King Street, Newtown

The Inner West of Sydney stretches from the small inner city suburb of Chippendale (south of Central Railway Station) to the secondary railway hub and business-retail centre of Strathfield and also Sydney Olympic Park to the west. Particular areas of interest to the traveller include Newtown, Glebe, Balmain, and Leichhardt.

The Inner West suburbs are among the oldest parts of Sydney. They developed along Parramatta Road, which runs to Parramatta at the source of the Parramatta River. The architecture of the Inner West ranges from terraced houses to small mansions and reflects its development in the Victorian (1840–1900) and Federation (1901–1914) periods. The area is quite culturally diverse and its proximity to the central business district makes it popular with commuters and an alternative base for business.

Get in

By bus

From the city, various Sydney Buses routes run regular services to the Inner West. Route numbers in this area begin with 4 or 5; useful routes include the 431-434 to Glebe/Balmain, the 436-440 and Metrobus 10 to Leichhardt, 422-428 to Newtown, the 480-483 to Strathfield Station and the 500 route up Victoria Rd through the suburb of Drummoyne. Most buses are "Prepay Only" between 7AM and 7PM; you must buy tickets from designated outlets such as newsagents or convenience stores, as they are not available for sale on board.

The Inner West suburb of Burwood is the north-west terminus of the route 400 bus which runs from Bondi Junction to the airport. Using this bus and changing onto a train is a cheaper alternative to using the train directly from the airport. However, the bus is subject to Sydney traffic, and a train will usually be better for time.

By ferry

Ferries run a scenic route from Circular Quay in the city centre to the area via the inner harbour and the Parramatta River, stopping at various wharves along the way. The most useful for travellers are the wharves at Balmain.

By light rail

Inner West can also be reached by the Metro light rail service, which travels from Central station via Darling Harbour to Glebe and onwards to Dulwich Hill. This is an interesting way to travel, as it follows the old goods (freight) lines which serviced Sydney's ports.

By train

Only the more southerly parts of the district are served by rail lines:

• The Inner West line passes through this district, stopping at Redfern, Macdonaldtown, Newtown, Stanmore, Petersham, Lewisham, Summer Hill, Ashfield, Croydon, Burwood and Strathfield. Newtown, with its eat street and bars, is serviced every 15 minutes until late. Strathfield is a major interchange station, and has very frequent services to the city.
• The Bankstown line stops at Erskineville, St Peters and Marrickville.

See

Suburbs

The redeveloped Colgate-Palmolive Building, just next to the Balmain ferry wharves

Interesting areas include the student-orientated suburbs of Newtown and Glebe, the once-working class, now-fashionable Balmain peninsula, the European chic of Leichhardt and Petersham, and the Asian bustle of Burwood, Ashfield and Strathfield.

• Newtown's main street, King Street is architecturally probably the best preserved Victorian high street in Sydney. Neglect preserved it in the first place - no money was to be made by knocking things down in the twentieth century, and now regulation favours conservation rather than demolition. Along its length you'll find the usual mix of shops in a major city's boho zone: secondhand book shops, over thirty (at last count) Thai restaurants, Vietnamese restaurants, cafés, clothing shops and an assortment of odd quirky little places.

• Glebe also has some intact 19th century terraces. The main shopping strip is Glebe Point Road, home to many specialty stores, cafés and restaurants. An unexpected sight is the Sze Yup Temple on Edward St, dedicated to Kwan Ti — a 3rd-century Chinese folk hero. In its 110 or so years, it has burnt down twice and been twice restored.

• Balmain was once an industrial working-class neighbourhood, but its proximity to the city and prime waterfront estate attracted richer folk. It's now a trendy village of upmarket residences, cafés and restaurants. Gentrification has led to some interesting quirks: the heritage-listed Working Men's Institute is occupied by a restaurant, and the industrial monster of the Colgate-Palmolive Building, a former soap factory, now houses posh harbourside apartments which can be seen when taking the ferry to Balmain.

• Strathfield has a few well-preserved Victorian country mansions built on wide tree-lined avenues by wealthy merchants in the 1880s. Some have been converted into schools. One notable precinct is the Woodward Avenue Heritage Conservation Area, bounded by The Boulevarde, Woodward Avenue and Albyn Road. Today Strathfield vies with Eastwood for the title of Sydney's Little Korea, and much of the shop signage is in Korean.

Parks and gardens

Directly south of the Sydney Harbour, the Inner West has plenty of quiet bays and headlands with views, although they will be much easier to reach by car or ferry. If you're fit and adventurous, go for the Bay Run, a mostly flat 7 km stretch that sticks close to the Iron Cove Bay waterfront passing through 7 different Inner West suburbs.

• 1 Glebe Foreshore Parks, Chapman Rd, Glebe (Bus 431 to Glebe Point Rd or the Light Rail to Jubilee Park). Four different parks (Federal Park, Jubilee Park, Bicentennial Park and Blackwattle Bay Park) with the Anzac Bridge in the background. A mix of grasslands, sport fields, playgrounds and wetlands make for a wide area to explore. There is a walking path along the foreshore all the way from the Fish Markets to Annandale, with a Light Rail station conveniently at each end. A short walk further into Annandale along Johnston St will show you a series of gothic mansions. 
• Ballast Point Park, Ballast Point Rd, Birchgrove. A former Caltex industrial site now returned to the authorities and made greener. Offers panoramic views of the Harbour Bridge and Sydney city skyline from a high vantage point. 
• Birchgrove Park, Grove St, Birchgrove. Contains Birchgrove Oval, the spiritual home of rugby league in Australia after it hosted the first professional matches in 1908. A family park that has good views of the Harbour Bridge. 
• 2 Camperdown Memorial Rest Park, Australia St, Newtown. Located just two blocks behind King St, it has lots of open space and plenty of street art and graffiti on the walls surrounding the park, as well as an atmospheric cemetery in the adjoining church. Sit on the grass and people-watch, there's always someone out of the ordinary. The Newtown Festival is held here in November. 
• 3 Sydney Park, Sydney Park Road, Alexandria (across the road from St Peters station, or get bus 422 down King St). A large park (40 hectares) at the very southern end of Newtown's King Street, it was a former brick pit that was filled with the city's rubbish in the 1970's and 1980's before being topped with soil and landscaped. The 3 former trash hills make excellent viewing locations, where you have views from the airport to the city. Rolling hills, native plantings, engineered wetlands and the historic remains of the brick works make this park an inner Sydney landmark. Almost the entire park is an off-leash area for dogs, making it a destination for pet-owners while the open fields and steep grassy hills make it a favoured destination for determined exercisers. 
• 4 Iloura Reserve, Balmain East (next to Balmain East Ferry Wharf, or get bus 442). Sweeping views of the city and Harbour Bridge. (updated Aug 2015)

University of Sydney

Sydney University's Main Quadrangle, completed in 1862

The University of Sydney was founded in 1850, the first university in Australia and Oceania. Located right at the boundaries of central Sydney and the Inner West, its Camperdown campus has grand sandstone buildings with detailed stone carvings and is well worth a visit. It takes twenty minutes to walk from Central station and you'll pass through Victoria Park, a large quiet haven bounded by two busy roads. The University also houses a few interesting museums and galleries, which may be closed over the Christmas break.

• The Clock Tower, a classic example of Neogothic design, sits at the end of the long walkway from Victoria Park. On the other side of the building is the Main Quadrangle, which has a single jacaranda tree in the courtyard that can be caught in full purple bloom during late spring.

• 5 Nicholson Museum of Antiquities, Main Quadrangle. M-F 10AM-4:30PM, first Sa of the month noon-4:30PM. Contains the largest collection of antiquities in Australia, featuring ancient artefacts from Egypt, the Middle East, Greece, Rome, Cyprus and Mesopotamia, collected by the University over many years. Also mummified cats and humans. Free. 

• Macleay Museum, Top floor of Macleay Building (Off Science Lane). M-F 10AM-4:30PM, first Sa of the month noon-4:30PM. The oldest natural history museum in Australia, largely kept in storage, but they have quite a collection of insects from Darwin, Raffles and other keen entomologists. Free. 

• University Art Collection, War Memorial Arch, Quadrangle. M-F 10AM-4:30PM, first Sa of the month noon-4:30PM. Houses more than two thousand artworks — a diverse collection of Australian, Asian and European paintings, prints, watercolours, drawings, textiles, photography and sculptures. Free. 

Do

The Enmore Theatre

Shows and acts

• 1 Enmore Theatre, 130 Enmore Rd, Newtown, ☏ +61 2 9550 3666, fax: +61 2 9550 2990, boxoffice@enmoretheatre.com.au. The Enmore Theatre is one of Sydney's premier smaller live venues. International acts who have performed here include the Rolling Stones, Ani Difranco, Flaming Lips, Eels, the White Stripes and Asian Dub Foundation, Joe Cocker, Michelle Shocked, Dandy Warhols, Jethro Tull, and Mars Volta. 

• 2 New Theatre, 542 King St, Newtown, ☏ +61 2 9519 3403. New Theatre is one of the oldest continuously producing theatre companies in Australia with a proud history that is intertwined with much of Sydney's social development and Australian theatre history. Productions range across drama, comedy, musicals, gay theatre, family shows, political cabaret and specialised education programs. Classic texts with bold new interpretations and some of the finest contemporary writing. 

• 3 Palace Cinema, 99 Norton St, Leichhardt, ☏ +61 2 9564 5620. Palace Norton Street, one of Sydney's most comfortable and well-equipped cinemas, is located amongst the noted restaurants and cafés of vibrant Leichhardt. Norton Street screens a carefully selected range of quality films and is one of Sydney's premier venues for international cinema, hosting the French, Spanish, Greek, German and Italian film festivals each year. 

• 4 Annandale Hotel, Cnr Parramatta Rd and Nelson St, Annandale, ☏ +61 2 9550 1078. The Annandale Hotel is another of Sydney's best pub venues. It hosts many of Australia's best known indie bands and international acts. Under receivership, but still running. 

Events

• Newtown Festival, Camperdown Memorial Rest Park, Newtown, ☏ +61 2 9550 1078. Every November. Features local bands, crafts, food and cultural activities. Gold coin donation. 

• Newtown and Enmore are also home to the Sydney Fringe, Sydney Mardi Gras Fair Day, zine and comic fairs, Walk The Streets, and other alternative festivals and activist events during the year.

Sports

• 5 Camperdown Bowling Club Barefoot Bowls, 31a Mallett Street, Camperdown, ☏ +61 2 9519 7961. Have a beer and some fun playing barefoot bowls on a sunny afternoon. 

Buy

Markets

• The regular markets in Glebe and Rozelle (near Balmain) are a great place to shop with the locals and look for unusual bargains. Held in the grounds of the local public primary schools the Glebe markets are on every Saturday and the Rozelle markets both Saturday and Sunday.

• The Carriageworks in Redfern hosts the Eveleigh Markets, which consist of a farmers' market selling local farmers and producers of artisan food products, held every Saturday from 8AM to 1PM, and an artisans' market for local and independent artists of all types to exhibit and sell their work.

• The Marrickville Organic Food Markets are held at the Addison Road Centre and has a good mix of organic produce straight from the farmers, secondhand items and food stalls in a leafy compound. Held every Sunday from 8AM to 3PM. There's also Reverse Garbage inside, which sells bits and pieces of things saved from the dump.

• The Sydney Markets at Flemington are a whole lot messier than the Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne, and even a little maniac on Fridays and weekends, but there's undoubtedly a wide range of cheap fresh vegetable and fruit produce under one big warehouse. There are gorgeous flowers on sale if you get there early (before 9AM). There's also an assorted secondhand market on Saturday.

Books

• 1 Gleebooks, 49 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe (new books) and 191 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe (second hand books), ☏ +61 2 9660 2333 (new book store), +61 2 9552 2526 (second hand). Independent bookshop catering for a wide variety of readers. Another branch is in the inner-west suburb of Dulwich Hill. 
• 2 Gould's Book Arcade, 32 King St, Newtown, ☏ +61 2 9519 8947. Open until midnight daily.. A chaotic mix with specialities including Marxism, Labour history, magazines, and Australian history. 
• 3 Sappho Books Cafe & Wine Bar, 51 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe (next to Gleebooks), ☏ +61 2 9552 4498. A large general second hand book store with an upstairs area and café in its leafy courtyard, which becomes a wine and tapas bar at night. Decent books and decent coffee. 
• 4 Better Read Than Dead, 265 King St, Newtown, ☏ +61 2 9557 8700. One of the Inner-west's largest book stores with a large selection of biographies and hard-to-find titles. The store also has an ABC shop upstairs. 

Shopping malls

• Ashfield Mall, 260A Liverpool Road, Ashfield (From Ashfield station, walk along Hercules St, cross Liverpool Rd, turn right and walk for 1 minute.), ☏ +61 2 9799 8488. 9AM-5:30PM. A small basic shopping mall servicing Ashfield. 
• 5 Birkenhead Point, Roseby St, Drummoyne, ☏ +61 2 9812 8800. 10AM-5:30PM. Contains a large number of designer factory outlets for fashion on the cheap. A little messy, and doesn't make the most of its spot by the harbour. It can be accessed by ferry or buses along Victoria Road. 
• 6 DFO (Direct Factory Outlets), 3/1-5 Underwood Rd, Homebush. Mainly factory outlets for Australian brands. Some good deals, but not always worth the effort to travel all the way here. 
• Westfield Burwood, 100 Burwood Rd, Burwood (Upon exiting Burwood station, turn right and walk for approx 5mins.), ☏ +61 2 8746 3900. 9AM-5PM. Opened in 1966, it is the largest shopping mall in the Inner West with 247 stores and is conveniently located within a few minutes walk of Burwood Station. Contains several supermarkets and a cinema. 
• 7 Broadway Shopping Centre, Broadway (all Broadway/Parramatta Rd/King St buses, or a 15min walk from Central station). A convenient shopping centre on the edge of the city that includes a large cinema complex and area views from the top of the car park. (updated Aug 2015)

Eat

The Inner West is really a great place to eat, with a choice of "Eat Streets", where you can get to, and stroll along and do some menu inspecting before you choose your favourite.

Ashfield

Contains a large population of Chinese people and is known among the Sydney Chinese community as 'Little Shanghai' where you can find a decent amount of cheap and authentic Chinese/Shanghainese food not far from the station along Liverpool Road.

• New Shanghai Chinese Restaurant, 273 Liverpool Rd, Ashfield, ☏ +61 2 9797 7284. This restaurant which originally started in Ashfield has now opened branches around Sydney and even a branch in Shanghai. Try the shenjianbao (fried pan dumplings) and xiaolongbao (soup dumplings). Be careful of the hot soup inside these dumplings! 

Burwood

A highly multicultural suburb, located about 15 minutes from Central Station, there are a few dining options to be had which are particularly convenient if you are staying in the area. Burwood Road is where you will find most restaurants and businesses. Conveniently located right at Burwood Station, if you head left/south upon exiting you will find many Asian restaurants and businesses, whilst heading to the right you will find a range of outdoor dining cafés and restaurants and Westfield Burwood.

• Fuji Teppanyaki Japanese restaurant, 246 Burwood Rd, Burwood, ☏ +61 2 9745 3188. Not only do they serve the usual sushi and sashimi, their specialty is hot-plate style cooking show (teppanyaki), which the chef cooks and serve all the fresh produce in front of you. 

• Mini Pot Hotpot Restaurant, 117 Burwood Road, Burwood (located right across the road from Burwood Station), ☏ +61 2 9745 3188. This places offers all you can eat Chinese hotpot in a unique individual bowl style. Good value at $26pp. 

• Seabay handmade noodle restaurant, 181 D Burwood Rd, Burwood (Left out of the station), ☏ +61 9745 2238. A unique Northwest Chinese style of cooking and amazing value for money make this a great experience, and the meat dumplings are especially delicious. 

• Tim Ho Wan, 173-175/100 Burwood Rd, Burwood NSW 2134 (cnr At the front of Westfield Burwood Shopping Centre), ☏ 0426 788 708NOCC. Famous dim sum chain from Hong Kong. One of the first stores to open outside Asia. 

Balmain

Balmain is a cosy neighbourhood with lots of cute houses and quirky shops. Ballast Point Park is a great spot for a picnic with a view over the Harbour bridge. You can get to Balmain by ferry or bus. There are also a lot of pubs around and a good selection of restaurants, mostly located around the main street, Darling Street.

• Pomegranate Thai, 191 Darling St, ☏ +61 2 9555 5693. Excellent and authentic modern Thai food. 
• Riverview Hotel, 29 Birchgrove Road, Balmain, ☏ +61 2 9810 1151. Bar: M-Sa noon-midnight, Su noon-10PM. Dining room: F-Su noon-3PM, M-Su 6PM-10PM. You can choose to eat in the dining room upstairs but you can also choose from a selection of the same menu and eat in the bar. The menu is Modern Australian and courses are well thought through and executed. The bar also offers tasting plates and pizzas. Prices - Bar menu: Tasting plates $10, Pizzas $18. Dining room: Entries around $20, Mains $ 25-30. 
• Rosso Pomodoro, Shop 90-91, 24 Buchanan St, Balmain (White Bay), ☏ +61 2 9555 5924. Tu-Su 6PM-10PM. This is a bit further out of Balmain in a more residential area, but they serve excellent authentic Italian pizzas. 

Glebe

Concentrated on Glebe Point Road, there is a variety of excellent restaurants to suit a range of budgets.

• Almustafa, 23 Glebe Point Rd, ☏ +61 2 9660 9006. Sun-Thur 5.30-11PM, Fri-Sat 5.30-12. Authentic Lebanese family friendly restaurant with cosy atmosphere. Great for vegetarians. BYO wine. Prices around $10-15 for starters, $14-28 for mains. 

• Badde Manors, 37 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe, ☏ +61 2 9660 3797. 7:30AM-midnight (until 2AM Fri/Sat). Cozy vegetarian café with a slightly Parisian bohemian air, particularly known for their great desserts and coffee. Stays open very late on Friday and Saturday nights for those in need of a sugar or caffeine fix at the end of a big night. A Glebe institution. 
• Glebe Point Diner, 407 Glebe Point Rd, ☏ +61 2 9660 2646. Lunch Fri-Sun from noon, Dinner Mon-Sat from 6PM. Modern Australian with French influences with a carefully selected seasonal menu. Fine dining feel but a relaxed and un-pretentious atmosphere. Prices around $18 for starters, $25-30 for mains. 

• Inferno, Broadway Shopping Centre, 2 Bay St, Broadway, ☏ +61 2 9211 4141. One of a small chain of family friendly gourmet wood-fired pizza joints. Favourites include the Inferno pizza and the Rising Sun pizza. They have a nice brucshetta too. Keep an eye on them when they open wine for you: they're a bit cavalier about the cork. Mains $15-$20. 

• The Boathouse on Blackwattle Bay, Located at the end of Ferry Rd (From Pyrmont Road turn right at Taylor St and then right again at Ferry St and continue to the end of the road. The Restaurant is by the water), ☏ +61 2 9518 9011. Lunch Th-Su from noon, Dinner Tu-Su from 6PM. Fine dining, Modern Australian, specialising in seafood. Prices approximately $27 for starters and $ 40 for mains. 
• Tom Yum Tum Gang, 249 Glebe Point Road, ☏ +61 2 8065 0859. Busy local spot for flavoursome Thai food. (updated Mar 2016)

Leichhardt

Norton Street is Sydney-speak for Italian. Norton Street contains a mix of residential buildings, restaurants (Italian and others), cafés, eateries and individual retail outlets, including several bookstores and grocery shops. There are also hotels, a Palace Cinema and two of the suburb’s three shopping centres: Norton Plaza and the Italian Forum. Thai, Brazilian and Lebanese restaurants have also recently opened in Leichhardt. There are a few more Italian options in nearby Haberfield.

The Italian Forum has a handful of restaurants that can be a little pushy for custom, however it is quite quiet and relaxed and the restaurants tend to be authentic and good quality; definitely worth the walk down the steps from Norton St to peruse the menus!

The Italian Forum, styled after a Mediterranean piazza

• 1 Braza Churrascaria, 13 Norton St, Leichhardt, ☏ +61 2 9572 7921. Popular Brazilian BBQ restaurant in Leichhardt - all you can eat for $42 (and rising). Extremely busy on weekends, so bookings are advised. Not recommended for vegetarians! 

• 2 Bar Italia, 169 Norton St, Leichhardt, ☏ +61 2 9560 9981. A Leichhardt institution renowned for their award winning gelato - which attracts lines that go out the door on Friday and Saturday nights (and constantly increases the price). Bar Italia also have a strict rule of nothing but regular milk in your coffee - so if you want soy or skim get your coffee elsewhere. Staff can sometimes be abrupt and rude, but it's well worth it for the gelato. Late at night, you might also spot left-wing politicians holding secretive meetings out the back. 

• Cafe Jolly, 158 Norton St, Leichhardt, ☏ +61 2 9560 2434. Popular Italian style restaurant in Leichhardt. Reasonably priced and very tasty food. Extremely busy on weekends, so bookings are advised. 

• Jasmin 1 Lebanese, 118 Marion St, Leichhardt, ☏ +61 2 8084 2692. Great value tasty Lebanese restaurant in Leichhardt. 

• La Botte D'Oro, 137 Marion St, Leichhardt, ☏ +61 2 95601349. Authentic Napolitan restaurant in Leichhardt. 

• La Disfida, 109 Ramsay St, Haberfield, ☏ +61 2 9798 8299. Excellent authentic Italian pizza. In Haberfield, which is down the street from Leichhardt. A bus from Norton St or Marion St can get you there in about 5 minutes. 

• Martini, Level 1 99 Norton St, Leichhardt (enter through Palace Cinemas), ☏ +61 2 9568 3344. This place sells the typical woodfired pizza and pasta, but go here for the movie meal deals where you get a pizza or pasta and a movie ticket for around $15 - almost the price of an adult movie ticket. 

• Ocean Foods, 154 Lyons Rd (Cnr Gipps St), Drummoyne, ☏ +61 2 9181 4336. Some people claim (including the shop) that this is the best fish and chips around. Prepare for a queue if you come on a Friday night or the weekend. 

• Pasticceria Papa, 145 Ramsay St, Haberfield, ☏ +61 2 9798 6894. This place is famous for their ricotta cheesecake, but they also serve hot foods such as foccacia, arancini, etc. 

• Thai Namic, 146 Norton St, Leichhardt, ☏ +61 2 9569 1600. Delicious Thai restaurant in Leichhardt. Very reasonably priced authentic tasting Thai. Extremely busy on weekends, so bookings are advised. Recommended for vegetarians! 

Marrickville

Located 7km from the CBD, Marrickville is well known for its multicultural working class Greek and Vietnamese heritage built under the flight paths of Sydney airport. These days, some describe it as the 'new Newtown' as it is now an emerging area popular with students and artsy types. Trendy cafes and bars mix with old school good value eateries in this suburb.

• Cornersmith, 314 Illawarra Road Marrickville, ☏ +61 2 8065 0844, info@cornersmith.com.au. 07:30 - 15:30. Housed in what was once an old thread store, this cafe is one of the most popular in the area. Producing much of their own chutneys, pickles and relishes, they have an ever changing seasonal menu and are well known for quality coffee. 

• The Goni's Schnitzelria, 296 Marrickville Rd Marrickville, Marrickville, ☏ +61 2 95602574. 11:00 - 21:30. After 12 years at The White Cockatoo Hotel, Goni's has now relocated with the same old menu. Known for their gigantic schnitzels, this place is perfect for those with an appetite on a budget. One schnitzel can easily feed two people. $20-$30. 

• Marrickville Pork Roll, 236a Illawarra Road, Marrickville, ☏ +61 420 966 368. This very popular outlet is well known for selling one of the best Vietnamese Banh Mi in Sydney. At $4-$5 they are considered a bargain and often there will be a line up at lunch time. There is also a branch in nearby Ashfield. $4-$5. 

Newtown

The King Street strip is a cheap eats paradise, with food from all corners of the globe, including a strong Thai presence. Try also the Portuguese bakeries of nearby Petersham for their famed custard tarts.

• The Bitton Café and Grocer, 37a Copeland St, Alexandria, ☏ +61 2 9519 5111. open from 7AM, closes 5PM (Sat/Sun) or 7PM (Mon/Tue) or 9PM (Wed-Fri). A small gourmet café opposite Erskineville Park, mixing French cuisine with Indian spices. Their homemade speciality jams are sensational. A popular breakfast spot for locals, expect to wait for seating on weekends. Mains $15-20. 

• Carlisle Castle Bistro, 19 Albermarle St, Newtown, ☏ +61 2 9557 4852. Located within the backstreets close to Newtown Station, this pub is frequented by locals and has a less chaotic atmosphere compared to the pubs on King Street. The bistro has good value, high quality food within an informal dining atmosphere and makes a great place to spend an evening with a few drinks and a meal. 

• Crispy Inn Bakery, 203 King St, Newtown, ☏ +61 2 9557 3910. 24h. Across the road from yet another 7-Eleven, and much more interesting. They're always baking, so there's always something fresh. They have a variety of pies, cakes, rolls, and loaves. 

• Darley Street Bistro, 597 King St, Newtown, ☏ +61 2 9517 1133. Located at the south end of King Street as part of the Botany View Hotel, this bistro provides some of the best value 'gastropub' food in Sydney. Enjoy live music and a beer with your meal! As with many pub bistros in Australia, service is informal and you collect your meal from the counter. 

• Green Gourmet, 115 King St, Newtown, ☏ +61 2 9519 5330. Lunch 12PM-3PM; Dinner 6PM-10PM. A specialist 100% vegan Chinese restaurant and grocer. They do an all vegan buffet - but beware, they charge according to the weight of food on your plate and include the (very heavy) plate's weight. 

• Guzzle Tandoori, 453 King St, Newtown, ☏ +61 2 9557 3537. 5:30PM-midnight. Excellent authentic Pakastani meals, typically about $15/person. Save some room for the dessert naan, delicious! 

• Izote, 6 King St, Newtown, ☏ +61 2 8084 9651. 5:30PM-Late, Tuesday-Sunday. Nice Mexican food, down the Sydney Uni end of King St. One of the only places in Sydney where you can get ceviche, and they also serve a decent chicken mole. 

• Linda's on King St ((formerly Linda's Backstage)), 341 King St, Newtown (50 m south from Newtown Station), ☏ +61 2 9550 6015. Tue-Sat from 6PM. "Contemporary cuisine giving classic dishes a modern twist." Not many tables so be sure to make a reservation. Top quality for Newtown. Mains $28. 

• Pho 236, 236 King St, Newtown, ☏ +61 2 9550 2480. 5-10PM. Perhaps the best pho you can get this side of capitalism. Cheap, exotic flavors and modest surrounds. Generous portions and amazing food. 

• Rowda Ya Habibi, 101 King St, Newtown. 10:30AM-midnight. This dingy looking store is far and away the best place for a take away doner kebab in Newtown. Unlike other Newtown kebab stores, which seem to largely cater to drunk people stumbling out of pubs, Ya Habibi's kebabs are fairly authentic (the tabouleh and sauces are made by the owners, and they include a very tasty pickled red cabbage), and at $5.50 AUD for a falafel roll or $6.50 for chicken or lamb, are actually a little cheaper. Also worth checking out are their dolmas ($1.50 each) and their large, soft and delicious pieces of Turkish delight (80 cents each or $5 for a box, but most of the time the box is worse value). 

• SMASH Sausage Kitchen, 512 King St, Newtown, ☏ +61 2 9516 5424. Dinner 5:30PM – 9:30PM. A gourmet sausage and mashed potato restaurant with a wide range of delicious sausages and mashed potatoes. Relaxed, unique vibe, delicious and affordable food. 

• Sushi Wow, 235 King Street, Newtown, ☏ +61 2 9517 1796. Sushi train restaurant offering a reasonably-priced, quality selection. There is also a menu for those who prefer non-sushi train options. (updated Feb 2016)

• Thai La-ong, 89 King St, Newtown, ☏ +61 2 9550 5866. Thai La-ong has some of the spicier dishes among Newtown's many Thai restaurants. Their yellow curry and pad see eiw are worth a special mention. The restaurant is not air-conditioned and can be a bit uncomfortable on hot Sydney summer nights. Mains approx $10, but daily lunch specials include a plethora of generous mains for $6. 

• Thai Pothong, 294 King St, Newtown (50m from Newtown Station), ☏ +61 2 9519 8050. Lunch 12-3PM (Tue-Sun) Dinner 6PM-10/11PM (7 days). One of Sydney's premier Thai Restaurants with understated black and white decor and awesome but relatively pricey food. This place won Thai Restaurant of the Year for several years running many years ago, and one taste of the food will show you why. It has since expanded three times and incorporates a Thai gift shop. Mains $15-$29. 
• The Pie Tin, 1 Brown St (off the 7-11 on King St), ☏ +61 2 9519-7880. M-W 10AM-8PM, Th-Sa 10AM-10PM, Su 10AM-6PM. Lots and lots of different good-sized pies to try out, from sweet to savoury, along with a variety of sides. Serves both coffee and craft beers as well. $10. 

Drink

The Inner West suburbs of Glebe and particularly Newtown have a thriving nightlife scene. Newtown is renowned as one of Sydney's main alternative suburbs and is also frequented as a nightlife hotspot away from the chaos of the CBD. King St is lined with many funky pubs and bars and it is convenient to walk from Newtown Station to most of these venues.

Newtown

• Bank Hotel, 324 King St, Newtown, ☏ +61 2 9557 1692. This is an enormous pub only 2 minutes walk from Newtown train station. Wednesday night is lesbians' night. Look out for half-priced cocktails early in the night and cheap jugs of beer. Level access and lift, disabled toilet on lower ground floor. 

• Town Hall Hotel, 326 King St Newtown, ☏ +61 2 9557 1206. Dirty, noisy and seedy, this pub is otherwise known as The Townie and is the best place in Newtown. Older residents of Newtown and horse race punters drink downstairs, everyone else heads upstairs to Platform 8. Home to most of Sydney's indie band scene at one time or another. 

• Imperial Hotel, Erskineville Road, Erskineville. The Imperial, 5 minutes from the heart of Newtown is a gay and lesbian pub and nightclub which features entertainment late THU-SAT. This pub featured in the opening scene of 'Priscilla, Queen of the Desert'. 

Other Suburbs

• AB Hotel, 225 Glebe Point Road, Glebe, ☏ +61 2 9660 1417. Formerly The Ancient Briton) This hotel has just undergone major renovations and is looking great with a Russian theme inside. The AB claims to have Sydney's coldest beer on tap. It's a large and not terribly crowded local pub with pool tables, couches and a bar made out of a fishtank. Cajun food is served daily, about $15 mains including Jambalaya, fried chicken, fish cakes and sweet potato pie. 

• Sydney Rowing Club, 613 Great North Road, Abbotsford, ☏ +61 2 9712 1199. Sydney's Original Rowing Club, established in 1870, is a historic site with a chic and contemporary venue on a glorious riverside setting, just 20 minutes ferry ride from Circular Quay. With fresh seafood available everyday for lunch and dinner, an expansive beverage list and live music on the riverside deck Thursday, Friday and Sunday, it's the ultimate setting for the archetypal Sydney experience. 

Sleep

• Annam Suites Cascata, 5 Croydon St in Petersham, ☏ +61 2 9569 0547. A boutique executive apartment building located just 10 minute drive from the CBD. Architecturally designed with many features like the striking steel and glass waterfall tower lift and magnificent views of the Sydney skyline and Harbour Bridge from most of the Executive Apartment Suites. The apartments feature all the latest in stainless steel appliances, 2 Bathrooms one with a bathtub, 32’’ LCD TV and a beautifully appointed interior design furniture package. Rates 2br $220 per night 3br $300 per night minimum 3 night stay. 

• Billabong Gardens, 5-11 Egan St, Newtown, ☏ +61 2 9550 3236, toll-free: 1800 806 419, fax: +61 2 9550 4352. Located in a quiet side street off bustling King Street, Billabong Gardens is a purpose built hotel/motel offering excellent quality accommodation no matter what your needs. From comfortable doubles with private bathroom to multi-configuaration family rooms or even hostel beds, Billabong offers a complete range of options for the budget traveller looking for true value for money. Facilities include a solar heated pool surrounded by a tropical courtyard with bbq area; large fully equipped communal kitchen; laundry; TV lounge with free internet terminals; free Wi-Fi in all rooms, on-site security parking (fee) 

• Broadway University Motor Inn, 25 Arundel St, Glebe, ☏ +61 2 9660 5777, fax: +61 2 9660 2929. This motel has basic rooms in the usual motel style: double beds, television, small private bathrooms. It is within easy walking distance of Glebe Point Road, and is also on several major western bus routes. It is located about 10 minutes bus ride from the city. Double room $140 per night for two people. 

• Glebe Point YHA, Glebe Point Road, Glebe, ☏ +61 262 264, fax: +61 2 9660 0431. A backpacker hostel located on the major Glebe Point Road food area. Dorm beds $24-$28 per night. $68 per night per double or twin room. 

• Harbour Breeze Lodge, 5 Collingwood St, Drummoyne, ☏ +61 2 9181 2420, fax: +61 2 9799 0738. Clean, quiet, budget accommodation especially suited to holiday-makers, business-people, working-travellers and students who require affordable three-star accommodation just minutes from Sydney CBD by ferry or bus. The stately Victorian building has a leafy rear garden, bright and spacious rooms, and an upstairs guest balcony that attains fresh gentle breeze off harbour waters. Weekly rates are available for all lengths of stay. Rates: $60/night for single, $80/night for twin or double, $90/night for family. 

• The Abbey On King, 379 King St, Newtown. Offers backpackers and budget minded travellers a friendly atmosphere and a clean, secure place to stay in the heart of cosmipolitan Newtown. Predominantly dormitory style accommodation with some single and double rooms. Features include an internet lounge with fast connections, a fully equipped kitchen and dining facilities, laundry and ironing facilities, free linen, large showers, crystal clean amenities, free pay TV, storage lockers and safety deposit boxes. 

Connect

• Leichhardt Library, Piazza Level, Italian Forum, 23 Norton St Leichhardt, ☏ +61 2 9367 9266, fax: +61 2 9367 9337, library@lmc.nsw.gov.au. Mon-Fri 9:30AM-8PM, Sat 9:30AM-4PM, Sun 10AM-4PM. The library has computers with Internet connections that you can use for free for 2 hours, and also free Wi-Fi. 

Cope

• The Marrickville Metro shopping centre (34 Victoria Road, Marrickville) has two supermarkets, a Kmart and a typical range of specialty stores. [1]
• Church St Medical Practice (Church St, Newtown) is one of the best general practice clinics in the Inner West.

Go next

Go down Parramatta Road to reach Parramatta, or back up to the city centre. Cross town to experience more late-night shenanigans at City East.