Colourful mix of cultures, languages and histories. Centred around the lively Marrickville Road. Ethnically diverse. Slightly bohemian feel, enhanced by the Ces Camilleri artwork that adorns the awnings of the local businesses and shops. Once the Greek centre of Sydney, it now has a strong Vietnamese flavour. Diversity at its heart. We love the weekly organic food market. Marrickville.
199 Victoria Rd
It all started with coffee. Marrickville was happily dishing up some killer Vietnamese food when out of nowhere, cafes started popping up all over the place. First it was Coffee Alchemy, then Bourke Street Bakery, Bespoke and Grind, Cornersmith - and now Double Roasters have staked their claim on a little piece of 2204.
Taking up residence in an old warehouse that faces onto Victoria Road, Double Roasters draws in passers by with the heady aroma of freshly roasted coffee. The source of this...
314 Illawarra Road
Cornersmith is creating quite a buzz, due in no small part to the beehives on the roof. One of the most interesting of the new wave of Marrickville cafés, Cornersmith maintains a staunch position on local, seasonal and ethical produce. They harvest their own honey, use free-range eggs, ham and salami and are closed on Mondays – for pickling.
How could anyone hate Mondays when it means fresh batches of chilli zucchinis, peach and cardamom jam, tomato chutney, spiced eggplant relish and any number...
283 Marrickville Rd
Sheeps heads - you either love ‘em or youre downright revolted by the idea of pulling the well-done brains and eyeballs out of a skull that still has teeth. Theres not much meat on it but what there is, is incredibly flavoursome. All that intramuscular tissue stands up to a culinary caning. But were obviously not dealing with our sheep skull in the correct way - while were picking at the meat with forks, the table next to us are dislocating the thing like surgeons. Or hit men.
Its not all...
353 Illawarra Rd
Could you criticise a suburban Thai restaurant menu for being too similar to the carte at Spice I Am? "Im sorry, but Im afraid youre just that little bit too rad." No, not if youve got a single functioning tastebud in your head. Lets Eat is the rare Siamese outsider in the very Vietnamese neighbourhood of Illawarra Road. Just opposite Marrickville Station, theres little to distinguish it, the single tiled room seating maybe 30, with a TV on the wall and a rack of takeaway menus out the front....
296 Illawarra Rd
Lets hear it for the bánh xèo. These savoury yellow pancakes of rice flour stained a brilliant yellow are a standby at just about each and every one of Marrickvilles many, many Vietnamese restaurants, but the version whipped up at Yen for Viet, a relative newcomer on the scene, is unusual in its savour and crispness. Its also really big. Better yet, theres a choice between the common-or-garden number filled with pork and prawn, the vego option (yawn) and the rather more exciting one packed with...
109 Marrickville Rd
At the more industrial end of Marrickville Road, Bespoke and Grind is like a little ray of sunshine between an ad-hoc junkyard and a series of closed-down businesses. This happy little café was opened six months ago, apparently as a place for owner Stacey Giaprakas to indulge in his dual hobbies of roasting coffee and fixing bicycles.
The place is decked out with mismatched furniture, a wall rack of lovely vintage bikes and a leftover Peavey amp from the last community jam they hosted...
314 Victoria Rd
Eat this... Thaal
What is it?
Thaal offers the perfect introduction to Nepalese cuisine: an all-in-one meal of meat, vegetables and dhal curry served in small kachaura bowls and presented on a metal tray.
Where can I get it?
Everest Kitchen in Marrickville is a modest suburban restaurant committed to serving traditional Nepalese dishes. Multi-coloured prayer flags and lanterns hang over a crowd that includes Nepalese families and curious locals. A huge LCD screen has looping footage of life in...