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Once a gritty factory-lined fringe suburb, Chippendale has undergone a dramatic urban transformation. It has retained its historic buildings but turned them into crowd-approved restaurants and characterful pubs. The area has also developed a reputation as a thriving arts precinct thanks to the White Rabbit Gallery, that celebrates contemporary Chinese art, and the Japan Foundation Gallery located in the buzzing Central Park.
Whether you’re in Sydney for work, study, a slow sabbatical, or an extended stay that blurs business and leisure, Chippendale makes an excellent base.
Getting Around From Chippendale
In a city famous for its size, Chippendale is compact. You can walk to Redfern in five minutes, a key railway interchange that can shoot you out to the airport, the suburbs or the Blue Mountains easily. The CBD is a 45-minute-ish walk away, perfect for those keen to keep a high step count. But on those days where you’re not so keen to leave the neighbourhood, everything you need – espresso, dumplings, dry cleaning, live music – is tucked neatly into a few vibrant blocks.
Where to Stay (When You’re Staying a While)
Adina Apartment Hotel Sydney Chippendale gives you space to breathe. Here, you can cook, crash, work, host or hole up. It makes for a coveted mix of privacy and prime location.
Opening the door of the Two-Bedroom Apartment you can expect mid-century furnishings, pops of colourful prints and muted tones. There’s a full kitchen and laundry so you can skip the suitcase living and settle into a rhythm, and large windows fill the living space with natural light for those needing to turn the dining table into makeshift work desk. Other key options include an Executive Studio and One- or Three-Bedroom Apartments.
A compact gym has some cardio machines, bench and dumbbells, and the pool is just the right size for a quick plunge. The leafy courtyard has also a smattering of table and chairs, plus umbrellas. For those commuting into Sydney’s CBD, you can walk to Redfern Station in less time than it takes for your morning latte to cool.
Need a pad closer to the heart of the city? Check out recently refurbished Adina Apartment Hotel Sydney Town Hall.
Where to Eat and Drink
Terra Cotta Roasters is your reliable morning fix. Tucked on Regent Street just a few metres from the Adina front door, it’s where locals grab strong coffee and flaky pastries before the day really starts. Sit in the covered courtyard with a bacon and egg roll, Ivy bruschetta or get your cold brew to go – it’s the kind of café that remembers your name after day three. The combo deals are an excellent option. For baked goods, Brickfields Bakery on Cleveland Street offers sourdough, pastries and cakes. Check out Charc Specialty Meats & Coffee for epic sandwiches loaded with thick-cut pastrami and other fillings sure to thrill every carnivore.
KINDRED is a pasta bar that feels like walking into a friend’s living room. Small, warm and always humming, this corner spot serves house-made pasta and slow-cooked sauces that could fix your entire week. It’s equally good for solo midweek dinners or low-key catch-ups with colleagues. The slabs of sourdough are a must no matter who you’re here with or how many other carbs are on your table.
When the craving hits for something fast, flavour-packed and deeply satisfying, try Spice Alley. This lantern-lit laneway is lined with stalls dishing out Singaporean laksa, Thai stir-fries, dumplings and char siu pork – most easy on the hip pocket, too. Pizza hankerings are easily solved at Angry Tony’s, where New York-style slices come with punchy tomato sauce, dough with the perfect chew, and the option to take a whole pie back to your place at Adina Chippendale for the best kind of lazy night in.
When it’s time for a drink, Gin Lane has moody lighting and creative cocktails, served in everything from smoking domes to glass bathtubs. For something more low-key, The Duck Inn is a local favourite. The Lansdowne Hotel has live music and late-night energy, or beeline for the The Lord Gladstone for dive-bar edge. Zigli’s Wine Bar masters the crowd-pleasing trifecta of wine, cheese and art.
What to Do While You’re Here
You’re never too far from something weird or wonderful in Chippendale. Pop into White Rabbit Gallery to see what contemporary Chinese art looks like when it’s sharp, bold and occasionally unhinged. Kensington Street is where Sydney’s food scene meets architecture, with old terraces now housing fusion restaurants, galleries and dessert bars that take sugar very seriously.
Need greenery? Chippendale Green and nearby Victoria Park are perfect for stretching your legs between Teams calls. Depending on your mood, bring a book, a laptop or your takeaway of choice.
