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

Eat at ROBs
Restaurants

Eat at ROBs

  • 5 out of 5 stars
This no-frills burger joint in Rozelle serves up seriously good Oklahoma-style smash burgers for just $10.50 (or make it a double for $12.50)
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
Clam Bar
Restaurants

Clam Bar

  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • price 3 of 4
This New York-style steak house by the powerhouses behind Bistrot 916 and Pellegrino 2000 is a clam dunk
Out of the Blue
Restaurants

Out of the Blue

  • price 1 of 4
This local favourite has queues almost all the way to the beach
Olympus
Restaurants

Olympus

  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • price 3 of 4
Does your last trip to Greece feel like ancient history? Slip on your sandals and head to Sydney’s Olympus Dining
Cibaria Manly
Restaurants

Cibaria Manly

  • 5 out of 5 stars
Joyous, warm and exactly what this beautiful ’burb needed – Manly’s newest Italian babe is a delizioso hit
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
Saint Peter
Restaurants

Saint Peter

  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • price 4 of 4
Josh Niland's revolutionary seafood restaurant has found a beautiful new home in Paddington’s Grand National Hotel, but the game-changing dishes remain

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
Joji
Bars

Joji

  • 5 out of 5 stars
Sydney’s newest rooftop bar is a shimmering, Japanese-inspired showstopper in the CBD’s beating heart – and don’t forget your Gucci
The Bat & Ball Hotel
Bars

The Bat & Ball Hotel

  • 5 out of 5 stars
This classic old Sydney pub has had a refurb – but the team have managed to retain the bar's vintage charm
Bar Freda's
Bars

Bar Freda's

  • 4 out of 5 stars
Part wine bar, part house party – the latest iteration of Freda's feels like a natural step into adulthood for the Sydney institution

Other things to do in Woolloomooloo

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
Xtra Clubs Bondi Junction
Health and beauty

Xtra Clubs Bondi Junction

This huge bathhouse complete with saunas, steam rooms and ice baths has opened in Bondi Junction

What's on in Woolloomooloo

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Theatre

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • price 2 of 4
This physical performance fuelled with fire and fractured fragility shatters the façade of the private and personal
Eton Mess Music Festival
Things to do

Eton Mess Music Festival

This new festival is here to kick off summer with DJ sets from Young Franco, MAD.DAY and more
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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
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
Moonlight Cinema
Film

Moonlight Cinema

  • price 1 of 4
Centennial Park's magical open-air cinema is back this summer with a blockbuster program to celebrate its 30th birthday
Powerhouse Materials: Paper
Things to do

Powerhouse Materials: Paper

A playful exhibition of objects lands at Powerhouse Castle Hill this November with a free event featuring curator and celebrated Aussie author Andy Griffiths
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