Foodie types are forever singing the praises of the gourmet finds on their doorstep; the lesser known places which often only locals are aware of. This podcast is a foodie focused walking tour of the Rozelle and Balmain area, and aims to show off some of the top restaurants, cafes and other foodie gems this neck of the woods has to offer.
Included on the tour are cookware shops, patisseries, artisan chocolate shops, specialist delis, pubs and cafes, not to mention a little bit of local history to boot.To enjoy this tour, simply download the free podcast via the link, make sure you have our map (below) to help you find your way along the tour, and you’re away! We reckon the best time to take the tour is late morning on a Sunday. We’ve listed on this page the opening times of the various venues on the tour. Depending on when you’re completing the tour you may find some venues closed. Click on play to listen or download the free podcast here.
So armed with your map and downloaded podcast, it’s time to don your sensible walking shoes, bring your appetite, and start exploring Rozelle and Balmain's best foodie gems.
A) TOUR START POINT, Rozelle Junction, corner of Victoria Road and Darling Street To get to Rozelle Junction from the CBD, you can catch the several buses, including the 500, 502, 504, 505, 506, 507, 508, 510, 515, 518, 520, M50 and M52. For full details and bus timetables, visit www.sydneybuses.info.
B) Herbies Herb and Spice Shop, 745 Darling Street, Rozelle Think of any herb or spice, Herbies is bound to have it, plus all its blends and spices are made at the shop with none of those nasties you often find like MSG, starches, free-flow agents or additives, so you know you're getting the best quality.Mon to Fri, 10am to 5pm Sat, 9am to 4pm Sun, 10am - 3pm
C) Essential Ingredient, 731-735 Darling Street, Rozelle For home cooks this place is heaven, stuffed for of kitchen gadgets, dream cookware and also luxury ingredients. For the bolder cooks there are tins of snails, while bakers and sugarcrafters will adore the sugarpaste offerings.Mon to Wed, and Fri, 9.30am to 5.30pm Thursday, 9.30am-7pm Sat, 9am-5pm Sun, 10am-4pm
D) Victoires Boulangerie, 660 Darling St, Rozelle This small French bakery boasts, at least in my opinion, the best croissants in Sydney. Fluffy, buttery and fresh, Victoires is simply a slice of Paris in the heart of Rozelle. Mon – Fri, 7am-7pm Sat & Sun, 7am-6pm
E) Belle Fleur, 658 Darling Street, Rozelle Drawing on four generations of chocolate-making expertise, Belle Fleur's creations really are works of art worthy of a chocolate window in Belgium. Mon-Fri, 9am-6pm Sat, 9am to 5pm Sun, 10am-4pm
F) Rozelle Weekend Markets at Rozelle Public School This popular weekend market is not strictly a foodie haunt (though you will find a selection of food stalls on the right hand side as you enter the market offering everything from dimsum to egg and bacon rolls), but it is a great place to trawl for bargains including vintage cookbooks and retro cookware. Sat & Sun, 9am-4pm
G) Dairy Farmers Co-op Milk Company, 600 Darling Street, Rozelle Some historical reflection, in the 1930s you would have found on this site the Dairy Farmers Co-op Milk Company. Opening times not applicable.
H) Adriano Zumbo, 114 Terry Street, Rozelle One of two Adriano Zumbo cafes in the area, the Rozelle branch features a small seating area with viewing window into the chefs at work (pictured at top of article). Enjoy one of the celebrity chef's famous macarons and a coffee while watching the professionals create their works of art. Mon-Fri, 7:00am - 4:00pm Sat & Sun, 8:00am - 4:00pm
I)Elkington Park / White Horse Point / Dawn Fraser Baths A short historical diversion, to consider the White Horse Point outlook and the romantic fable behind its name, and the heritage listed Dawn Fraser Baths. Opening times not applicable.
J) Riverview Hotel, 29 Birchgove Road, Balmain The pub where famous Balmain resident Dawn Fraser was landlady from 1978 to 1983, this friendly relaxed pub is the perfect place for a refreshment pitstop. Mon-Sun, 12pm-late
K) Ralph’s Delicatessen, 337 Darling Street, Balmain Operating for the last 42 years, Ralph’s could easily be considered a Balmain institution. Opened in 1972, this family-run shop is an Aladdin’s cave of fantastic hard-to-find ingredients, including imported brands. Mon-Sat. 8am-8pm-ish Sun- around 8.30am – 8pm-ish
L) The Workers, 292 Darling Street, Balmain This funky bar venue is a nod to this area’s Labor Party history. Originally part of the Unity Hall Hotel at 290 Darling Street, The Workers was at one point the Trades and Labor Hall, where in 1891, the Labor Electoral League (now the Australian Labor Party) was formed. As well as a funky atmosphere make sure you try the fantastic sliders. Weds, 5pm-12am Thurs, 5pm-late Fri & Sat 5pm-3am Sun, 12pm-10pm
M) 281 Darling Street, Site of Burns Grocer / Bertoni Café We touch on some history as we reflect on shopping in the 1930s at the site of the former Burns Grocer. We also recommend the current occupant, Bertoni Cafe, particularly the heavenly cannoli and Italian style donuts. Mon-Sat, 6am-6.30pm Sun, 7am-6.30pm
N) 272 Darling Street, former site of Powell Drinks Bar Another historical element of the tour, we consider the former site of the Powell Drink Bar, a popular place for gathering and enjoying sodas in the 1930s. Opening times not applicable.
O) Elmstock Tea, Shop 19, 242 Darling Street, Balmain Established in 1979, Elmstock is passionate about tea, with a rich history of continuous involvement in tea selling over five generations. Mon & Tues – CLOSED Weds-Fri, 10.30am-5.30pm Sat, 10am-4pm Sun, 12pm-3pm
P) The London Hotel, 234 Darling Street, Balmain Established in 1870, The London boasts a thick Jarrah wood bar and has a veranda which offers stunning views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Mon-Sat, 11am-Midnight Sun, 12pm-10pm
Q) Baacus Food and Wine, 207 Darling Street, Balmain Baacus offers beautiful foods including wonderful olive oils, pastas and breads, through to cheeses, and an extensive range of wine. In their own words they ‘prefer to showcase only the best’. Mon – CLOSED Tues-Fri, 11am-7pm Sat, 10am-5.30pm Sun, 10.30am-4.30pm
R) The Balmain Watch House, 179 Darling Street, Balmain The Balmain Watch House was originally built in 1854 as a police lock-up, in what The National Trust of Australia described as ‘arguably one of the roughest neighbourhoods in Sydney at the time’. It is Sydney’s oldest surviving lockup. Opening hours not applicable.
S) East Village Hotel, 82 Darling Street, Balmain East Established in 1875, under the name ‘The Commercial Hotel’, this pub was originally licensed by a man called Fred Leach, who was a local baker. Today operating as the East Village Hotel, this pub boasts a good selection of craft beers and great food. Mon-Thurs, 12pm-11pm Fri & Sat, 12pm-Midnight Sun, 12pm-10pm
Tour ends. To get back to the city from here you can either catch the bus a few doors down from the East Village Hotel (on the same side of the road), or walk down to the end of Darling Street, where you can catch a ferry from Balmain East ferry wharf. To plan your return journey visit www.transportnsw.info
Click on play to listen or download the free podcast here.
MAP OF THE FOOD TOUR
We’ve made every effort to check details for this tour, and all information is correct at time of publishing. Apologies if details change after that (if we could buy a crystal ball so we could see into the future and solve this problem we would invest one!). If it is a public holiday we suggest you double check opening times. For information on resources used in researching this tour take a look at our bibliography. Music and sound effects courtesy of Audio Blocks. Aeroplane Jelly jingles from Aeroplane Jelly website.
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