrickville
Seed Flora
This events floristry duo isn't afraid to experiment with grand gestures.
-
Design & StyleLeichhardt
Flowers On Norton St
Pick up posies from $25 a bunch at this Norton Street flower and gift shop.
-
Design & StyleNewtown
Route 66
Surry Hills' longstanding vintage store has started a new chapter in Newtown.
-
Food & DrinkAnnandale
Cherry Moon General Store
A cafe, general stores and woodfired bakery in Annandale.
-
Design & StyleBalmain
Stem
Here you'll find a tight collection of Scandi-style furniture, homewares and clothing.
-
Food & DrinkGlebe
The Source Bulk Foods
Pick up organic treats and healthy ingredients at this waste-free corner store.
-
Design & StyleNewtown
Newtown Garden Market
Whether you have a green thumb or not, these gardening specialists have got you covered.
-
Design & StyleRozelle
Tilly's Art & Print
Your one-stop inner west shop for all the supplies you need to get arty.
-
Design & StyleBalmain
Ally Bell Floral Design
This Balmain florist is a local go-to for fresh flowers and bespoke bouquets.
-
Arts & EntertainmentNewtown
Blue Dog Posters
This is where you can finally get that life-sized Spider-Man print framed and mounted for your wall.
-
Food & DrinkMarrickville
Bucket Boys Bar
The bottle shop's upstairs bar is slinging craft brews, wines, spirits and top-notch toasties.
-
Food & DrinkGlebe
The Charleston
This millennial pink-hued Glebe eatery is inspired by the coastal towns of South Carolina.
-
Food & DrinkMarrickville
Ona Marrickville
The award-winning Canberra coffee roaster has opened its first Sydney cafe in the inner west.
-
Food & DrinkNewtown
Flour Drum
This south King Street gem is serving up banoffee pancakes and slow-cooked lamb ragu with heaps of hospitality.
-
Arts & EntertainmentNewtown
Better Read Than Dead
Thriving since 1996, and keeping the independent bookshop spirit alive.
-
Food & DrinkNewtown
P&V Wine and Liquor
A boutique bottle-o stocking organic wine, beer and spirits, as well as its own pre-batch cocktails.
-
Food & DrinkForest Lodge
Flour Eggs Water
An authentic pasta bar serving up some of the best pappardelle in Sydney.
-
Food & DrinkNewtown
Botany View Hotel
This iconic south King Street watering hole has been revamped by The Lord Gladstone team.
-
Food & DrinkErskineville
Rose of Australia
A local hang for Erko residents with standard pub grub — and plenty of space for your pooch.
-
Design & StyleNewtown
SWOP Clothing Exchange
Uncover some buried fashion treasures at this expertly curated, second-hand shop on Enmore Road.
-
Food & DrinkForest Lodge
Gelato Messina Tramsheds
There's no such thing as too much of a gelato-flavoured good thing, Messina is proving just that its move into Tramsheds.
-
Design & StyleGlebe
Flowers on the Point
You'll find no nonsense flowers, cards and plants at this reliable gift store in Glebe.
-
Food & DrinkRozelle
Belle Fleur Fine Chocolates
This Rozelle chocolate shop makes its own a truffles, pralines and caramels.
-
Food & DrinkForest Lodge
Osaka Trading Co.
From sake and chicken karaage to whisky and edamame, this izakaya has all your Japanese cravings covered.
-
Food & DrinkMarrickville
Barzaari
A modern mixed Mediterranean menu hits Addison Road's culinary black hole.
-
Food & DrinkGlebe
The Toxteth Hotel
This Glebe pub straddles old and new with great pub grub and a mixed crowd.
-
Food & DrinkGlebe
Thievery
The Middle Eastern restaurant home to that burnt butter hummus — and a cracking vegetarian feast.
-
Food & DrinkSt Peters
The End of King
The End of King is another reason why we should be exploring the less trodden paths in life.
-
Food & DrinkLeichhardt
Moretti Ristorante Pizzeria
After 17 years on Leichhardt's Norton Street, this authentic pizzeria is still at the top of Sydney's Italian game.
-
Food & DrinkSydney
Sappho Books Cafe & Wine Bar
Have tea in the sci-fi section at this long-loved bookstore cafe.
-
Food & DrinkDrummoyne
Zeus Street Greek
The Apollo and Alpha may have put the sexy back into saganaki, but Zeus is taking it smart-casual.
-
Food & DrinkSummer Hill
One Penny Red
The location is great, the atmosphere is just what you want and the food? More than worth the journey.
-
Food & DrinkBalmain
Efendy
Turkish food icon Somer Sivrioglu offers both casual meze and a formal Turkish feast in Balmain.
-
Food & DrinkBalmain
The Balmain Hotel
The West End Hotel is reborn as The Balmain, complete with Flamingo Room and a transcontinental menu.
-
Food & DrinkBalmain
The Cottage Bar & Kitchen
Where every night is the dinner party you've dreamed of one day throwing.
-
Food & DrinkStanmore
Sixpenny
A tiny seven-table restaurant in culinary ghost town Stanmore is turning heads.
-
Food & DrinkBalmain
Cantina Bar
Cantina Bar makes the grade as a watering hole alone, but additional casual grazing amps up the experience.
-
Food & DrinkErskineville
Cafe Shenkin
Erskineville's long-loved home of hearty shakshuka and insanely good pastries.
-
Food & DrinkErskineville
The Hive Bar
A true local bar, the Hive is one of the best spots on the Erskineville Road strip.
-
Food & DrinkNewtown
Enmore Theatre
Sydney's most beautiful theatre maintains an antique, old-world feel inside a contemporary venue.
-
Food & DrinkNewtown
Black Star Pastry
Black Star Pastry offers world-class pastry with an atmosphere (and prices) to make you feel right at home.
-
Food & DrinkGlebe
Timbah
A neighbourhood wine bar pouring whatever's open and dishing out a world of flavours.