Drop a pin: North of the Bridge

By Time Out in partnership with Google

An attraction in its own right, the Sydney Harbour Bridge is also the gateway to Sydney’s lower North Shore. The area is as well known for its tree-lined streets as it is secluded harbour beaches, and starts at the north’s own CBD of North Sydney, before spilling out to Kirribilli, Crows Nest and Neutral Bay. Here you’ll find the Kirribilli Markets, cocktail bar the Botanist, the Ensemble Theatre and Wendy Whiteley’s much-loved garden oasis. Working your way along the harbour’s fringe, you can take a dip in hidden ocean pools like Maccallum Pool or in the open ocean at Nielsen Park; do high tea at the historic Gunners Barracks; kick back with brunch right on the water at the Boathouse in Balmoral; or enjoy a seafood lunch next to bobbing sailing boats at Chiosco by Ormeggio. The contrasts of bush and suburbia, the ocean and busy roads, the harbour and dense school zones give the North much of its charm. In fact, the Sydney Harbour National Park is home to one of the world’s only rainforest ecosystems within such close proximity to the city. As you continue to work your way along the headlands and coastal cliffs of the park, you may be lucky enough to see rock engravings made by the region’s earliest inhabitants, the Cammeraygal people. 

Further around the headlands you'll eventually come to the North’s first major ocean beach, Manly. This tourist hotspot and local surfing hub is also quite the dining precinct, and the relaxed beachside aura permeates the dining scene. You can channel Nordic vibes with Toast Skagen from Fika Swedish Kitchen; down Nepalese-style dumplings or Hawaiian poke bowls at Momo Bar Manly; grab a slice from Pocket Pizza; or go all-out with fancy Cantonese fare at Manly’s Queen Chow. From hidden gems to quirky icons, these establishments and their own ‘signature searches’ represent the character and diversity that make each part of Sydney so special. 

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