Outside the hustle and bustle of the CBD, but not so far that you feel you’re taking a trek, you’ll find one of our favourite areas to meander on a weekend: Chippendale. Whether you’re sauntering down Kensington Street in search of feeding, or perusing the latest exhibitions at the area’s galleries, there’s plenty of intrigue around the corner. Check out our video guide to the perfect Chippendale day out, and then read on for even more spots we love around the neighbourhood!
Where to go in Chippendale on your next visit
Toby’s Estate
Boasting the grand title of the world’s best coffee shop – take that, Melbourne – Toby’s Estate operates a swathe of locations across Sydney. Their flagship Chippendale café and roastery is the standard-bearer as the world’s best, so you’ll want to pop in for a world-beating brew on your next jaunt to the neighbourhood.
📍 32-36 City Road, Chippendale NSW 2008
⏰ Open 7:30am-3pm weekdays, 8am-3pm on weekends
Fortress
A haven of games, geekery, and good times, Fortress Sydney is the largest video game and entertainment venue in the Southern Hemisphere. You’ll find it at the Central Park Mall, and I reckon you’ll want to block out an afternoon for arcade games, PC competitions, and some restorative fare at their two bars, the fantasy-themed Tavern, and sci-fi inspired hangout 2315. It’s open until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, perfect if your League of Legends battles have a habit of running into the night.
📍 Central Park Mall, Level 2/28 Broadway, Chippendale NSW 2008
⏰ Open 12-11pm (Mon to Thu), 12pm-12am (Fri, Sat), and 12-10pm (Sun)
KOI
Masterchef fave Reynold Poernomo has raked in the plaudits for his & his brother’s brilliant, inventive desserts for years, and Chippendale is the place to go if you want to try them. KOI Dessert Bar is open for walk-ins only, so you’ll need to chance your arm, but the reward is a glass display counter full of mouthwatering delicacies, drinks to pair with them, and a trip to dessert heaven.
📍 6 Central Park Ave, Chippendale NSW 2008
⏰ Open 12-9pm (Tues to Sun). Closed Mondays.
Khanom House
Magnificent matcha awaits you at Khanom House, which you’ll recognise from a distance thanks to the teal-hued paint job on the outside. Grab a matcha, for sure, but if you can resist the temptations of their much-lauded honey cake or the Basque cheesecake, you’re a stronger person than I’ll ever be.
📍 15 Meagher St, Chippendale NSW 2008
⏰ Open 7:30am-3pm (Wed-Fri), 8:30am-3pm (Sat, Sun). Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
White Rabbit Gallery
Sydney’s most influential gallery of contemporary Chinese art needs to be on your bucket list, but do bear in mind that White Rabbit Gallery closes temporarily when switching between exhibitions. That happens twice a year; at the time of writing, XSWL – which is Chinese Internet slang for ‘laughing to death’ – is casting a critical eye over digital media, censorship, and the battle between self-expression and secrecy. It’s in place until mid-May 2025, but you can bet whatever comes after will be equalling enthralling. A coffee beneath the antique birdcages in The Teahouse is a must on your visit here, too.
📍 30 Balfour St, Chippendale NSW 2008, Australia
⏰ Open 10am-5pm (Wed-Sun). Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
Gin Lane
Sometimes the smallest things astound out of all proportion, and Gin Lane, as one of Sydney’s most interesting bars, certainly delivers on that promise. The inspiration is Victorian England, hence the décor and the love affair with gin; the cocktails, however, have taken quite the detour from there, with flames, sparkles, smoke, and all manner of drinking vessels pressed into action for their unforgettable drinks. Bring your camera, you’re going to need it.
📍 16A Kensington St, Chippendale NSW 2008
⏰ Open 5-11pm (Mon), 4:30-11pm (Tues, Wed), 4-11:30pm (Thu), 2pm-late (Fri), 1pm-late (Sat), 1-11pm (Sun)
The Abercrombie
The city went eight years without a boogie at The Abercrombie before the reopening in late 2022, so if an evening in Chippendale ends with a pilgrimage to that hallowed ground floor club, be thankful that you live in an era where you can. In more recent developments, the team behind former Chippendale institution Freda’s are opening Bar Freda inside the venue, and taking over the programming for the club nights to create Club Freda’s. That’s a collab we can get on board with!
📍 100 Broadway, Chippendale NSW 2008
⏰ Open 12pm-12am (Mon-Wed), 12pm-2am (Thu), 12pm-5am (Fri, Sat). Closed Sundays.
Concrete Jungle
Chic and decked out in plants, Concrete Jungle delivers on the name pretty nicely. A favourite of Secret Sydney’s Chippendale local Chreshall, this café is one of the top spots in the neighbourhood for brunch, especially if the sun is streaming through the windows. Pull up a chair, round up your mates, and pencil in some time for a catchup.
📍 15 Kensington St, Chippendale NSW 2008
⏰ Open 8am-3pm (Mon-Fri), 8am-3:30pm (Sat, Sun)
Goodspace Gallery
If you’re an art lover, you’ll want to plan your Chippendale visit for a Wednesday – as that’s the only day that Goodspace Gallery opens its doors. Found above The Lord Gladstone (putting the drinks conveniently in arms’ reach), the gallery hosts a new exhibit each week, inviting artists and creators from all mediums to display their work and spark conversations. That creates an eclectic, endlessly fascinating lineup of events; recent exhibits have included ‘If Loving This Is Wrong’ (exploring the madness of online dating), ‘Last Days’, which is Xavier Francis Diekman’s photographic journey through the US prior to Election Day 2024, and the Sydney Sticker Expo. Their Instagram is the best way to see what’s up next.
📍 115-119 Regent St, Chippendale NSW 2008
⏰ Open 5-9pm Wednesdays only
Spice Alley
Indecisive eaters will love Spice Alley‘s array of dining options, but perhaps hate the difficulty in choosing between them. From Singaporean to Cantonese to Japanese to Malaysian, there’s an embarrassment of riches when it comes to Asian cooking here. Finish your visit with Japanese-inspired cocktails at Nomu Bar, instantly identifiable from the wall of Weekly Shōnen Jump covers.
📍 Kensington St, Chippendale NSW 2008
⏰ 11am-9:30pm (Sun-Wed), 11am-10pm (Thu-Sat)
Ester
Ester‘s renowned wood-fired oven does a lot of heavy lifting at this local favourite fine dining spot, so ordering something with a deliciously smoky, charred finish should be your first order of business. The fermented potato bread with dashi and salmon roe is an audience favourite too; splurge on the $145 set menu and you can enjoy a taste of all the good stuff.
📍 46-52 Meagher St, Chippendale NSW 2008
⏰ Open 6-11pm for dinner (Mon-Sat), 12-4pm for lunch (Sat-Sun)