Darling Square has a brand new dining and retail precinct going by the name of Steam Mill Lane. The laneway space has a spread of some of Sydney's favourite food and drink spots in one convenient hub, meaning if you work or go to uni around the area your lunch break game is about get a lot stronger.
So, what are you going to be eating? The snack purveyors are a combination of Sydney staples, alongside interstate newbies and fresh conceptual cafés. Melbourne's 8bit will make its Sydney debut, bringing loaded hot dogs, arcade games and stacked burgers to the table. Sydney's no longer a stranger to Belle's Hot Chicken, with the originally Melburnian fried chook and wine shop opening its third Sydney location in Steam Mill Lane.
Photograph: Supplied
A simple sandwich never goes astray and Surry Hills’ the Sandwich Shop will be on site peddling sangers, while Italo café and restaurant Il Bacio will be dishing out coffee and pizza. You'll also find all things green tea at Japanese café Matcha-Ya, a new Sichuan eatery Ricefields and milky bubble teas from by Gong Cha.
Next month the laneway will continue to expand with a secondary home for ultra hip coffee roasters and Nordic-Japanese café Edition (and it's going to be double the size of its Darlinghurst outpost) and BangBang, a Shinjuku-inspired whisky, ramen and karaoke bar and dining room. Gyradiko, Fishbowl and Marrickville Pork Roll are also all set to open next month.
Not familiar with Darling Square? It's pretty new too – it's the hub located between Darling Harbour and Haymarket, which has gone under a serious revamp in the past year. Steam Mill Lane is the first part of the area to launch, with more stages set to open over the next year and a half.
Steam Mill Lane Darling Square, Haymarket, 2000. www.darlingsq.com.
After more great CBD eats? Check out our guide to the best spots for business lunches in the CBD.