Chinatown Sydney

By Ben Stephens.

As you make your way closer to Dixon Street in the heart of Sydney’s Chinatown, you truly begin to feel like a tourist in the city; the smells change, the active wear seems to thin out and most importantly the food steps up. Whether you are here to find something from the black market, grab a couple of fresh ocean catches or just wanting to get lost in the city, I highly recommend an afternoon exploring. I spent a day getting to know what’s good in Sydney’s Chinatown. I ate, drank and even got a souvenir, all this to inspire you to get out there and explore it for yourself. Here is a rather comprehensive selective foodie look at Chinatown.

Firstly, just to be so very clear, Chinatown is full of delicious eats and depending on what you want to chow down on, will dictate where you’ll end up. From a long form Korean BBQ at Dae Jang Kum to a 3am Chinese feast at Golden Century, this part of town will always have something on offer. Though after really getting to know the area, I stumbled across a well known secret – a perplexing concept I know. You’ll walk past Dixon Street Food Court, a pretty average looking building from the outside, but stop, head through the sliding doors and take the stairs down.

I cannot recommend this place enough. As you walk down the stairs for the first time, you can’t help but feel that have found something pretty rad. You have 20+ choices down there, so shop around until you find what you are after. The hot tips would be Ghostboy Cantina, a taqueria that offers three Asian inspired taco choices, fries and corn – it’s simple and kills it. Keep looking around through, with traditional Indonesian to some spicy Thai, it’s all in there. Even Pat Norse, Gourmet Traveller’s Chief Restaurant Critic, has been hanging out at Dixon Food Court of late, he’s loving Face2Face noodles, in particular the Sichuan Soup with Chicken Giblets, I agree with his recommendation fully… you hear that Norse? I concur.

Another tick for Dixon House is the bar that sells reasonable priced booze to accompany your oriental food of choice, stocking a strong selection of all your favourites.

Now when it comes time for dessert, leave your new favourite food court and head back up Dixon Street to N2 Gelato for some frozen delights using nitrogen, not a new kid on the Chinatown block, but very much a favourite.

When it comes to shopping for those illegally imported cigarettes rare finds, it’s a case of digging these ones out, so the hot tip is to walk into every store on Dixon Street arcade and you are sure to find fashion that you never knew you needed or sneakers that are tightly wrapped in cling film. On Friday nights the street will be filled with stalls selling Pikachu onesies like it’s 1999, this really creates a unique atmosphere.

So next time you are in need of some good food, cheap booze and a spot of post long-lunch shopping, be sure to check out the wonders of Dixon Street, you won’t be disappointed.