Sydney Suburbs Worth Knowing: Alexandria
Jayne Gorman
On the surface Sydney’s Alexandria is an industrial no-mans-land found halfway between the airport and the CBD. In recent years, however, the area’s old warehouses have become home to concept cafes and organic eateries. There’s good food and great bargains to be found in the bland buildings of Alexandria – you just have to know where to look for them!
Play
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Alexandria’s biggest hipster hangout is concept café extraordinaire Grounds Of Alexandria who set up shop in 2012 in an old pie factory.
One of the big draws of The Grounds, aside from the good food and coffee, are their gorgeous gardens filled with flowers, fairy lights, fountains and an arbour laced with bougainvillea. There’s casual seating hidden amongst the foliage as well as more formal dining at the Café and The Potting Shed eateries. It’s a family-friendly place with a kid’s play area and some farmyard animals including The Grounds mascot, Kevin Bacon the pig.
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Every weekend The Grounds also host a market where an ever–changing mix of local bakers and creators gather to sell their homemade produce. It’s busy at weekends though so come early if you’d like a seat.
Grounds Of Alexandria, 7a/2 Huntley St, Alexandria
If you’ve got kids (big or small) with energy to burn then book a visit to Skyzone and let them bounce off the walls! With over 100 interconnected trampolines, Skyzone is Sydney’s largest trampoline park and is some of the best fun you can have while burning calories.
Skyzone, 75 O’Riordan Street, Alexandria
Shop
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
As a mainly residential suburb Alexandria is not a shopper’s paradise – unless you like to hunt for bargains. Hidden amongst some of the old warehouses are fashion outlets where you can save up to 75% off the retail prices you’ll find in Sydney’s CBD.
If you’re after some quintessential Aussie swimwear to parade around Sydney’s beaches in then head to the Seafolly Outlet. The outlet stocks current and past seasons stock of swimmers and beach cover ups by the Aussie brand with most items no more than $30 each – not bad considering some still have $300 labels on them.
Seafolly Outlet, 2/111-117 McEvoy St, Alexandria
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Alexandria’s warehouses are a great place to rummage for retro furniture and antiques too. Mitchell Road Antique & Design Centre is a cavernous 2,300 square foot warehouse crammed with collectibles. Each corner of the warehouse belongs to a different stallholder who has curated a fantastic selection of second-hand gems. Travel fans in particular will love the antique maps, globes and suitcases on offer.
Mitchell Road Antique & Design Centre, 17 Bourke Rd, Alexandria
Eat
(Bread & Circus by Wander & Scout)
Processed with VSCOcam with c1 preset
Some Sydney-siders come to Bread & Circus for the pale pink crockery alone – it just wins Instagram! The food they serve on said crockery is pretty good too though. Focusing on organic, locally sourced ingredients the menu changes seasonally but if you’re looking for something delicious for brunch their flourless lemon pancakes served with caramelised banana, strawberries and ricotta are a hit year-round.
Bread & Circus, 21 Fountain Street, Alexandria
Found in the same brick building on Fountain Street are one of Sydney’s best coffee roasters, Campos Coffee. You’ll find every imaginable variety of speciality coffee at this espresso bar and can buy some of their ‘Superior Blend’ beans to take home too.
For a guilt-free treat turn right at Bread & Circus and you’ll find the Pana Chocolate cafe. Pana Chocolate make cakes and chocolate treats that are dairy, soy, gluten and refined sugar free, and they somehow manage to be both tasty and pretty without all these naughty ingredients.
Campos Coffee and Pana Chocolate are also found at 21 Fountain Street, Alexandria
Jayne Gorman is a freelance travel writer and award-winning travel blogger who blogged her way around 40 countries before her 30th birthday. Now Sydney-based you’ll often find her sniffing out the latest street art and sweet treats around the city.