The best restaurants in Newtown

What is it? Run by talented Finnish chef Pasi Petänen, this King Street restaurant serves innovative, clever dishes in a handsome dining room fit for any fine occasion. Add a stellar booze list and unstoppable team and Café Paci is a fun time indeed.

Why we love it: To Café Paci, Petänen has brought plenty of imagination and technique, along with stellar booze and an unstoppable team. The Paci vibe, in large part, is due to an attentive floor staff who know the food well, the chef even better, and they want their guests to, as well. Petänen and his team aren’t shouting for our attention, but they’ve got it all the same.

Time Out tip: You’ll want to snap almost every dish you try for the ‘gram, thanks to this restaurant's pretty-as-a-picture plating.

Address: 131 King Street, Newtown NSW 2042

Expect to pay: Snacks $6-$10, larger plates $24-$30, proteins $46-$70, desserts $17-$18, plus drinks

What is it? Ante is a sake bar first and foremost. Though the cool Newtown spot by Matt Young and Jemma Whiteman also serves exceptional food. But don't just take our word for it – some of Sydney's best chefs, including Danielle Alvarez (ex-Fred’s) and Mitch Orr (ex-Kiln) said Ante was one of their favourite places to eat in Sydney.

Why we love it: This slick, moody spot is all about attention to detail and a killer vinyl soundtrack. Service is great, the food is delicious, and you'll be a sake fan after one visit.

Time Out tip: There are no reservations, so come early and put your name down.

Address: 146 King St, Newtown NSW 2042

Expect to pay: Cocktails around $21-$26, snacks $8-$26, mains $34-$56

Newtown’s King Street doesn’t exactly specialise in subtle – but Piqu is giving it a crack anyway. Blink and you might miss the teeny, unassuming dining room slotted into number 194 – but step inside, and you’ll be met with a creative, spice-loaded menu that feels like a trip overseas. From chef-owners Jihwan Choi (ex-Momofuku Seiobo, Callao) and Nicola D’Angela (ex-Osteria di Russo & Russo, Callao), Piqu is a Southeast Asian-leaning diner built on serious technique and a shared passion for Thai flavours. The name riffs on “piquant” – sharp, spicy, intriguing – and that energy runs through the menu, from street-food style snacky starters to a punchy coffee-laced parfait to finish.

What is it? A tiny-but-mighty seafood palace on Australia Street from the rocking team behind Continental Deli.

Why we love it: There’s no meat at Mister Grotto; instead, you’ll find a celebration of the creatures of the sea, with the chefs sourcing their produce from local suppliers, such as New South Wales’ South Seas Tuna and Red Claw Seafoods – and premium, small-scale fishermen. All served with a side of nautical, lively charm.

Time Out tip: Order the chubby shishito peppers stuffed with yellowfin tuna sausage, and the plump and briny pipis with a frothy, creamy white sauce and honey-laced cornbread.

Address: 208 Australia Street, Newtown NSW 2042

Expect to pay: $138 per person for the selection menu, $9 oysters, snacks around $12-$28, raw seafood $28-$38, mains $58-$75

I’d heard about the burger. Sydney is home to many mouth-watering options, but when Joe’s Tavern opened in the Inner West last October, word spread about its 50/50 one as fast as gossip at my all-girls’ high school. And it turns out, for very good reason. The Joe’s Tavern burger arrives with a pickle speared through it. Caramelised on the outside and pink in the middle, the patty is equal parts beef and lamb, the latter flavour carrying through nicely. It’s paired with sweet, jammy onions, chopped onions for crunch, melted nutty Ossau-Iraty cheese and Dijon for zing, all cushioned in a soft bun. Tomato, lettuce, beetroot? Forgetaboutit. Joe’s is rich, meaty and juicy – and doesn’t mess about. So yes, come for Joe’s burger. But there’s a lot more happening at this golden Australian Street spot.

Fabbrica Newtown is a good-times pasta spot from the Ragazzi and Palazzo Salato team. Found on King Street, it’s all handmade pasta, Italian wines and relaxed vibes, with standouts including zucchini flowers with ricotta and hot honey; tagliatelle al nero with blue swimmer crab and ’nduja; and pappardelle with beef cheek ragù. As well as Newtown, you’ll find Fabbrica in Sydney CBD, Darlinghurst and Chatswood.

What is it? In spite of the name you can eat in at this Egyptian restaurant, and it’s a good time. They put a lot of care into assembling their mixed plate, featuring a mean, dark green felafel and a vegetable slice, but we can’t resist the smell of the grilled chicken doused in garlic and the lamb kofte packed with diced onion that comes on the meat edition. 

Why we love it: Here, the flavours are big, the portions are generous and they serve mixed plates of your dreams. Plus, you can BYO your fave booze and people watch your heart out. Come hungry.

Time Out tip: Off the booze? Try a freshly squeezed sugarcane juice to wash down your epic meal.

Address: 81 Enmore Road, Newtown NSW 2042

Expect to pay: $20-$40 for a lunch or dinner, plus drinks

What is it? At this new-age pizzeria there are seven pizzas in total, including one proudly wearing a soft pink coat of LP’s mortadella, and another featuring the house-made pepperoni.

Why we love it: Clams. On a pizza. It sounds too crazy to work, but here it does. The little tender clams are steamed and pried from their shells, while the broth is cooked down with white wine and cream until it achieves an intense concentrated chowder flavour. 

Time Out tip: Still loyal to Margy? An intensely umami tomato base with fresh garlic and fresh oregano leaves is even better when you opt in for an additional topping of Cantabrian anchovies for $18.   

Address: 135 King St, Newtown NSW 2042

Expect to pay: Around $9-28 for snacks and starters, $26-$34 for a pizza, plus drinks

What is it? Meaning "cow" in Italian, this charming 50-seat trattoria by the Continental Deli team is housed in a former butcher shop and is serving up regional Italian classics and home-style recipes, including handmade pasta, beautiful charcuterie and quality cuts from its in-house butchery.

Why we love it: First, there’s the bellissimo dining room. Those 114-year-old forest-green-and-white tiles on the walls are the originals. Candles flicker on top of white tablecloths, Art Deco-style vintage lights hang from the ceiling – creating the perfect dinner-date glow – and vintage plates jazz up the walls. But importantly, there’s delicious substance behind the style; leading the kitchen is Janina Allende, who ran the pass at Sydney favourite Pellegrino 2000 for more than two years, and also spent time on the pans at Alberto’s Lounge and Bar Vincent.

Time Out tip: Formidable pastry chef Lauren Eldridge is behind the desserts at Osteria Mucca, so try to make room for a house-made gelato or a bonèt alla Piemontese – a chocolate and amaretti custard topped with marsala Chantilly. 

Address: 212 Australia Street, Newtown NSW 2042

Expect to pay: Banquet for $120 per person, salads and starters around $26-$32, pasta dishes $38-$45, secondi $52-$69, plus wine and dessert

What is it? A massive, pumping, brightly lit Thai house in Newtown that’s been serving some of Sydney’s finest sweet, sour, salty and spicy hits since 1996.

Why we love it: Seating more than 450 guests, Thai Pothong is bloody massive – making it a cracking choice for birthday celebrations, catch-ups with mates, a rendezvous after one too many Martinis at nearby celestial den Bar Planet, or before a boogie at purple-hued disco haunt Pleasure Club. It’s also bloody delicious. And it’s BYO (for wine only), so bring a bottle of your fave vino and come here for your next birthday (heads up: there will be singing).

Time Out tip: Thai Pothong’s banquet options are great value – our pick is the Jasmin Menu, which comes with betel leaves topped with juicy prawns, chicken satay skewers, a fragrant barramundi curry and more, plus your choice of wine or soft drink. And make a booking – this place gets a longer line than the Enmore Theatre on a Saturday night.

Address: 294 King St, Newtown NSW 2042

Expect to pay: Around $25–$45 for a main, plus drinks

What is it? Grenier means ‘attic’ in French, and that’s exactly where you’ll find Bistro Grenier – you enter Newtown bar Odd Culture (created by the same team) and take the stairs up into a low-lit area above, where hefty old trusses support a cathedral ceiling. C'est très romantique.

Why we love it: At Bistro Grenier, Odd Culture exec chef James Macdonald has paid homage to classic French food, serving it up in a setting that’s sophisticated and sexy but also a bit more relaxed and funky than the posh restaurants we tend to associate with French dining here in Sydney. A bistro, after all, is meant to be a casual, comfortable eatery serving simple French food – and that’s what you get from Newtown’s only French restaurant (where weirdos are welcome).

Time Out tip: Start on the steak startare, which is one of the most melt-in-your-mouth and perfectly seasoned we’ve ever had. 

Address: 266 King St, Newtown NSW 2042

Expect to pay: Around $7-$11 for hors d’oeuvres, entrées $18-$26, mains $29-$52, sides around $14, plus dessert and drinks

What is it? Delhi ‘O’ Delhi has been bringing the flavours, spice and soul of India to Newtown for more than 18 years. Located on  Erskineville Road, the smart spot serves up elevated takes on traditional Indian fare, and is a solid choice when the cravings hit. 

Why we love it: The menu is not only delicious; it’s extensive, including a decent selection of vegetarian and vegan mains, plus a set menu option for $60. 

Time Out tip: Bring a big group and get stuck into Delhi 'O' Delhi’s signature lamb dish, featuring a whole leg of lamb infused with cinnamon and marinated in spices for a day. It’s then slow-cooked in a clay oven so it’s fall-apart and delicious (the team needs 48 hours notice though, so give them a buzz before you visit).

Address: 3 Erskineville Road, Newtown NSW 2042

Expect to pay: $60-$65 for feast set menus, starters $19-$30, mains $20-$34, breads or rice and condiments $3-$10, desserts $14-$16, plus drinks

What is it? A Bengali eatery in Newtown by former Firedoor chef Ahana Dutt in charge.

Why we love it: Kolkata Social is an ode to chef Dutt’s mum Sharmila Basu Thaur and her home-style cooking – apparent from her mural by artist Marlon Dalton in the inner mustard-yellow room that’s kissed by the afternoon sun. The menu is novel; the dishes are nuanced. There are no flourishes of this and foams of that, but the food is cooked with finesse. It is food that you can eat with your hands and comes from the heart.

Time Out tip: Make Tuesdays more fun with Kolkata's thali Tuesday. 

Address: 528 King St, Newtown NSW 2042

Expect to pay: Starters $12-$30, mains $20-$40, plus drinks

What is it? King Street's natty joint goes hard on the ferments, wild yeasts and all things bubbly. Taking over the coveted Happy Chef space (vale), Odd Culture is a craft beer, natural wine and ferment-happy diner from the group that brought us the Oxford Tav, the Old Fitz and the Duke of Enmore. 

Why we love it: At the helm of the restaurant is head chef Jesse Warkentin (ex Continental Deli) and sous chef Caleb Venner (also ex Continental Deli). The menu is not defined by any one cuisine but an absolute deep dive into the power of fermentation and the alchemy it achieves with flavour. 

Time Out tip: Fancy taking some Odd Culture magic home with you? Also on offer at the bottle-o is a deli counter of all sorts of fun ferments made in-house at the restaurant like pickles, sauces, and deli-style snacks. 

Address: 262-266 King Street, Newtown NSW 2042

Expect to pay: $7-$26 for snacks and small plates (including more substantial options like Wagyu burgers, fried chicken bites and fries)

What is it? Opened by two of the greatest restaurateurs Sydney has seen in recent times, Elvis Abrahanowicz and Joe Valore of Porteño, Gardel’s Bar and Bodega (which they co-own with Ben Milgate), and LP’s Quality Meats (which they co-own with Luke Powell), this is more than just a restaurant. At Continental in Newtown a downstairs deli opens at noon and becomes a casual bar/restaurant as the later hours creep in, while upstairs there's a bistro for those fancier nights out.

Why we love it: If you were going to spend the rest of your life at one bar and restaurant you’d need it to be the complete package. We’re talking amazing drinks, great service and cheese enough to kill a man. An ace steak wouldn’t hurt and if they could also have an impressive canned goods store that would last you through an apocalypse, that’d cap it off. In short, at Continental you’re looking at your future life partner, in venue form.

Time Out tip: Keen to broaden your vino palate? Wines here don’t bother with the path well travelled – they cut a new flavour trail with local, biodynamic drops that will steal your heart away.

Address: 210 Australia Street, Newtown NSW 2042

Expect to pay: $85 for the banquet, lunch plates (from noon-3pm) $16-$54, fancy sandwiches $19-$32, cheese and charcuterie or tinned fish $20-$35, plus drinks

What is it? Newtown loves a specialist, be it a vegan ramen joint or a café selling six kinds of lamingtons and not much else. So a skinny slip of a pizza parlour selling seven wood-fired pies, two sides and some chilli XO to dip your crusts in fits right in.

Why we love it: Getting your hands on a Westwood pizza might require more forethought and planning than your average takeaway dinner, but the rewards more than outweighs the costs, so set your alarm for 4.30pm, because you’ve got to be in it to win it – and there are only prizes for the first 174 to make it over the line.

Time Out tip: Need a menu rec? They’re fermenting garlic cloves in honey for three months before liberally applying it to the hugely popular garlic, honey and cheese pizza; you can’t go wrong here.

Address: 245 Australia Street, Newtown NSW 2042

Expect to pay: $19-$32 for pizza, salads $16-$18, extras $3-$16

What is it? Mary’s is more famous as a burger place than as a bar. People queue for up to an hour just to get in the front door of this slightly scuzzy boozer with a penchant for Slaytanic font. 

Why we love it: You can’t lob a brick here without hitting someone melting cheese over beef patties and packing them in sweet, soft buns – people still devote their evenings to locking down rounds of cheeseburgers, baskets of fried chicken and super silky mash with gravy.

Time Out tip: Those who look beyond the burger buns are rewarded with a kickass bar you’ll want to linger in – so stay on for a drink. Yolo.

Address: 6 Mary Street, Newtown NSW 2042

Expect to pay: $22-$29 for burgers, $24-$75 for assorted portions of fried chicken, $14-$15 for hot dogs, $3-$10 for sauces and sides, plus drinks

What is it? Restaurant and bar Bloodwood is a much-oved part of the Inner West. Designed by local architect Matt Woods, the majority of the space has been built using recycled and reclaimed materials from the vintage chairs upstairs, to the massive sleepers framing parts of the open kitchen downstairs.

Why we love it: Don't expect a fine diner here – it's not that kind of place. Instead, you'll find a neighbourhood restaurant bashing out share plates like salty, savoury Provencal-style pancakes covered thickly in Persian fetta and toasted pumpkin seeds. There's plenty of veggo gear here, and they offer an affordable set menu.

Time Out tip: The best way to do Bloodwood for our dollar, is to start with drinks at neighbouring Earl's Juke Joint, hit the restaurant later in the evening for a better chance of a table, then take a turn up at Mary's for a nightcap. How's that for a tasty Newtown adventure?

Address: 416 King Street, Newtown NSW 2042

Expect to pay: $7-$18 snacks, $19-$49 sides and main-worthy proteins, desserts $17-$22, plus drinks

What is it? Maíz is the brainchild of co-owner Juan Carlos Negrete Lopez, a former Three Blue Ducks sous-chef and permaculture designer who hails from Baja California.

Why we love it: A proper crack at Mexican fare that doubles as a jewel in Sydney’s already highly decorated daytime dining crown? Win-win. Unless you’ve shelled out more than a few pesos at Oaxacan market stalls or on the side of the road in Puebla, quesadillas are the only item you might recognise on his expansive and exciting menu – a menu which is essentially a celebration of corn in its various incarnations.

Time Out tip: Dietary preferences are welcome here, since a vast majority of Maíz’s dishes are gluten-free and nearly three-quarters are vegetarian or vegan.

Address: 33 Enmore Road, Newtown NSW 2042

Expect to pay: Snacks $10-$18, ceviches $22-$32, mains $28-$56, desserts $18, signature drinks $16

What is it? A half motorcycle workshop and half eatery, ‘powered by community’. 

Why we love it: While this original spot lured us in for breakfast ramen (a beautiful big bowl of rich, fatty broth made from an infusion of buttered toast, topped with a just-set onsen egg, shards of crisp bacon and a charred tomato), dinner time here is worth a look in too.

Time Out tip: Round off your meal with a slice of sticky date pudding – you’ll thank us later.

Address: 1C Whateley Street, Newtown NSW 2042

Expect to pay: $28-$30 for ramen, $5-$10 for coffee and tea, snacks $15-$18, larger plates $$20-$35

What is it? The world’s only plant-based AVPN pizzeria, serving up traditional wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizzas with vegan flair.

Why we love it: Turns out pizza without cheese is still bloody excellent. Sure, there were a lot of naysayers on the internet when Gigi on South King Street changed to a plant-based menu, but they were wrong, because a chewy, wood-fired pizza base covered in a layer of sweet golden tomato puree and tender ribbons of capsicum gets all the umami depth it needs from a liberal dose of olive tapenade, capers, chilli, oregano and olive oil. 

Time Out tip: Check out the blackboard specials for the latest creative concoction the team have fired up.

Address: 379 King Street, Newtown NSW 2042

Expect to pay: $26-$32 for pizza and calzoni, plus dessert and a drink

What is it? Little Lagos is a Nigerian restaurant with a big soul. Meat is undeniably the star of most of the menu here, but vegetarians can get amongst ewa agonyi (slow cooked black-eyed beans with chilli) and a Ghanaian dish of beans and rice. And no visit is complete without an order of the jollof, which takes a full three hours to prepare each day and results in an intensely tasty, spicy rice.

Why we love it: Here, it’s all about authenticity. There’s no taste like home, which is why when Adetokunboh Adeniyi left Lagos to study in Romania, he would call his two younger sisters so they could walk him through Nigerian recipes. Fast forward a few years and it’s the same story in a different time zone. After moving to Australia in 2016, Adeniyi couldn’t find the Nigerian food he was craving, so he joined forces with two West African chefs and they began selling jollof rice and stews at markets in 2018.

Time Out tip: No matter what you order, add a side of fried plantains, which provides golden, starchy-sweet discs that make a perfect scoop for any remaining sauce.

Address: 125 Enmore Road, Newtown NSW 2042

Expect to pay: $18 for jollof rice, snacks $10-$25, mains $20-$30

What is it? La Favola is a choose your own adventure of the carb kind. At this Newtown joint, it's all about marrying your preferred pasta shape with one of six sauces.

Why we love it: Two words: great pasta. A fusilli carbonara, perhaps? Or a fettucine dal mare (with seafood, garlic, chilli and white wine)? At this modest-sized eatery, space is a prized commodity. So too is a table at peak meal times, when locals flock for bowls of pasta, made fresh in-house on the daily. 

Time Out tip: Keep an eye out for the specials board, where you'll find a limited-time only starter, main and dessert on offer.

Address: 170 King Street, Newtown NSW 2042

Expect to pay: $29-$38 for pasta, sides and salads $12-$22, starters $12-$26, plus a drink