Woolloomooloo Wharf
Photograph: Chris Ting

Woolloomooloo area guide

Restaurants, bars, shops and events in Woolloomooloo
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The suburb that gives everyone pause (when they're trying to spell it) is one of Sydney's most dramatically gentrified – at least around the Finger Wharf (probably the coolest apartment block in the whole of Australia) on which you'll find look-at-me hotspots like Ovolo Hotel, OttoChina Doll and Aki's.

Bordered by the DomainKings Cross and Potts Point, the harbourside suburb is home to a real grabbag of Sydney landmarks, including the Andrew Boy Charlton Pool, Garden Island Naval Base and the Matthew Talbot Hostel, the largest hostel for homeless men in the Southern Hemisphere.

Woolloomooloo highlights

The best restaurants in Woolloomooloo

Jules
Restaurants

Jules

  • 5 out of 5 stars
Lane Cove’s Jules serves up flavour-packed dishes that blend modern Australian and Asian influences in a relaxed, feel-good setting
Piqu
Restaurants

Piqu

This unassuming dining room on King Street is serving up a delightfully spicy, hyper-flavoursome menu and zingy Lemongrass Margaritas
The Palomar
Restaurants

The Palomar

  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • price 3 of 4
The Palomar is a genuinely unique new addition to Sydney's dining scene
Al Yasmin
Restaurants

Al Yasmin

  • 5 out of 5 stars
Al Yasmin is our favourite Lebanese restaurant in Southwest Sydney
Bathers' Pavilion
Restaurants

Bathers' Pavilion

  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • price 3 of 4
Days – and long lunches – don’t come much better than at this seaside Balmoral icon
Neptune’s Grotto
Restaurants

Neptune’s Grotto

  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • price 2 of 4
An underground cave in Sydney’s CBD is now home to a rollicking, candlelit Italian-themed party – and one of the city’s most exciting new restaurants
The Dolphin Hotel
Bars

The Dolphin Hotel

  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • price 1 of 4
The Surry Hills’ local is a sprawling pizza party, where primo Italian food meets punters painting the town red
Grandfathers
Restaurants

Grandfathers

  • 5 out of 5 stars
Taking up shop in the former Long Chim site is this red-and-black succulent Chinese diner by some of Sydney’s finest – bring your pop

The best bars in Woolloomooloo

The Old Fitzroy Hotel
Bars

The Old Fitzroy Hotel

  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • price 2 of 4
Woolloomooloo’s historic pub has cracking food, its very own theatre and more character than you can poke a stick at rolled into one grand old time
The Dolphin Hotel
Bars

The Dolphin Hotel

  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • price 1 of 4
The Surry Hills’ local is a sprawling pizza party, where primo Italian food meets punters painting the town red
Public House Petersham
Bars

Public House Petersham

  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • price 1 of 4
Petersham’s favourite pub keeps community front of mind, but it’s the little things that expand the reach far and wide
Bar Copains
Bars

Bar Copains

  • 5 out of 5 stars
Best mates, Dr Dre hits, a killer fish sanga and funky drops walk into a bar – and the result is pretty cool

Other things to do in Woolloomooloo

Pleasure Club
Music

Pleasure Club

  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • price 2 of 4
With nostalgic cocktails and rollicking live performances every night, you can escape reality at Newtown’s purple-hued basement bar (well, until 4am at least)
The Day Spa at the Langham Hotel
Health and beauty

The Day Spa at the Langham Hotel

This magical, star-studded subterranean spa in Sydney's CBD is offering Australia’s first in-hotel IV therapy experience
Manly to Spit coastal walk
Sport and fitness

Manly to Spit coastal walk

This ten-kilometre trek is best approached from Spit if you want to reward yourself with snacks at the finish line

What's on in Woolloomooloo

Epping Night Markets
Shopping

Epping Night Markets

This buzzy new night market will take over Epping's Boronia Park on the last Friday of every month
Texas BBQ: Pitmasters
Things to do

Texas BBQ: Pitmasters

Lennox Hastie from Firedoor is teaming up with Austin’s celebrated pitmaster and Egyptian cowboy Kareem El-Ghayesh of KG BBQ for four smoking-hot events in May
The Lion King
Theatre

The Lion King

  • 5 out of 5 stars
Royalty takes theatrical form – long live the (Lion) King!
Finders Keepers Markets
Things to do

Finders Keepers Markets

Browse and buy hand-made art, ceramics, food and treasures from independent local creatives from all over Australia
Meatstock
Things to do

Meatstock

Come for the sizzling music, stay for the slow-cooked meats at this two-day festival at Sydney Showgrounds on this May
My Brilliant Career
Theatre

My Brilliant Career

  • 5 out of 5 stars
Uplifting, joyful and unapologetically Australian, My Brilliant Career reminds us why ambition, love and self-discovery are timeless
The River
Theatre

The River

  • 4 out of 5 stars
A raw, riveting reflection on love, relationships and illusion, starring Miranda Otto, unfolds on the STC stage
Glow at Sydney Zoo
Things to do

Glow at Sydney Zoo

Glow is coming back to Sydney Zoo this May and June – bringing an world of immersive light and sound to Western Sydney
La Ronde
Theatre

La Ronde

Circus, cabaret and live music return to The Grand Electric in the second Sydney season of this thrilling theatre experience by the creators of ‘Blanc de Blanc'
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Banksy Limitless
Art

Banksy Limitless

Opening at The Rocks in April, this exhibition showcases more than 250 provocative works by the world-famous elusive street artist