20 fabulous Inner West businesses to support

Is there a more enticing smell than buttered slices of white bread crisping up in a hot sandwich press? It's a pertinent question for anyone walking into the former Smart Dollar space on Marrickville Road, that’s now home to the Marrickville Hotel. Don’t let the name throw you – this isn’t another generic pub. Brought to you by the team behind Arcadia Liquors and Redfern Continental, expect affordable cocktails, toasties, a glittering courtyard and a dog and kid-friendly community vibe.

On a Sunday morning, a crowd gathers under a candy-striped awning on a quiet stretch of picture-pretty Annandale. And for good reason. Cherry Moon General Store's open kitchen is busy putting together breakfast toast and granola, with smoked butter croissants, filled-to-bursting sandwiches and sausage rolls galore. Stop in for some fire-baked sweets, housemade pickles and cute local ceramics or organic skin care to take home.

The Liverpool Road stretch of Ashfield is littered with dumpling houses these days, but Shanghai Night was arguably the first. Back in the day, staff would make dumplings at one of the back tables in the dining room; now they’re stationed within a modern glassed-in kitchen with fancy laminated menus to boot. They’re still serving up some of Sydney’s cheapest xiao long bao soup dumplings at $7.80 for eight. But wait, there’s more. So much more – make this dumpling joint your next go-to.

Skip the dirge of chain supermarkets and shower this Ashfield business with some love and coin. Stock up on hard-to-find groceries from the Fruitarian Supermarket, one of the last small specialty grocers outside of the mall. Fill a bag with bok choy, citrus, leafy herbs and greens. You'll also find treats like salted duck eggs, fermented tofu, bulk bags of rice and that imported chilli paste you’ve been looking for everywhere.

Many a cowboy boot-clad scallywag has entered Route 66 on the hunt for a perfectly aged Creedence tee or a frilly rockabilly dress. The once Surry Hills stalwart has recently swung upon the saloon doors in Newtown, ready to ply the vintage-loving locals with all things Americana classic. Think bolero ties, '70s raglan-sleeve band shirts, retro sunnies and classic cut denim. You'll find all your head-to-toe cowgirl fantasy needs at Route 66 on Enmore Road.

It might sound industrial, but the Etsy force is strong in this addition to the growing dining scene in Dulwich Hill. Yep, that hand-made vibe you’re getting from the Sausage Factory is because practically everything here is, from the tableware and the furniture to the sausages on your plate and the knitted ones danging from the walls. Let Oz pub rock and '60s girl groups provide the informal soundtrack to a delicious comfort dinner of organic snags with a trio of pickles, two side sauces, some seriously good salads and house-brewed beers.

Camperdown now has a rollicking craft beer bar to call its very own. There are few better ways to get a run-up on a Saturday evening than by knocking back a tasting paddle of kooky brews from this slightly left-of-centre brewery. You can start off gently with an easy drinking Bavarian amber lager, or you can dive in at the deep end with the Sourpuss Raspberry Berliner Weisse – it's tart, sweet and weird.

Leichardt finally gets the true-blue neighbourhood bar it deserves. Head to this Norton Street beauty for Australiana cocktails, local beers and experimental fare like smoked celeriac with finger lime, roasted fennel, lemon, tahini, blood orange and dill. It’s not exactly something you’d expect to see on the menu at your neighbourhood bar. But, then again, Golden Gully isn’t exactly the neighbourhood bar you might expect. 

In spite of the name you can eat in at Cairo Takeaway. They put a lot of care into assembling their mixed plates. If you don’t eat meat the veg version has crisp, spiced cauliflower florets and dark green felafel, but we can’t resist the smell of the grilled chicken doused in garlic and the lamb kofte that comes on the meat edition. Add pickles, toum, zingly fattoush and a crisp Young Henry's lager and you've got yourself a perfect Newtown dinner.

This cute gallery is run by the Inner West Council, who provide it as a free-of-charge exhibition and event space for local artists. In August, five artists will showcase works about personal and public change in 'XROADS'. Exhibitions change regularly so keep your eyes pointed to the gallery website for details. Entry to the gallery is free and it's wheelchair accessible – add this much-needed space for the arts to your next visit to Camperdown.

There’s something a bit different going on at Wildflower Brewing and Blending. Dotted around this charming, rustic cellar door are bunches of native flowers, an omnipresent reminder of their local ethos. The beers are funky and complex – not only due to the ancient process of wild fermentation, but also because of the flavours they pick up from time spent in neutral oak, and the way they’re blended together. The results are nothing short of magical. 

Steam power once revolutionised the modern world, and now 300 years later it is being used to change the way we think about the humble muffin. Young guns Jack and Danielle were doing such a roaring market trade in their steam-baked muffins that they decided to open their own permanent premises. Now you can get your hands on their savoury, sweet and gluten free muffins all week long. There are 30 flavours to choose from so you may want to arrive hungry.

At Rolling Penny, one of Newtown's hottest cafés, the breakfast roll sees a big white roll stuffed with two perfectly poached eggs, a heap of crispy bacon, a thicket of fragrant coriander and parsley, fresh spinach leaves and a slick of mayo and spicy, house-made sour tomato relish. Add a splash or two of Diemens hot sauce for extra punch. Naturally there's excellent coffee, juices and meals to enjoy, but this brekkie roll deserves your adoration.

Giant hot pits of coal, huge braziers, iron cages filled with meat and queues out the door for the frango de churrasco (aka barbecued chook) are what you’ll find here. With Laminex tables and a '70s style countertop, head out the back to the seated area and you’ll find beers in the fridge and house-made hot sauce in squeezy bottles – perfect on the fried pork sandwich. The chicken is the main event here though: butterflied, grilled and spiced with plenty of hot sauce.

Have you ever tried the Portuguese custard tarts from Sweet Belem? If not, you really need to fix that. They are, hands down, the best you’ll find in Sydney. The original chef learnt how to make them in the Belem district in Lisbon, Portugal, before passing the secret recipe onto the current owner. And as anyone who has ever been to Belem will know, there’s only one thing they are famous for. Yep. Custard tarts.

The Tamaleria and Mexican Deli sits on Marrickville Road in the heart of Dulwich Hill village. People queue happily, even in the heat, to get their hands on a taste of Mexico City. Specifically, they are here for tamales. Dishes change regularly and are always a delight, maybe you’ll get a version of their delicious tacos dorados. Make sure you order a horchata to go with it –they make the chilled, super-refreshing milky drink from panella sugar, condensed milk and cinnamon, and it’s a killer pick-me-up.

Named for its position on Newtown's famous King Street, Vinatge at 313 is an explosively colourful hub of preloved fashion. You'll find barrels of bandanas, '80s sports wear, Disney tees and vintage gems from classic labels like Levi jeans and Adidas. Leaning in to a maximal aesthetic, this store makes digging for treasure all the more enjoyable with their organised sections and outfit edits. Nothing says "Inner West cool" like a recently tie-dyed vintage tee, and you'll find those in abundance.

If the wave of hobby-mania that swept over us in the more isolated periods of the tumultuous ’20s has whet your appetite to get your hands busy, Clay Sydney’s new Enmore studio is worth a visit. Carrying on the practice of their Marrickville studio, the space offers chilled-out one-off workshops suitable for total beginners as well as short courses covering wheel-throwing, hand-building, firing and glazing techniques for the clay-curious. 

Egg of the Universe is a yoga centre with an included café in Rozelle. The café’s focus is on wholefoods with a seasonal menu sourced from local and sustainable growers. The studio spaces are dedicated to helping you balance your mind, body and spirit with heated and non-heated yoga classes and workshops. Your one-stop shop for working up an appetite with some wholistic exercise and savouring a Detox juice and gluten-free, raw food treats after.

If the weather is shining, head all the way out the back of The Rio to the tiny courtyard with your beer. If that’s full, grab seats in the breezy front room where your drinks can share space with a cheeky pot of mussels or some mixed dips. Tuck in to the grazing options including loukoumades, kofta, moussaka, and saganaki. Summer Hill's small bar with a pro-snack agenda is one of the best things in the area.