My little food guide to Sydney
Earlier this year I was lucky enough to spend a month living and working in Sydney while filming my latest television series Zumbo's Just Desserts. What a great city! Despite not having much time up my sleeve to explore every nook and cranny, or to eat at the long list of places I have been recommended over the years, I did manage to find some little gems along the way.
On a sunny day, my absolute favourite thing to do was meander from Bronte to Bondi beach and finish with ice cream at Pompei's, or to chill out in the beautiful Royal Botanical Gardens. But when it comes to eating, I was just so spoilt for choice. I've put together a list of some of the great places I was lucky enough to try, so next time you're there, pop along for yourself:
Cheap and cheerful eats
Doughheads – Newcastle, Sydney 2300 I’m always a sucker for a delicious doughnut and the ones at Doughheads' are hard to beat. There’s everything from the staple cinnamon and sugar to salty nut, lemon meringue, and apple crumble.
Bourke Street Bakery – several locations Bourke Street Bakery offers great coffee and delicious handmade bread, along with a range of delicate tarts and pastries. They have several locations around Sydney, so head to their website and find out which is the closest to you.
Delicious ethnic options
Little Saigon Plaza – Bankstown, Sydney 2200 This plaza is dedicated to bringing visitors a uniquely Asian eating experience. There’s a huge selection of eateries, a covered food market and much more. This is a great place to spend hours sampling various Asian cuisines.
Din Tai Fung – Chatswood, Sydney 2067 Makers of some of the most amazing dumplings, this place is worth a visit if you’re in Sydney. I’m never disappointed and often return multiple times to get my fix.
Din Tai Fung
Mamak – Haymarket, Sydney 2000 Mamak offers a delicious variety of authentic Malaysian food. I love getting back to my heritage and sampling a new dish with each visit.
Emperor's Puffs – Chinatown, Sydney 2000 Emperor's Puffs make the best little freshly baked buns with a gooey custard centre. It's hard to sum up what sets these apart from other custardy baked goods, but they are second to none.
Something a little more 'special occasion'
Harpoon Harry – Surry Hills, Sydney 2010 Morgan McClone, the man behind Melbourne’s amazing Belles Hot Chicken, has taken over the reigns at Harpoon Harry for the remainder of 2016 and put his signature southern-states-of-America twist on things. This is definitely one restaurant not to be missed.
Chiswick – Art Gallery Road, Sydney 2000 Located in a beautiful gallery space, Chiswick offers delicious food served at large communal dining tables with views across the Sydney Harbour. If you're celebrating a birthday or anniversary, or just want to treat yourself - this is the place to do it.
Read more about Sydney and the best places to eat, shop and visit while you're there over on Khoollect, including:
The Khoollect community's guide to Sydney
Photo: Jess Jackson & Abby Sands
Khoollect's mini foodies guide to Sydney
Photo: Bread, Wine & Thou
