Must do
Fast facts
- Sydney’s Little Italy
- Inner west
- 40-minute bus ride from Circular Quay
Why go there
If you love all things Italian, and that includes pasta smothered in parmesan, the hiss of espresso machines, a mouthful of gelati and a shoulder-shrugging attitude, head for the precinct of Leichhardt.
Most of Leichhardt’s action occurs on Norton Street, with its delis, cafés and cake shops. The streets are filled with infectious energy, never more so than when the Italian national soccer team is winning.
Things to do
- Visit the Italian Forum, a plaza with alfresco restaurants, stylish boutiques and homewares stores.
- Dine at one of 50 restaurants and cafés, catering for all budgets and styles.
- Enjoy some fine dining by heading to restaurants such as Elio and Grappa.
- Walk from Leichhardt Marketplace Shopping Centre to Balmain’s Gladstone Park – a great Sydney foreshore walk.
Don’t miss
- A movie at the Palace Norton Street Cinema.
- Bar Italia, an institution on Norton Street.
- The Italian Heritage Walking Tour.
- Leichhardt Town Hall, built in 1888. Or head to the library at the Forum for local history.
- Italian Festa, Norton Street, in April.
- Cafe Bones where your dog can enjoy a 'pupaccino' by Hawthorne Canal.
Major events
