Erskineville bars & restaurants: Where to eat & drink in the Inner West
Erskineville in Sydney is home to three classic pubs: the Imperial Hotel, the Erko and the Rose of Australia. The top things to do in Erskineville in the Inner West are watch drag shows, eat smoked meats and enjoy street art.
Erskineville is one of several neighbourhoods that make up Sydney’s Inner West. It isn’t quite the centre of the action in the Inner West. Neighbouring Newtown tends to have more going on and Camperdown has the university campus. But Erskineville does have plenty of character. It’s a good place to sample what makes the Inner West so different from Sydney’s flashier eastern suburbs.
In Erskineville, this largely takes the form of bars and restaurants. Most of these are near the largely artificial boundary with Newtown.
13 brilliant experiences in Sydney you should book
- (💲Great value 💲) Tick off several bucket list items on a highlights-packed Blue Mountains day tour.
- Get perfect views of the world’s most beautiful city on a Sydney Harbour helicopter tour.
- Save money with a multi-attraction pass.
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Enjoy the romance of a tall ship cruise on Sydney Harbour.
- Eat all you can at the Skyfeast at the top of Sydney Tower.
- See migrating humpbacks – on a whale-watching cruise.
- (Highly recommended ✅) Go behind the scenes of Australia’s most famous building on an Opera House tour.
- Dine as the city lights up on sunset dinner cruise around the harbour.
- Combine beers and stories on a historic pubs tour through the convict-era Rocks district.
- Stand on your board and catch waves during Bondi Beach surfing lessons.
- Go to wombat and kangaroo-spotting hotspots on a Southern Highlands tour.
- Enjoy Sydney’s wild side on a Manly snorkelling & nature walk.
- (🥇Top choice in Sydney) And, best of all, paddle to hidden beaches on a harbour kayaking adventure.
Erskineville bars: Drag shows at the Imperial Hotel
By far the most famous venue in Erskineville is the Imperial Hotel. This is possibly Sydney’s most famous queer pub, and it was the setting for the opening and closing scenes of Priscilla Queen of the Desert.
This drag road trip movie had a cultural impact far beyond its meagre budget, and helped make stars of Guy Pearce and Hugo Weaving. But the Imperial Hotel in Erskineville was hosting drag shows long before Priscilla Queen of the Desert was made and still does today.
Erskineville bars: The Erskineville Hotel and Rose of Australia
If you prefer your pubs slightly less flamboyant, the Erskineville Hotel is a great neighbourhood pub. Almost universally known as the Erko, the Erskineville Hotel is best known for its Smokehouse Sundays. Sundays at the Erko mean smoked meats, done in different global styles, served in the big beer garden out the back.
The third classic Erskineville pub, a little further east along Erskineville Road and next to Erskineville Station, is the Rose of Australia. It offers a series of different vibes, with the Corner Bar closest to being an old-fashioned pub. It’s the sort of place that celebs who don’t want to be recognised often drop into.
Upstairs at the Rose of Australia is a cocktail bar and pop-up Italian restaurant.
Erskineville restaurants and cafés
If you don’t want pub food, there are a few other options in Erskineville. The Full Moon Thai Café does cheap and decent Thai, Kuki Tanuki specialises in sake and Japanese food, while Israeli café Shenkin is the spot for a hummus and halloumi fix. King Street in Newtown, however, has far more options.
The other main reason to visit Erskineville is street art. The Inner West street art scene spills over from Newtown, with Darley Lane being a particularly good spot to see murals and stencils.
More lesser-known Sydney neighbourhoods
Go shopping at Birkenhead Point in Drummoyne.
Have a picnic at the Nurragingy Reserve, Doonside.
Surf at Maroubra Beach.
Visit historic houses in Elizabeth Bay.
Watch a movie at the Skyline Drive In cinema, Blacktown.