The Best Restaurants in Sydney's Inner West for a Satisfying Bite
From pizza and pasta to Middle Eastern feeds, these are the best restaurants in the Inner West.
In the vibrant heart of Sydney's Inner West, there's a culinary scene that is as diverse as it is delectable. Now, we all know the age-old saying 'Inner West is best', and these top-shelf places really do prove it.
With that in mind, we've selflessly been rounding up the best restaurants in Sydney’s Inner West and ordering up an indulgent storm. We promise no hype, just the real deal when it comes to satisfying your inner foodie.
Without further ado, here is the definitive list of the best restaurants in Sydney's Inner West. Your taste buds can thank us later.
The Best Restaurants in Sydney's Inner West: Glebe
Bellevue Cottage by Antoine
Chef Antoine Moscovitz of the ever-picturesque Bellevue Cottage by Antoine serves up classic French-Australian fusion dishes. Think smoked black Angus brisket pot pie and truffle mash–the ultimate comfort feed. And if you’re getting your steps in around the Glebe Foreshore, this couldn’t be more perfect! If you ask us, a jog isn’t a jog if you don’t come home with a coffee and a croissant.
55 Leichhardt Street, Glebe
No. 92
No. 92 is a neighbourhood wine bar and restaurant that serves delicate dishes inspired by Mexican flavours and traditions. With several offerings, including the chef's menu, the al a carte menu and the Sunday bottomless brunch, you won't be leaving here hungry or thirsty! With delicious fare like scallops with curry leaf, piquín chilli brown butter and buckwheat, Mexican lobster tacos and the barramundi with herbs, lemon grass and ginger sauce, a meal here is a real culinary delight.
92 Glebe Point Road, Glebe
The Best Restaurants in Sydney's Inner West: Newtown
Gnocchi Gnocchi Brothers
Melt in your mouth, fluffy goodness – good gnocchi disappears like fairy floss in your mouth and the Gnocchi Gnocchi Brothers serve great gnocchi. Ben Cleary-Corradini and Theo Roduner opened up Sydney’s first dedicated gnoccheria — and arguably one of the best restaurants in the Inner West — as a testament to their deep-rooted passion for authentic Italian cuisine. In their 'Gnocchi Love Factory,' they use the finest local produce to create their signature gnocchi and pairs it with traditional sauces prepared following closely guarded family recipes.
119 King Street, Newtown
P&V Wine + Liquor Merchants
Amidst the best restaurants in Sydney’s Inner West, P&V Wine + Liquor Merchants is a haven for fine Australian and imported natural wines, a champion of local craft beers, and a repository of artisan spirits, sake, delectable snacks, and a thoughtfully curated range of non-alcoholic options. The masterminds, Lou and Mike, bring their wealth of experience to create this culinary haven, where the pursuit of quality and unique flavours takes centre stage. Their Paddington venue is also a wine bar you can visit for your next date night!
Enmore Road, Newtown
Cairo Takeaway
Next time you fancy quality food without fuss, head to Cairo Takeaway where authentic Egyptian street food is yours for feasting. Pop by for some lunch on the go - the falafel pocket is our pick - or sit in and enjoy plates of slow-cooked fava beans, lentils and rice, spiced mince flatbread and endless cups of black tea with mint. It's just across the road from the Enmore Theatre, so the perfect place for a pre-show bite. Just get there early to put your name down as they don't take reservations.
81 Enmore Road, Enmore
Continental Deli
Continental Deli, a gem among the Inner West's best restaurants, is a true all-rounder. As an extension of the acclaimed Porteño family, now under the capable stewardship of Michael Nicolian, Continental Deli promises an exceptional drinks menu. From their signature Martini in a tinny to classic favourites like the Manhattan and Cosmopolitan.
Yet, it's not just about the libations; Continental Deli houses an assortment of gourmet cheeses, cured meats, even in-house-prepared seafood, and sweet treats. If you enjoy the finer things in life, like chef Guillaume Brahimi, then you’ll know where to hang out next while in Sydney’s Inner West.
210 Australia Street, Newtown
The Best Restaurants in Sydney's Inner West: Enmore
Emma's Snack Bar
Emma’s Snack Bar is a charming eatery that perfectly melds the time-honoured traditions of Lebanese cuisine with a modern twist. And they do it sensibly, creating an inviting, affordable, and ever-so-welcoming dining haven. Enmore locals adore it, and food enthusiasts travel from near and far to devour the delectable mezze and the homemade kebabs. The decor nods to nostalgia, and the menu encourages a leisurely exploration, inviting you to share delicious moments with family and friends around a communal table.
59 Liberty Street, Enmore
Queen Chow
Drawing inspiration from the dynamic street food scene of Hong Kong, Queen Chow offers a refreshing take on traditional Chinese dishes. Anticipate a feast of classics, from succulent barbecued ducks to live seafood bursting with freshness and an array of sizzling, wok-fried specialties. At its Enmore joint, you can forget about greasy hangover cures; this spot offers vibrant, flavour-packed modern Cantonese dishes in a revamped pub setting. It's a perfect package with a chic bar, a light-filled roof terrace, inventive cocktails, and excellent service.
167 Enmore Road, Enmore
The Best Restaurants in Sydney's Inner West: Marrickville
Baba's Place
Baba’s Place, tucked away in an industrial Marrickville warehouse, serves up a diverse culinary experience, much like Sydney's immigrant communities. Co-owner and head chef Jean-Paul El Tom, influenced by his Lebanese background, crafts a menu that's a fusion of various heritages, including Macedonian and Greek, paying homage to the city's cultural diversity.
The concise yet inventive menu showcases delicacies from house-made Lebanese labne to Shanghai-style noodles. Baba’s place is fitted out to be like everyone’s suburban home, as you’ll dine surrounded by a striking melange of family heirlooms, op-shop treasures, and '80s-style wall decor.
20 Sloane St, Marrickville
Hello Auntie
Hello Auntie, Sydney's cherished Vietnamese eatery, makes you feel like you’re really dining at your favourite auntie’s house—with plenty of traditional, vegan and vegetarian options! Think spring rolls, banh xeo crispy coconut turmeric crepe packed with your favourite flavours, and wagyu egg noodles. With its charming decor and welcoming ambience, it's one of the best restaurants in the Inner West, satisfying cravings for Southeast Asian cuisine.
278 Illawarra Road, Marrickville
The Best Restaurants in Sydney's Inner West: Balmain
Casa Esquina
Taking over the iconic corner spot on Elliot Street, Balmain (formerly home to L'Unico and Efendy), Casa Esquina is bringing a new vibrancy to Balmain with its chic fit-out and delicious Argentinian eats. From the team behind Tequila Mockingbird and Esteban, the menu showcases the vibrant flavours of Argentina, with a range of premium cuts cooked on the open flame parilla - complete with a chimichurri kit to mix up at your table. However, for the non-meat lovers, the extensive menu caters to a range of tastes, including sweet bread and prawn paella with wagyu fat chilli crunch; black garlic pasta with stracciatella and pecorino and kingfish tiradito, piquillo dressing, lime, jalapeño and shiso.
Stop by on Tuesdays and Wednesdays where the BBQ spit will serve up Argentinian-style street food - and on Sundays for a custom parilla BBQ that will be firing up delicious feasts and injecting that infectious Argentian energy into Balmain.
79 Elliot Street, Balmain
The Fenwick
Exceptional views, a historic building, and seasonal produce — The Fenwick offers the ultimate dining trifecta. Undoubtedly one of the best restaurants in Balmain, it's also an art gallery! If you've got something special to celebrate and are looking for an elevated experience, swing by for breakfast, lunch or dinner. The squid ink tagliolini will live on in your memory long after you've finished eating.
2-8 Weston Street, Balmain East
The Cottage Balmain
It didn’t take long for this little gem to become a local favourite. A beautiful cottage on Darling Street turned bar-slash-restaurant, has a grandma’s farmhouse kinda feel but a vintage chic vibe.
It’s different and that's why we love it, from the courtyard and garden to the modern Australia share plates and cocktail list. If you're planning on dining out in a group, The Cottage offers multiple feasting menus that are bound to go down a treat.
342 Darling Street, Balmain
The Best Restaurants in Sydney's Inner West: Various Inner West Locations
Chez Blue
Rozelle has become home to its very own French bistro. Chez Blue seeks to share the joy of dining on the streets of Paris with one and all. An intimate cocktail bar provides the perfect post-work hangout whilst the 90-seater bistro will be beckoning those keen on wining and dining.
Cosy booths, banquette seating and mosaic tiling evoke a moody atmosphere whilst the menu delights with dishes curated by Head Chef Mark Williamson (ex-Bistro Moncur). Expect classic French with a fresh spin - tuna tartare and tabasco, peach and tomato dressed in goat's curd and brûléed chicken liver pate. A mostly French wine list tops things off alongside some reworked classic cocktails.
599 Darling Street, Rozelle
Shenkin
Shenkin, a beloved culinary gem in Sydney's Inner West, masterfully fuses Israeli culture with a tantalising menu and top-tier coffee. Their unwavering dedication to crafting 80% of their offerings in-house ensures a dining experience that's both unique and consistently fresh. While each Shenkin venue boasts its distinctive charm, the original Shenkin Kitchen in Enmore offers a breezy and inviting atmosphere that sets it apart. In our opinion, their shakshuka is unbeatable!
Enmore, Erskineville and Newtown
Rice Pantry
Rice Pantry has certainly earned its place as an Inner West favorite, thanks to the culinary ingenuity of Cecilia and Jackie. Hailing from first-generation Australian-Vietnamese and Australian-Chinese backgrounds, their menu is a creative homage to Asian cuisine with a modern twist. From gourmet rice bowls to Vietnamese fried chicken and irresistible baos, Rice Pantry serves up a delicious fusion of flavours that keeps locals coming back for more to get their cravings sorted.
G002/20 Smidmore Street, Marrickville
Zeus Street Greek
Some of the best spots in Sydney are actually the cheapest, but what Zeus lacks in price, it makes up for in flavour. When your tummy’s growling, Zeus Street Greek, which has locations all across the city, is the place to be. Be warned, you’ll want to order everything, and there’s zero judgement in that. Leave with a feast of spanakopita, halloumi chips and feta filo fingers drizzled with honey and sesame, or load up on the souvlaki. It comes in chicken, lamb, pork and vegetarian varieties.
Rozelle and Dulwich Hill
Chargrill Charlie's
When it comes to comfort food, Chargrill Charlie's stands tall among the best in Sydney's Inner West restaurants. This local chain, with a cult-like following across Sydney and Melbourne, has been dishing out home-style goodness since 1989. Their commitment to crafting thoughtful, no-fuss food with fresh ingredients and love shines through in every bite. Upping the game of the local chicken shop, you can pair your bbq chook with their gourmet salads and decadent sides.
Annandale and Drummoyne
If you loved this edit of the best restaurants in Sydney's Inner West and are want to explore further afield, be sure to check out our roundups of the best vegan restaurants in Sydney and the best restaurants in the CBD.
