Eat in Newtown, Sydney

Bella Brutta ★ 4.5

Sicilian-leaning pizza on King Street, Newtown, Sydney. Long fermented dough, tinned-fish toppings, a list of negronis and aperitivos. Open Tue-Sun.

Signature: Capricciosa pizza, Pizza diavola, Soft serve

Ante ★ 4.6

Japanese sake bar on Wilson Street, Newtown, Sydney. Kaiseki-style seasonal plates pair with one of the country's deepest sake-by-the-glass lists.

Signature: Otsumami snacks, House-made tofu, Seasonal sashimi

South End ★ 4.6

Hussein Sarhan and Alex Tong's neighbourhood bistro on King Street, Newtown, Sydney. The ex-Fred's chef runs a tight, seasonal European menu.

Signature: Steak tartare, Pasta of the day, Wood-roasted fish

Cafe Paci ★ 4.7

Pasi Petanen's two-hat Finnish-meets-Asian room on King Street in Newtown, Sydney. Set menu only, snacks-to-dessert with sharp matched wines.

Izakaya Fujiyama ★ 4.3

Japanese izakaya on King Street, Newtown, Sydney. Yakitori from binchotan, tonkotsu ramen, sake-and-highball list, late-night walk-in tables.

Signature: Yakitori skewers, Tonkotsu ramen, Karaage chicken

Order: Yakitori chef's selection and tonkotsu ramen.

Tip: Open till midnight Fridays and Saturdays.

Mary's ★ 4.3

Mary's pub burger on Mary Street, Newtown, Sydney. Cheeseburgers, fried chicken and mac and cheese in a former church-turned-rock-bar. Daily till late.

Signature: The Mary's burger, Fried chicken, Mac and cheese

Order: The Mary's cheeseburger and a side of fried chicken.

Tip: Loud room; sit upstairs if you want conversation.

Vineria Luisa ★ 4.4

Italian wine bar on Enmore Road in Newtown, Sydney. Pasta, aperitivo, a small-producer Italian wine list curated by the team behind Marta and Cucina.

Signature: Pasta of the day, Aperitivo board, Tiramisu

Order: Pasta of the day and a glass of Etna Rosso.

Tip: Walk-ins at the bar; book ahead for the tables on Friday and Saturday.

Osteria Mucca ★ 4.4

Old-school trattoria on Australia Street, Newtown, Sydney. Hand-rolled pasta, nose-to-tail Italian cooking, low-lit room from the Pasian & Daughters group.

Signature: Pasta of the day, Vitello tonnato, Pollo alla cacciatora

Order: Pasta of the day and vitello tonnato.

Tip: Walk-ins at the bar; bookings open three weeks ahead.

Haven Specialty Coffee ★ 4.4

Newtown specialty coffee on King Street, Sydney. Daily roast rotation, simple toasted-sandwich menu, a steady commuter and student lineup before 9am.

Signature drink: Long black

Cuckoo Callay ★ 4.2

Newtown station-platform cafe in a heritage 1908 ticket-hall on King Street, Sydney. Regular booking for Sydney's brunch and specialty-coffee scene.

Signature drink: Mocha

Black Star Pastry ★ 4.5

Black Star Pastry's Newtown original on Australia Street, Sydney since 2008. Strawberry watermelon cake, strong pastry program, weekend queues from open.

Worth the queue: Strawberry watermelon cake

Campos Coffee ★ 4.4

Campos's original Newtown roastery on Missenden Road, Sydney. Specialty-coffee roastery and cafe; single-origin pour-overs and house espresso blends.

Sources from: Colombia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda

How they serve: Espresso, Filter, Whole bean retail, Subscription

P&V Wine + Liquor Merchants ★ 4.6

Bottle shop and bar on Enmore Road, Newtown, Sydney. Mike Bennie and Lou Dowling's natural-wine retail by day, by-the-glass and pintxos by night.

Signature pour: Hunter Valley semillon

Wine focus: Natural and minimal-intervention Australian

Food: Bar snacks and tinned fish

Vermuteria ★ 4.4

Vermouth and sherry bar on King Street, Newtown, Sydney. Tinned-fish pintxos, Spanish-leaning tapas and a list of 40+ vermouths by the glass.

Signature pour: Manzanilla sherry flight

Wine focus: Vermouth, sherry, fortified wines

Food: Spanish tapas

Earl's Juke Joint ★ 4.4

Whiskey-and-beer dive on King Street, Newtown, Sydney. American whiskey-heavy back bar, country playlist, a New Orleans Sazerac on every menu.

Signature drink: Boilermaker

Food: Snacks

Black Star Strawberry Watermelon Cake ★ 4.5

Black Star Pastry's iconic strawberry watermelon cake at the Newtown counter, Sydney. Rose-syrup soaked watermelon, pistachio crumb, cream layers.

Try: Strawberry watermelon cake slice

Young Henrys ★ 4.5

Newtown craft brewery on Wilford Street, Sydney. The Newtowner pale ale is the menu signature; street-art tank room and a year-round food-truck rotation.

Newtowner Bar by Young Henrys ★ 4.3

Newtowner pub taproom on Enmore Road, Newtown, Sydney. Young Henrys' second venue, the original brewery's beers on tap, schnitzel and a pub feed.

Local Sauce Newtown Chewtown Food and Street Art Tour ★ 4.6

Newtown food and street art walking tour from Local Sauce Tours. King Street tastings across the inner west, small groups, walk-in friendly weeknights.

Joe's Tavern ★ 4.4

Why locals love it: Newtown bar room with a tiny kitchen out the back doing nose-to-tail Italian plates and natural wine for 25 seats, sister to Bella Brutta.

Tip: Walk-ins only; sit at the bar to watch the kitchen line directly.

Kolkata Social ★ 4.4

Why locals love it: Bengali street-food cafe on King Street, Newtown, Sydney that the inner-west missed for two years before the food press caught up.

Tip: Order the kati roll and the kosha mangsho; it's a tight kitchen, takeaway moves faster.

Maeda Newtown ★ 4.4

Japanese-Australian brunch cafe on King Street, Newtown, Sydney. Katsu hamburg, karaage rolls, specialty matcha; walk-in only, kitchen closes 2:30pm.

Order: Katsu hamburg steak and the chicken karaage roll.

Mary's Newtown ★ 4.3

Pub burger on Mary Street, Newtown, Sydney. Cheeseburgers, fried chicken, mac and cheese in a former church-turned-rock-bar; kitchen runs to midnight.

Try: Cheeseburger and fried chicken