Sydney Restaurant Tips by M0B1US

Restaurant Name: Harry's Cafe de Wheels

Harry has had his pie cart here since the '30's.

Word spread quickly about Harry's 'pies and peas' and crumbed sausages soon becoming a popular part of the city's nightlife - keenly sought by sailors, soldiers, cabbies, starlets and coppers alike.

The name 'Cafe de Wheels' came about as the city council of the day insisted that mobile food caravans move a minimum of 12 inches a day. Harry dutifully obeyed.

Before the councils ruling, the caravan was known simply as 'Harry's'. When its wheels went missing one night, local wags coined the nickname 'Cafe de Axle'.

As the years passed, 'Harry's Cafe de Wheels' gained new fame as a tourist attraction. A visit to the caravan became a 'must' for visiting celebrities such as Frank Sinatra, Robert Mitchum and Marelene Dietrich.

In 1974, chicken king, Colonel Sanders, stopped at Harry's and enjoyed the food so much that he ate three 'pies and peas' while leaning on his walking stick in front of the caravan.

Favorite Dish: My fave is the delicious Beef Pie topped with lovely fluffy mash, traditional mushy peas and a helping of gravy - all for a coins in your pocket! It really reminds me of my East End upbringing in London when I used to visit the local pie and mash shops in Bethnal Green during school. YUM!

Check the Harry's website for mouthwatering full colour pictures of what you're missing!

Why not sit along the wharf next to Harry's and check out the Warships tied up just a few metres away...

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Theme: Street Vendor
Comparison: least expensive
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Phone: (02) 9357 3074
Address: Cowper Wharf Road, Woolloomooloo NSW 2011
Directions: Right on the edge of the wharf by the naval base and Woolloomooloo Finger Wharf
Website: http://www.harryscafedewheels.com.au

Restaurant Name: Toby's Estate

Imagine our delight when we dropped into this place around the corner from an apartment we were about to view to kill some time...

If you blink you will miss it as it is a small but perfectly formed cafe that is part of the head office and roastery of this boutique that sells its coffees and teas to upmarket restaurants, cafes and delis. Inside is a veritable cornucopia of fresh coffees and teas dominated by a roasting machine in the centre of the upstairs mezzanine, leaving the inside a little cosy only having seating for at most about a dozen people inside.

Established in 1998, Toby's has quickly become a favourite of Eastern Suburb espresso heads and a firm favourite of ours with its super friendly staff and ample magazine collection. Best of all, it was practically in our living room being a mere couple of minutes around the corner from the apartment we eventually stayed at.

So, if ever you find yourself in Woolloomooloo, drop in and make yourself at home!

If you can't make it to Toby's HQ, then make sure to try their coffees at one of the three main outdoor Sydney fresh produce markets, where they operate stalls...

Favorite Dish: Hardly dishes as such, Toby's does awesome Teas and Coffees!

As well as all the fantastic coffees from Papua New Guinean Organic to Kenyan Peaberry, Toby's selection of Teas were a relevation!

Two of my firm favourite teas are now Peruvian Lapacho, with its strong vanilla flavours and Japanese Genmaicha - a product of WWII when tea shortages forced the Japanese to stretch their supplies with roasted wheat and rice...

There are also very nice cakes and sandwiches on offer as well.

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Theme: Coffeehouse
Comparison: about average
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Phone: (61 2) 9358 1196
Address: 129 Cathedral Street, Woolloomooloo NSW 2011
Directions: Woolloomooloo, one block north of William St
Website: http://www.tobysestate.com.au/

Restaurant Name: Bar Quattro

Bar Quattro is an elegant Italian cafe situated on the edge of the northern portion of Hyde Park.

It is a place to see and be seen and with its large outdoor seating it is an excellent place to kick back and enjoy an espresso and a touch of gelati, whilst watching people play with the giant chess set on the grounds of the park adjacent.

It has a large and varied menu of light meals, snacks and salads with an extensive array of desserts. The cafe is also fully licensed so those wanting a stiffer drink are also well catered to with some great Australian wines on offer.

Favorite Dish: Basically I only really came here for the excellent espressos and lattes, and the occasional slice of moist, dark chocolate cake! Yum!

The rest of the menu also looked very nice and purely on sight alone, I would definitely recommend it!

Bar Quattro service is very efficient and polite.

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Theme: Italian
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Phone: +61 (0) 2 9267 0299
Address: 110 Elizabeth Street, Sydney
Directions: Hyde Park North (behind St James Station)

Restaurant Name: MoS Cafe

OK, I only went here for coffees and drinks but the moment you enter this place you can tell that it exudes class!

Just a short hop and a skip from Circular Quay and part of the Museum of Sydney, this stylish bar with its huge communal table made from ancient red gum tree is a great place for a coffee, a bite to eat - or something more substantial. It also has a spacious outside dining area making use of the attractive sandstone surroundings of the building's walls...

Check the website below for a full write up of the mouthwatering options on offer at this great place!


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Theme: Eclectic/International
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$31-40  » Currency Converter
Phone: +61 (0) 2 9241 3636
Address: 37 Phillip St Sydney NSW 2000
Website: http://www.bestrestaurants.com.au/booking/select_rest.asp?id=814

Restaurant Name: Cafe Burton

Situated in Darlinghurst a little way along Oxford St is a delightful little spot to while away the hours and watch the world go by...

Cafe Burton has a neat seating area on a triangle of land called Oxford Square 'reclaimed' by the closing off of the top of Burton St to traffic and ringed by my favourite Jacaranda trees.

The area is also home to Chicane, another well know cafe/bar, but not which I have been to.


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Theme: Coffeehouse
Comparison: about average
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Address: Top of Burton St and Oxford St