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

Heshela Newa Khaja Ghar
Restaurants

Heshela Newa Khaja Ghar

  • 4 out of 5 stars
Head to this Rockdale eatery for handmade dumplings done four ways, rice wine and the promise to taste something new
Ama
Restaurants

Ama

  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • price 1 of 4
Chinese-Thai street food is served with a nostalgic touch at this humble eatery
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
Frankie & Mo's
Restaurants

Frankie & Mo's

  • 4 out of 5 stars
A father-son duo is behind this delightful Blackheath "wine pub"
Corner 75
Restaurants

Corner 75

  • 5 out of 5 stars
The Baba’s Place and Sixpenny teams have joined forces to inject fresh energy into Randwick's Hungarian icon – and it’s exciting and comforting all at once
Pellegrino 2000
Restaurants

Pellegrino 2000

  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • price 3 of 4
This cracking Surry Hills Italian from the Bistrot 916 team has amped-up trattoria classics that will stay with you long after you've said arrivederci
Banh Cuon Ba Oanh
Restaurants

Banh Cuon Ba Oanh

  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • price 1 of 4
This corner Marrickville eatery specialises in Northern Vietnam’s slippery rice noodle rolls, banh cuon — so good you’ll want to come back next week
Jane
Restaurants

Jane

  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • price 3 of 4
An outstanding and surprising hole in the wall is bringing the goods – with a touch of inspiration from Nan

The best bars in Woolloomooloo

Silver’s Motel
Bars

Silver’s Motel

  • 5 out of 5 stars
Enmore Road’s most handsome space is also an ’80s-inspired motel bar with top-shelf drinks and old-school swagger
Hey Rosey
Bars

Hey Rosey

  • 5 out of 5 stars
This anchovy-tin-sized wine bar spins vinyl tunes, pours cracking wines and pumps out dishes you’ll be lusting over like your first crush
Watsons Bay Hotel
Bars

Watsons Bay Hotel

  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • price 2 of 4
This beloved harbourside venue is a visitor's favourite for a reason – come for stunning sunsets, excellent wood-fired pizza and big beach club energy
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

Sydney Observatory
Museums

Sydney Observatory

Intrigued by the night sky? Take a guided tour at Sydney Observatory
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)

What's on in Woolloomooloo

The Works at Carriageworks
Music

The Works at Carriageworks

Carriageworks is transforming into a world-class nightclub for four weeks this summer, headlined by international acts including Underworld and Ben Böhmer
The Book of Mormon
Theatre

The Book of Mormon

  • 4 out of 5 stars
This tongue-in-cheek musical is jam-packed with "did they really just say that?” humour
Golden Hours Barangaroo
Things to do

Golden Hours Barangaroo

Barangaroo is turning up the heat for the last few weeks of spring – with live entertainment, dining deals and $15 Aperols
Calamity Jane
Theatre

Calamity Jane

  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • price 2 of 4
Grab your boots – Virginia Gay stars as a frontier heroine in this brilliant cult classic at the Opera House
The Lovers
Theatre

The Lovers

  • 4 out of 5 stars
Laura Murphy’s 'The Lovers' delivers exactly what it promises: “Love, pop and Shakespeare” in confetti-sprinkled spades
Chinatown Night Market
Shopping

Chinatown Night Market

Every Friday night, Chinatown transforms into a vibrant night market selling Asian street food, desserts and more
Phar Lap: The Electro-Swing Musical
Theatre

Phar Lap: The Electro-Swing Musical

  • 4 out of 5 stars
This new musical at Hayes Theatre blends history and humour with plenty of high kicks to create a crowd-pleasing spectacle that’s equal parts hoofbeats and hope
Back to the Future: The Musical
Theatre

Back to the Future: The Musical

  • 4 out of 5 stars
This mega-movie musical fuses nostalgia, world-class talent and stage sorcery for an electrifying night powered by 1.21 gigawatts of joy