Sandwiched between Newtown and Marrickville in Sydney’s inner west, Enmore is quietly cool – a compact neighbourhood that offers rich rewards. It’s home to excellent coffee, dining options that range from vegan Thai to dependable pub grub and a thriving nightlife scene of cocktail bars and live music venues. Musician Will Wood, of psych rock trio Grinding Eyes, calls the grungy enclave home.
Here, he shares his favourite spots and what he loves most about the Inner West suburb.
One of the best things about Sydney is the sheer variety of what’s on offer – from the stunning coast to the incredible culture and the world-class food scene. What do you personally love most about the city?
There’s a lot to love about Sydney. For me, it’s the bars, cafes, pubs, live music, breweries, markets and the small pockets of communities that just make you feel at home.
Enmore has a reputation for excellent coffee, with a long list of great cafes both on the main strip of Enmore Road as well as in the back streets. What is your go-to caffeine fix in Enmore?
My go-to for a coffee in Enmore has to be Black Market Coffee Roasters on Enmore Road; quick, straight to the point and great tasting. They have a simple menu, but it always hits the spot.
There’s quite a mix of eateries in Enmore, with everything from Malaysian banquets to traditional Turkish and fine dining Italian. Do you have a favourite restaurant in Enmore?
My favourite restaurant in the area is definitely Little Turtle. It’s a fantastic vegan restaurant serving home-style Thai favourites with a playful twist. The baked Tom Yum rice is delicious and they serve one of their curries in a coconut!
What’s your ultimate way to spend a night out in Sydney?
My ideal night out in Sydney starts in the late afternoon at The Warren View Hotel for beers and a feed, followed by a visit to a couple of the neighbourhood breweries – Young Henrys up the road in Newtown is a favourite.
After sunset, I like to catch a few live bands at the Enmore Theatre and finish the night off with a nightcap at one of the local bars. Nearby Jacoby’s does great tiki cocktails.
You’ve played at venues across Sydney with your band Grinding Eyes. Where is your favourite place to perform a gig in Sydney and why?
Sydney has so many great venues to perform at. For small, more intimate gigs, I enjoy performing at The Vanguard in Newtown or for larger gigs, I like to go for Crowbar in Leichhardt. Then there’s the holy grail of live venues – the iconic Enmore Theatre.
Sydney’s music scene is a tight knit community that always support each other. Where is your favourite place to see a gig in Sydney and why?
Again, there are so many to choose from – starting with the DIY warehouse gigs around Marrickville to the larger theatre gigs in Enmore, plus the dynamic acts at Oxford Arts Factory in the city. I love them all; every live music venue in Sydney has its perks.
What are your top three must-dos in Enmore that you would recommend to a friend who was visiting?
If you are heading to the neighbourhood, be sure to add these to your itinerary:
- Enjoy a delicious pub meal at The Warren View Hotel. They do a mean parmi.
- Taste local brews at the independent breweries like Young Henrys or The Grifter Brewing Co.
- Watch a local live band at The Vanguard while drinking some of the local independent beers.
Do you have a favourite Secret Sydney experience you can tell us about?
I would say Sydney Park; sunny afternoons sitting on the grassy hill watching the world go by is one of the best ways to unwind and take some time to relax from what is generally a very busy lifestyle.
