The Inner West is one of the great foodie pockets of Sydney/Eora, embracing our city's eclectic heritage and our innovative restaurant scene in one tasty collection of suburbs. The flavours here span Egyptian street food and famous canned martinis to a vibey Peruvian taberna and fine dining without the fuss—and it's constantly expanding with new restaurants and cuisines to try.
These are Urban List's picks for the best Sydney Inner West restaurants right now.
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- The Best New Inner West Restaurants
- The Best Italian Restaurants In The Inner West
- The Best Restaurants In Newtown
- The Best Restaurants In Marrickville
- More Of The Best Inner West Restaurants
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The Best New Inner West Restaurants
ALAS
420 King Street, Newtown
Image credit: ALAS | Instagram
From the crew behind King Street staple Either Or (which held the same space for a decade), ALAS is a slick pocket in Newtown that serves Single Origin coffee and brunch by day before flipping into a natural wine bar with vinyl spinning on a vintage Klipsch Hi-Fi system by sundown.
A dolled-up breakfast menu is followed by a refined tapas menu at dinner (Thursday to Sunday) featuring Euro-style bites like smoked mackerel rillette, cured sardines on toast, and $2 oysters all night (until sold out), plus heartier plates like semi-curado chorizo and rare roast beef.
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The dark chocolate waffle with maraschino cherry compote and ice cream is a must for dessert.
Sippenham
282 Unwins Bridge Road, Sydenham
Image credit: Sippenham | Instagram
Channelling the high-energy nightlife of East London, Sippenham is a capsule pasta bar with a killer selection of vino, cocktails and tunes. Dishes rotate seasonally, but you can expect a tight edit of antipasti like juicy meatballs and Uncle Luke’s crustless swordfish sanga, plus carby noodles and shapes like pappardelle, rigatoni and casarecce, all handmade daily and slicked in sauce.
The easy-drinking wine list—curated by LoFi Wines—excellently matches the food and stars boutique and biodynamic pours from family-owned wineries across Australia.
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This one has just 20 seats, so we suggest booking in advance rather than trying your luck with a walk-in.
Olympic Meats
12 Dudley Street, Marrickville
Image credit: Olympic Meats | Instagram
Fuss-free Greek fare is served up at Olympic Meats, Dudley Street’s premium eat-in and takeaway grill across from Dulwich Hill station. Charcoal chicken and pork gyros are major standouts alongside the beef and lamb mix Politiko ‘Kebab’ Plate and the vegetarian-friendly Nstisimo Plate served with sauces and pita.
Complete your order with an orange, lemon or sour cherry Loux soda (the number one-selling Greek soft drink) and triple-cooked tallow fries—they’re a top contender for Sydney’s best hot chips.
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To skip the queues, we recommend pre-ordering online about 45 minutes before you want to eat.
Mister Grotto
208 Australia Street, Newtown
Image credit: Mister Grotto | Supplied
Mister Grotto is a seafood restaurant and bar that’s dedicated to spotlighting expert suppliers and fishermen across Australia. Anchored in Newtown’s Australia Street precinct by Paisano & Daughters (behind neighbouring Continental Deli, Mister Grotto and Flora), the dark-timber space feels like dining in a ship’s hull, with just 30 seats available.
Oyster shucking and crudo prep happens at the open seafood bar while a charcoal-grill turns out South- and Central-American-influenced dishes at the helm of esteemed chef Måns Engberg (previously at Saint Peter), with a thoughtful wine selection and fun cocktails to match, like the signature oyster shell gin martini spiked with sake and nori.
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The window booth is the most coveted spot in the 30-seater space.
Osteria Mucca
212 Australia Street, Newtown
Image credit: Osteria Mucca | Supplied
Osteria Mucca is a 50-seat, old-school Italian restaurant inside a former butcher shop, also located in Paisano & Daughters’ Australia Street precinct next to the aforementioned Mister Grotto. Handmade pasta and in-house butchery are mastered across a menu led by Head Chef Janina Allende (formerly at Pellegrino 2000 and Alberto’s Lounge), with a wine list spotlighting small, family-owned Italian wineries, and award-winning pastry chef Lauren Eldridge leading the dessert menu.
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The Mucca Martini is a signature made with Occhipinti Olive Oil Gin, Luli Chinato Bianco, and Marco di Bartoli Marsala.
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Erin Restaurant & Wine Bar
1 Rich Street, Marrickville
Image credit: Gelato Messina | Instagram
Gelato Messina’s innovative restaurant and wine bar, Erin, incorporates scoops of gelato in each dish—be it sweet or savoury. From black garlic gelato on brioche and a ketchup gelato-loaded pork pie to jalapeno sorbet-topped tartare toast with Jersey beef straight from Messina’s farm, the Marrickville powerhouse whips up some pretty unique dishes that don’t really stick to one cuisine, but instead carve out a genre of their own. We bet you can’t guess what’s for dessert (more gelato, of course).
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There’s a wallet-friendly $49pp 5-course set menu on Sundays and you can book a behind-the-scenes Messina HQ tour to learn the ins and outs of gelato making.
The Best Italian Restaurants In The Inner West
Postino Osteria
2 Moonbie Street, Summer Hill
"A great local osteria is a home away from home,” says acclaimed chef and restaurateur Alessandro Pavoni, owner of Postino Osteria.
Taking over the historic Summer Hill post office space (where One Penny Red left off), this neighbourhood Italian restaurant feels warm and familiar.
Stellar service, substantial plates and loads of Italian wine pretty much sums up the place, with Alessandro’s favourite dishes highlighted on the menu like slow-cooked Wagyu tonnato and elevated spaghetti meatballs with a traditional Abruzzese sugo, plus a must-try pistachio tiramisu.
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The dedicated vegetarian and vegan menus make this spot a great place to take plant-based eaters.
Bella Brutta
135 King Street, Newtown
Image credit: Bella Brutta | Instagram
Bella Brutta is in the sophisticated-but-casual niche that the Inner West does so well. A typical meal here looks like a few bits from the antipasto selection like pickled sardines, wood-fired mushrooms, and Jersey milk stracciatella, followed by pizzas topped with primo local and imported ingredients. Come for the delicious pizza and stay for a tiramisu, or plan ahead and order takeaway online.
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The Roast Potato pizza is an all-time fave crowned with fior di latte, gorgonzola, confit garlic and rosemary. We highly recommend adding guanciale for $9.
Noi
108 Audley Street, Petersham
Image credit: Noi | Instagram
Noi is a cool neighbourhood Italian restaurant in Petersham with bucket-loads of charm. The menu leans Italian with a modern twist—think fresh market fish crudo with nduja and green apple, saucy cacio e pepe risotto and Wagyu beef cheek with cavolo, bacon, celeriac and jus. Nab a seat in the cosy covered alfresco area or inside along the striped bench and watch the masters at work in the open kitchen.
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BYO is available every day at $15 per bottle.
Osteria Di Russo & Russo
158 Enmore Road, Enmore
Image credit: Osteria Di Russo & Russo | Instagram
Spread across two moody, art-filled levels, this vintage-style trattoria is a true Italian gem. Run by father-and-son duo Pino and Marc Russo, the menu nods to Australia’s Italian migrant roots with classic dishes given a modern, local spin. Everything is made to share (in true Italian fashion), and if you’re keen to let the kitchen lead, the $79 Tutto Bene set menu is a no-brainer.
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Add a classic or premium wine pairing to the Tutto Bene set menu for special occasions or just because.
Westwood Pizza
245 Australia Street, Newtown
Image credit: Westwood | Instagram
While there are many pizza places in the Inner West, there are few that draw hungry Sydneysiders in like Westwood. This hole in the wall is the brainchild of Mitchell Westwood, whose CV includes other top-billing pizza joints like Cronulla's Queen Margherita of Savoy and aforementioned Bella Brutta.
Anyone who’s had the pleasure of a visit will point you in the direction of the garlic honey pizza made with confit garlic oil, fermented garlic honey, fior di latte and pecorino, but we also love the spicy nduja salami pie with Vanella ricotta and caramelised onion.
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This one doesn’t take bookings so get in early (especially on Friday and Saturday) or pre-order on 0466181266 from 4pm Wednesday–Sunday.
The Best Restaurants In Newtown
Cafe Paci
131 King Street, Newtown
Image credit: Cafe Paci | Instagram
The award-winning Cafe Paci is a top example of Sydney's ever-growing upscale-casual restaurant cohort, walking the line between midweek dinner spot and fine diner.
You'll find an a la carte menu that follows Finnish chef Pasi Petänen's signature European sensibilities—think fermented carrots with 'nduja on rye, potato dumplings with XO trout, and ox tongue rye tacos with sauerkraut—that's suited for small nibbles or fully-fledged feasts.
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Pop in for sips and snacks at the curved bar or settle in for dinner in the long booth.
Rising Sun Workshop
1C Whateley Street, Newtown
Image credit: Rising Sun Workshop | Instagram
This motorcycle workshop-meets-ramen house puts on an exciting all-day spread in a unique warehouse setting. The menu features creative and seasonally changing takes on Australian fusion cuisine, often with a focus on fresh seafood and other native Australian ingredients with an Asian twist—best washed down with one of their natural wines or boutique brews on tap, or a banging Bloody Mary.
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Rising Sun Workshop is one of our favourite ramen spots in Sydney, and even does breakfast ramen with a buttered toast bone broth, bacon, fried onsen egg, roast tomato and green onion.
Bistro Grenier
266 King Street, Newtown
Image credit: Bistro Grenier | Instagram
Bistro Grenier is a playful, candle-lit French restaurant on the mezzanine level of favourite Newtown wine bar Odd Culture. The menu blends French culinary tradition and creativity in dishes like baked scallops in fermented piperade butter, Cou d’Agneau: slow roasted lamb, courgettes and peppers in anchovy butter, and a self-saucing maple syrup pudding chômeur with buttermilk ice cream.
Bistro Grenier offers a largely French wine selection including back vintages and little-seen releases pulled from Odd Culture’s cellar, plus French favourites like Green Chartreuse and Picon Bière in a space fitted out with deep burgundy peaked ceilings and walls, dark timber elements, and soft diffused lighting.
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For free-flowing Hugo spritzes, bubbles, and the best of Bistro Grenier, head there on Saturday or Sunday for a bottomless lunch ($99pp).
Continental Deli
210 Australia Street, Newtown
Image credit: Continental Deli | Instagram
This date-night favourite is the closest you’ll get to European café culture in the Inner West. The cute deli, bar and bistro is ideal for enjoying an al-fresco martini (or “Mar-tinny”, one of Continental’s famous canned cocktails), or French dip sandwich at the wooden bar.
The formal dining space upstairs caters to those seeking a more substantial meal from the bistro menu, on which you might find baked cheese fondue, grass-fed steak tartare, or pork belly chops in a black garlic glaze.
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To drink there's also canned spicy margs and cosmopoli-tins, local craft beers from Batch Brewing and Yulli’s Brews, and a huge reserve wine bottle list featuring Italian reds and French skin-contact chardy.
Cairo Takeaway
81 Enmore Road, Newtown
Image credit: Cairo Takeaway | Instagram
This walk-in Enmore Road favourite specialises in Egyptian street food, and you'll find Inner Westies lined up out the door any night of the week. The beloved pita pockets, filled with falafel, cauliflower, lamb kofta or charcoal chicken will set you back a reasonable $13 or $14.
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It’s BYO for those wanting to share a bottle on a budget.
Maiz
33 Enmore Road, Newtown
Image credit: Maiz | Instagram
Walking into Maiz feels like you’re in a courtyard in Oaxaca or Puebla, and this Newtown restaurant breaks away from the typical taco with a vision of linking authentic food to the Aussie culinary scene by celebrating corn in all its form.
The menu covers tacos, filled molotes, chilaquiles, flautas and loads more, plus an extensive selection of agave spirits served as signature margaritas and specialty cocktails like the Pata Gordo: duck fat-washed mezcal, xocolatl mole bitters and pepita syrup.
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Enjoy tostadas under $10 on Tuesdays or a Mexican bottomless brunch ($89pp) on Saturdays between 12pm to 5pm.
Bloodwood
416 King Street, Newtown
Image credit: Bloodwood | Instagram
Located in the former Newtown Conservatory, Bloodwood Restaurant & Bar is decked out to suit its industrial surrounds with recycled and reclaimed furniture and finishes throughout four different spaces. Head chef and owner Claire Van Vuuren dishes up an ever-changing menu of share plates using fresh-as produce from local and small-scale producers and farmers. And to accompany it: an extensive wine list, cocktail options and local beers.
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You can buy Bloodwood’s famous vegan pecan pâté to savour at home.
Pistou
601 King Street, Newtown
Image credit: Pistou | Instagram
Pistou is a romantic, French-inspired spot with a menu that heroes a weekly rotation of seasonal cheeses, charcuterie, freshly made dips, and sandwiches—the sort of things you’d expect to snack on while rolling around a French vineyard.
On top of the menu, there's a large cabinet stocked with charcuterie and pickles, so you can pick something up to take away (Sydney Park is a short stroll away), or pull up a seat and stay a while.
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Close out the week with bottomless spritzes, prosecco, rosé and grazing plates on Sundays for $85pp.
Little Lagos
125 Enmore Road, Newtown
Little Lagos provides a permanent home for Nigerian cuisine in Sydney, after owner Ade Adeniyi ran pop-ups and stalls across the city. Nigeria is home to hundreds of tribes, each offering a different cuisine, so Little Lagos attempts to represent a range of Nigerian dishes, with hearty and spicy Nigerian stews among sides of pounded yam, fried plantain and, of course, the famous jollof rice. Call 02 9519 2644 to book.
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Little Lagos often hosts fun events, DJ sets and pop-ups around town, keep an eye on their socials for the latest.
See more of the best restaurants in Newtown
The Best Restaurants In Marrickville
Baba's Place
20 Sloane Street, Marrickville
Image credit: Baba's Place | Instagram
Baba's Place is a melting pot of Sydney immigrant culture. As you walk in through the warehouse roller door, you'll see the ornately framed art hanging salon-style, ornate rugs, lace tablecloths, and armchairs that belong in your nan's house.
The eclecticism doesn't stop there, with the food taking inspiration from neighbourhood "wog" culture in dishes like the much-loved tarama on toast, half-chickens with toum and pickles, and chewy sticky date drenched in butterscotch sauce and black pepper creme pat.
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With tunes blaring and a fun wine list, Baba's Place is ideal for a night out exploring the true flavour of Sydney's Inner West.
20 Chapel
20 Chapel Street, Marrickville
Image credit: 20 Chapel | Instagram
20 Chapel is a wood-fired restaurant by a trio of respected Sydney restaurant industry names, including former Rockpool Bar & Grill culinary director Corey Costelloe in the kitchen. The menu offers premium Australian beef and pork (butchered and aged on site), top-tier seafood and hyper-seasonal, organic produce from STIX farm, while drinks cover Negronis on tap, local tipples from from Ester Spirits, Young Henrys, Philter and Poor Toms, and a balanced selection of Australian and intentional wines.
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We love the chef's table right among the action for a memorable dining experience for up to 12.
Pepito's
276 Illawarra Road, Marrickville
Image credit: Pepito's | Instagram
Described as a "rocking neighbourhood taberna", Pepito's is a Peruvian party that goes deep on good vibes, great food, and delicious pisco-infused cocktails best enjoyed in the al fresco courtyard.
Head Chef Jeffrey Forrest is from the States, but does Peru's melting pot of immigrant influences (Italian, Japanese and Chinese) proud. On the menu, you’ll find a fine selection of seafood, sliders, fried and grilled dishes, with rotating main courses and desserts (ask the waiter for the specials).
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Don’t skip the tequeños—they’re kind of like olive and cheese spring rolls served with a generous dollop of guacamole.
Two Chaps
122 Chapel Street, Marrickville
While Two Chaps is best known as a daytime cafe, it offers a special pasta menu on Friday and Saturday nights from 7pm, with a frequently changing set menu priced at $70pp that's well worth a visit after dark. You can expect a pasta or two, with some exciting in-season veggies and local cheeses to accompany.
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You can BYO at $10 a bottle, making it a great option for a low-key date night.
More Of The Best Inner West Restaurants
Emma’s Snack Bar
59 Liberty Street, Enmore
Image credit: Emma's Snack Bar | Instagram
Owner Anthony Sofy’s parents immigrated from Lebanon in the late '60s, quickly opening this little slice of heaven as a convenience store. Since then, Emma’s has survived reinvention, evolving from corner store to sandwich shop to Enmore’s favourite Lebanese restaurant.
Today, Emma’s is both cosy and cosmopolitan, serving charcoal-grilled meats to mezze (there are over four types of hummus on the menu) plus a few exciting additions to ensure vegetarians are well-catered for.
Mixed Business is an upstairs continuation of Emma’s that opened in May 2025. It has its own snacky menu and plenty of drinks for a pre- or post-dinner sips from 5pm ‘til late, Thursday–Saturday.
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We love to visit and hit the bargain $65pp banquet for dips, salads, falafel, ladies fingers, kafta, moorish chicken, hand-cut chips and bread, and there’s a vegetarian banquet too.
Derrel’s
89 Parramatta Road, Camperdown
With nostalgic kitschy-cool decor and blasting Bollywood beats, Derrel’s feels like a fever dream in the best way possible. The retro diner–meets–late-night eatery reimagines Indian street food classics, with former Baba’s Place chef Brendan King behind the menu.
Since our first visit, we’ve been hooked on the saucy samosa chaat, tandoori zinger burger, and hot chip butty that comes with its own butter chicken dunking situation. Every bite is moreish and messy—just the way we like it.
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Head to The Lady Hampshire next door, for a pre- or post-dinner sip and live music.
Casa Esquina
79 Elliott Street, Balmain
Image credit: Casa Esquina | Steven Woodburn
Casa Esquina is a modern Argentinian restaurant from the group behind Paddington’s tqm. and Esteban in the Sydney CBD. The Balmain restaurant occupies a historic corner building with a breezy upstairs balcony, a ground-level courtyard, and a bustling dining room centred around the lively open kitchen where a flaming parrilla grill turns out charred wagyu rump steaks calling for accompanying chimichurri or Café de Paris butter.
In the bar, South American wine regions are represented alongside Australian and European producers, while cocktails integrate South American elements like Nixta corn liqueur, Aguas Mansas mezcal and Torrontés wine.
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Cap off the week with half flame roasted chicken, porchetta, Old Bay-seasoned fries with chipotle aioli, tortillas, mixed leaf salad, and salsa española, feeding 3-4 people for $60—it’s one of Sydney’s best Sunday roasts.
Sixpenny
83 Percival Road, Stanmore
Image credit: Sixpenny | Instagram
Sixpenny chefs Daniel Puskas and Tony Schifilliti win at fine dining in the Inner West, utilising the best in Australian produce carefully sourced from small producers on a regularly changing $250pp tasting menu (updating to $265pp as of Wednesday 30 July, 2025). Their culinary philosophy revolves around the art of koji fermentation, bringing bold flavours to the table with plates that look like a work of art.
Wines are sourced from across the world but focus on small producers, and the dining room—in its heritage 1907-built building—is minimal but warm, with superb service that feels deeply personal and polished.
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Sixpenny is the perfect special occasion restaurant in Sydney for anniversaries, birthdays and big celebrations. It also has a private dining room overlooking the kitchen if you wanna go luxe.
FICH
3/98-106 Audley Street, Petersham
Image credit: FICH | Instagram
Jose Silva and Manny Paraiso wanted to draw on the nostalgia of after-school snacks, and give them a little more polish without forgoing the casual essence of fish and chips.
Since opening in 2018, FICH has earned itself a rep for dishing out excellent seafood with a sustainable mindset to boot.
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We reckon they do some of Sydney's best fish and chips.
The Tamaleria & Mexican Deli
463 Marrickville Road, Dulwich Hill
While munching down the odd Aussie-style taco and burrito is nice, if you want the real deal, The Tamaleria & Mexican Deli is where it’s at. Headed up by Rosa Cienfuegos, what once started as a homesick foodie's pop-up venture has escalated into a full-blown one-stop-deli for all of the most authentic Mexican essentials, with a full food menu as well.
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If you're not sure where to start, order the famous hot tamales: savoury corn dough stuffed with pulled pork in habanero chilli sauce, wrapped in a banana leaf.
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Main image credit: Baba's Place | Instagram
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