Hidden gems in Sydney
Skip the tourist circuit. These Sydney spots are the ones locals actually send their out-of-town friends to.
Top spots in Sydney
Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk
OutdoorsEastern Suburbs
6 km cliff-edge path past Tamarama and Bronte — best at sunrise.
Sydney Opera House
CultureBennelong Point
Take the backstage tour or just watch the sails change colour at dusk.
Royal Botanic Garden
OutdoorsCBD
Harbour-side park with Mrs Macquarie's Chair — the postcard angle.
Surry Hills
Food & DrinkSurry Hills
Crown Street brunch, Crown Street dinner, tiny bars in between.
Where to eat
Quay
$$$$Contemporary Australian · The Rocks
Peter Gilmore's tasting menu with Opera House and Harbour Bridge views.
Tetsuya's
$$$$Japanese-French tasting · CBD
Tetsuya Wakuda's restored federation home — confit ocean trout is legend.
Chin Chin
$$$South-East Asian · Surry Hills
Loud, large and very good — book a couple of weeks ahead.
Bourke Street Bakery
$Bakery · Surry Hills
Sausage rolls, ginger brulée tarts and queue out the door.
Spice I Am
$$Thai · Surry Hills
Properly spicy Bangkok-style — get the jungle curry.
Frequently asked
- Locals' under-the-radar picks include Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk, Sydney Opera House, Royal Botanic Garden. These are the places that don't show up on the first page of mainstream travel guides.