Eat like a local: Enmore

Talia lives just over the border from Enmore (in Newtown) but considers this vibrant suburb home. When she’s not acting and directing, she loves to explore Enmore’s fantastic array of food, wine, coffee, cocktails, shops and entertainment.

Where do you go for your morning coffee?

“Shenkin. My go to combination is a coffee and a bureka (light Israeli pastry specific to Shenkin – hard to get anywhere else). For coffee I always have a long black with a second dash of soy milk. It has good vibes and music, and polite service.” 

What about for a fab brunch with friends?

“Queen Chow. It opens at 12 but when I go there with friends it feels like a relaxed brunch. It has an incredible menu and a really good aesthetic: I really like the tiling. The interior decor is impressive. The dumplings and seafood are amazing. It can be hard to get a reservation, so booking is recommended.”   

Your favourite fast lunch?

Buddha Bowl. It’s an incredible vegan cafe – clean, healthy, very satiating. You never leave feeling hungry. The coffee is awesome. For lunch, my favourite choices are the tempeh skewers, the green power bowl and the vegan nachos. For smoothies they have all the mylks (vegan options). Desserts tend to be richer and more interesting because they have to make it work, make it tasty.”

What’s your favourite takeaway?

“Faheem Fast Food for great Pakistani and Indian food. The menu is huge, it’s very cheap and it’s delicious. The goat korma masala is a favourite. And the tandoori fish tikka is very good. They have every kind of meat and veggie dish you can think of and the dishes are around $16. Just $16 for a nice big curry! It’s great for sharing.”

I’d take someone to dinner at…

“I’d go to Vandal Taqueria. It’s just vegan but you wouldn’t know. It has very good, actually great, service: very cool staff and vibe. They have the most amazing frozen watermelon margarita, made with fresh watermelon. All my friends and I would get take away margaritas during lockdown and everyone drank them together at Camperdown Park. Our loyalty to Vandal Taqueria has continued after lockdown. Vandal is located in Newtown but I see it as a standout place that belongs to Enmore too. The food is so interesting and tasty that even the most hardcore meat lovers were left feeling more than satisfied. I would get the tasting menu for  a taste of everything. And a specific shout out to the cheeseburger, the spring rolls, the corn … In fact, I’ll just give a shout out to everything on the menu!”

[Ed’s note: We love Vandal so much, we named its tacos a Sydney must-try dish.]

A great cheap and cheerful spot is…

“Little Turtle (next to the Warren View Hotel) for vegan Thai food. It’s affordable, always fun and easy to get a table. There’s something for everyone on the menu. Some faves include the salt and pepper tofu and the mushroom crostini. All the noodle dishes are good. The food is served in fun ways – colourful, fragrant food served in an interesting and delightful way (for example the pineapple bowl).”

Enmore’s secret gem is…

“Emma’s Snack Bar for great Lebanese food. It’s always so busy there. Everyone goes there. It’s affordable and really good. The dips are rich and authentic, especially the baba ganoush. The pita bread tastes like it’s baked there. It has a huge menu and was a great place for takeaway during lockdown. I still love it.”

Enmore is a great place to eat because…

“It has a diverse range of restaurants, is hugely multicultural and all authentic. Enmore has everything, including a lot of Turkish food and a lot of vegan food. Egyptian food too: Cairo Takeaway is strictly in Newtown but very close to Enmore – it’s a standout. I also like the small independent, family-run restaurants. Enmore has the diversity that Glebe has but is more accessible, affordable and less flash.”

Your Enmore address book:

Shenkin: 129 Enmore Road, Enmore NSW 2042

Queen Chow: 2/167 Enmore Road, Enmore NSW 2042

Buddha Bowl: Shop 1/52-60 Enmore Road, Newtown NSW 2042

Faheem Fast Food: 194-196 Enmore Road, Enmore NSW 2042

Vandal Taqueria: 403 King Street, Newtown NSW 2042

Little Turtle: 10 Stanmore Road, Enmore NSW 2042

Emma’s Snack Bar: 59 Liberty Street, Enmore NSW 2042

Cairo Takeaway: 81 Enmore Road, Newtown NSW 2042

Want to explore another part of Sydney? Check out our eat like a local guide to Bondi Junction or strike out for the Blue Mountains.