The Top 5 In-The-Know Cafes and Bars of Sydney
Whether you are a long term Sydney resident, or just passing by and visiting, you deserve to know the best food and drinks place in town. Here are the top 5 bars and cafes you must pay a visit to when you’re around:
1989 Arcade Bar & Kitchen
Let’s start with the most hipster place in Sydney: Newtown. Located on King Street, this stylish bar provides its customers with delicious foods (burger, chips & much more), as well as awesome drinks (try its signature Expresso Martini!). The food and drinks affordable, and so are the games. Behind the counter and around the bar, you can find a large collection of board games, both classic and new (all free to play), lots of original CRT screen & hardware games (most games are just one dollar to play). If you beat a high score on any game, you can ask the friendly staff for a free coffee or drink.
Video game tournaments and pop culture trivia are held here monthly, as well as tonnes of special events. If you’re thinking of a place to bring your kids, you might catch one of their arcade clubs, open during the day to welcome customers of all ages. For more information check out their
updates on social media or the website.
Sappho Books, Cafe & Bar
There’s a gorgeous used-book bookshop on Glebe point road, Glebe. Whether you’re looking for some quality family time, or just a night out with friends, feel free to pop by this cafe/bar. They sell used books and records, which you can browse at your leisure whilst enjoying a cup of coffee or a glass of wine (their specialty). There are live musical performances at this vintage multi-storied shop almost every second day, as well as monthly poetry events—you can easily check out their event schedules via the website.
Badde Manors
This cafe & restaurant is located just on the corner of Broadway, it has been a local hotspot for the past 36 years. The place is known to its fans for its large range of vegetarian and vegan food options (especially their own twist on traditional Italian and Mediterranean dishes). They have created unique drinks, ranging from homemade chai and iced tea, hot cider & cloves, to sorbat susu (Indonesian spiced milk). In the food department, they’ve also created signature dishes, many of them involving mushrooms: Feta & Pine Nut stuffed Mushrooms, Eggplant & Mushroom Stoganoff, Mushroom Risotto, & much more.
They have a group of friendly and enthusiastic staff (including the boss himself, who is always in store taking care of customers). They were keen to recommend their daily pasta and soup specials to me, and I enjoyed their lovely vegetarian Cannelloni with a side of salad and toast (pictured), relaxed in their homey decor and gentle music in the background. When the weather is good, they also have a sitting area out front, and a roofed backyard surrounded by fairy lights.
Oh!Matcha by Chanoma Cafe
You can find this sweet little Japanese cafe in either Regent Place in Town Hall or World Square. Most of their desserts and drinks carry a refreshing Matcha (Japanese Green Tea) flavour. The variety of soft serves all carry a sweet richness of authentic matcha flavour. Depending on which time of the year you decide to visit, you can find seasonal specials (such as the Ice Hojicha Latte, Gemaicha Soft Serve & more that are available in hot weather; as well as limited time editions such as the Miso Soup Soft Serve). Oh!Matcha also offers very affordable meal deals (under $10) that usually come with foods such as Japanese hot dog, and a Matcha drink. My favourite part of the meal deals is the chips—they come in seaweed, garlic, or chilli flavours. If you’re out about in the city, this is a great place to rewind, sit down, and enjoy some refreshers.
Four frogs Creperie
This is probably the most authentic French Crepe place you can find in all of Sydney. They are open in four locations: Circular Quay, Lane Cove, Randwick, and Mosman. Set up in a cafe-like style, they serve both savoury and sweet crepes as well as a range of drinks. And if you want some extra kick to your food, then you can try their range of Crepes on Fire: crepes alcohol (I know, exciting!). All crepes come in two portions: La simple or La double. They come up with daily specials of satisfying feeds of sweet and salty including: White chocolate cheesecake gelato, salted caramel, crushed Oreo (pictured).
Friday is the best day to visit this cafe/Creperie, as they have live acoustic music playing in store every Friday from 6-9 pm, and happy hour from 6-7 pm. If you are going with a large group of friends, simply book a table via phone or in person (information available on the website).
We hope you enjoy these delicate eats around Sydney, let us know what you think on our social media! (Find us on Instagram, Facebook, or WeChat)
With Love,
Grace Huo,
Editor of Gold Rush Magazine
