Marrickville is a buzzing pocket of Sydney/Eora where converted warehouses rub shoulders with Federation cottages and your Saturday morning might start with a turmeric latte and end with a cruisy dinner and a live jazz show.
Home to artists, musicians, first-gen migrant families, radical retirees, and a thriving queer community, Marrickville is in high demand. We’ve teamed up with our mates at Aussie to unpack everything you need to eat, drink and do in 2025.
The appeal is obvious—this sought-after neighbourhood is packed with locally loved restaurants, bustling breweries, neat little bars, groovy cafes and boasts heaps of family-friendly activities that’ll fill up your calendar.
Here's our complete guide of what to eat, drink and do in Marrickville.
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The Best Restaurants In Marrickville
Baba’s Place
20 Sloane Street, Marrickville
Baba’s Place is part restaurant, part art installation and 100 per cent must-visit. Tucked away in an industrial corner of Marrickville, this warehouse gem serves up nostalgic, family-style dishes inspired by the migrant experience in Western Sydney. Come for the food, stay for the stories and leave by peeling yourself off Baba’s plastic-covered furniture.
Hello Auntie
278 Illawarra Road, Marrickville
A modern Vietnamese icon in Sydney’s dining scene, Hello Auntie is bold, playful and totally addictive. The vibe is date night cool but is just as welcoming for a group dinner with mates. Menu standouts include DIY rice paper roll kits, glossy lobster wontons in kimchi butter and smokey Masterstock lamb ribs, plus a whole vegan/vegetarian menu, or treat yourself to a weekend bottomless brunch with all the best bits and free-flowing spritz.
20 Chapel
20 Chapel Street, Marrickville
Locals will agree that one of the best restaurants in Marrickville is 20 Chapel—a neighbourhood bistro dedicated to the art of cooking over fire. Premium flame-kissed meats are the star of the show, sourced from Australian farms like CopperTree and Blackmore Wagyu, which can be slowly eased into with snacks, starters and small plates, or hurried straight into with sides. There’s even a chef’s table for 6–12 guests overlooking the action of the custom-built, wood-fired grill.
Pepito’s
276 Illawarra Road, Marrickville
Self-titled ‘rockin’ neighbourhood Taberna, Pepito’s is where you’ll wanna head for Peruvian party vibes and top-tier eats like parmesan-topped scallops in a chilli crumb and pisco butter, juicy pork belly sliders loaded with salsa criolla, and grilled beef tenderloin in a saltado reduction. Punchy pisco cocktails and blaring live music round out the experience, establishing Pepito’s as a Marrickville must-do.
MMC Slice Shoppe
65 Addison Road, Marrickville
Slinging golden pizza pies from the same crew who run My Mother’s Cousin in Bexley North, MMC Slice Shoppe is a flippin’ good Italian restaurant in Marrickville. Individual slices are the go if dining solo, or their 18-inch pizzas and 16-inch squares are designed to share and come slapped with toppings like burrata, nduja, prawn and pepperoni. This place is booze free, making it a super family-friendly restaurant too.
The Best Cafes In Marrickville
Two Chaps
122 Chapel Street, Marrickville
You can bring the whole fam to this dog-friendly cafe hidden in Marrickville’s industrial backstreets. Single O’s coffee is paired with Two Chaps’ daily baked pastries and a vibrant brunch menu with everything made from scratch (including the bread), which is best enjoyed at the sunny tables spilling out from the roller door. Friday and Saturday nights switch to handmade pasta and wine, with a $70pp set menu filled with rotating dishes and BYO for $10 per bottle.
Double Tap
54–56 Smith Street, Marrickville
Coffee snobs, rejoice. Among the best cafes in Marrickville is boutique micro-roastery Double Tap, pouring some of the best espresso in the Inner West hands down. As for food, there’s a small edit of sandwiches, wraps and bowls, plus homemade pastries. It’s tiny, but that’s part of the charm—grab a seat out front and watch the world go by.
Valentina’s
132 Livingstone Road, Marrickville
American-esque diner Valentina’s does one of the best all-day breakfasts in Marrickville, The Tina Classic: creamy scrambled eggs, crispy bacon and home-made fries served with a Tina-sized fluffy pancake.
There’s also a loaded brekkie burrito (which can be made vegan), a greasy cheeseburger, and a cabinet full of Grumpy Donuts. Just look out for the green and white striped awning on Livingstone Road.
The Best Bars And Pubs In Marrickville
The Bob Hawke Beer & Leisure Centre
8–12 Sydney Street, Marrickville
The Bob Hawke Beer & Leisure Centre is Marrickville’s ultimate throwback-meets-modern-day hangout. Part brewery, part retro RSL and part Chinese-Australian bistro (grab some spring rolls from its restaurant, The Lucky Prawn, while you’re there), this sprawling venue pays homage to 1980s Australiana with a nostalgic flair.
Sip on tank-fresh Hawke's beers in the Public Bar, shoot some pool or relax on The Patio, then hop over to nearby breweries like Philter and Batch Brewing Co. to make a full ale trail out of it.
We Three
329 Illawarra Road, Marrickville
We Three’s tagline gives it away: a bar with food. Run by a mother-daughter duo, this charming small bar serves up delicious classic cocktails along with an extensive wine list (with beers too), delivering European charm with a relaxed, community-focused atmosphere. Munch on antipasto snacks, cheese boards and sauce-slicked pasta, and make sure to check out their weekly specials.
The Henson
91 Illawarra Road, Marrickville
A kid-friendly pub that’s also cool? The Henson nails it. With a focus on sustainability, a dedicated play area and an ever-changing craft beer list, it’s a local fave for families and hipsters alike. The burgers and banh mi rolls are delish and there’s a solid vegetarian menu, too.
Ester Spirits
31 Chalder Street, Marrickville
Well-known around town for its award-winning gin, Ester Spirits is the bees knees (which is also the name of their popular yuzu and honey cocktail). The working distillery by day transforms into a red-hued tasting room by night, open to the public on Fridays and Saturdays for cocktails, bar snacks, negroni masterclasses, live jazz, and private events.
Lazybones Lounge
294 Marrickville Road, Marrickville
Sax solos and guitar riffs spill out of Lazybones Lounge six to seven nights a week. The live music venue, restaurant and bar is the complete package, where you can slip in for a drink, settle in with pizzas (there’s gluten-free and vegan options available too) or share a charcuterie platter while listening to all kinds of genre-bending gigs.
The Best Things To Do In Marrickville
Explore Marrickville’s Leafy Parks
Enmore Park is a big drawcard for local families, complete with a playground, cafe and the Annette Kellerman Aquatic Centre. It’s also nearby one of the ‘burbs best beer gardens, The Vic on the Park.
For something more low-key, McNeilly Park offers open lawns, shaded trees and walking paths perfect for scooters and prams, and Steel Park is loved by families in summer for its free water-play park—newly opened Ol’ Mates cafe nearby is an essential stop for a refuel—and it’s a convenient stop on the Cooks River Cycleway.
Catch Family-Friendly Live Gigs
For little and big kids (aka grown-ups), Marrickville boasts a thriving scene of independent music venues, live comedy and film nights. You’ll be spoiled for choice at The Factory Theatre, which often has family-friendly shows and daytime performances that kids will love.
Embrace Indoor Fun
Marrickville has parents covered on rainy days, too. The Miniversal Play Centre (conveniently next to the refurbished Marrickville Metro) is the soothing, neutral-toned play centre you’ve been dreaming of. Plus, the local PCYC offers plenty of indoor activities from gymnastics to martial arts to keep ‘em busy.
Marrickville Library is another indoor go-to, that's more of a modern community hub, rather than just a place for books. It hosts free kids’ storytimes, craft sessions and cultural events, plus it has its own cafe.
Splurge At The Sunday Markets
Held every Sunday at the Addison Road Community Centre, the Marrickville Organic Food & Farmers Markets is a local institution. You’ll find organic produce, fresh pastries, secondhand clothes, vintage books and everything in between, as well as food trucks slinging gozlemes and vegan doughnuts. There’s usually live music and sometimes pony rides—take the kids and make a morning of it, and be sure to include a side mission to The Bower Reuse and Repair Centre.
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Image: Supplied.