A Guide to Eating in Rosebery
Once a blighted area of warehouses and workshops, Rosebery is now on the radar for a decidedly more tempting reason: food. With new developments such as The Cannery and a sleek industrial-chic aesthetic, some of Sydney’s best-known providores and restaurateurs have moved in. These are our picks.
Da Mario
High ceilings, concrete floors, exposed brick and an abundance of lush greenery set the scene for a modern take on traditional Italian dining. On the corner of Morley and Dunning avenues, the bustling pizzeria is open for lunch Friday to Sunday and dinner Tuesday to Sunday. The pizza adheres to the rules of Italy's Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana and the menu clearly states “no variations”. Try any of the offerings from the wood-fire oven: the Margherita con Ruchetta e Crudo (margherita with prosciutto and wild rocket) and the Melanzane (tomato, smoked mozzarella, eggplant and oregano) are both standouts. As for the vino, an extensive range of Australian and Italian wines is on offer.
36 Morley Avenue, Rosebery; (02) 9669 2242
Zeus Street Greek
With pitas, spanakopita, salty feta-and-oregano chips and fluffy loukoumades just like Yiayia’s, Zeus Street Greek does justice to the stars of Greek cuisine. The set-up is more fast-food than fine-dining but rest assured the lamb in your pita has still been roasted for hours.
2/34 Morley Avenue, Rosebery; (02) 8315 5610
Mentmore & Morley
A go-to for local residents and office workers, Mentmore & Morley serves up modern café fare seven days a week. Expect an ever-changing menu featuring thoughtful seasonal produce: hearty brunches such as Bolognaise Mince on Toast with poached eggs; dishes for the health-conscious such as Sprouted Avocado (avocado on sprouted bread); and treats like Ricotta Pancakes with bacon, banana and peanut praline butter. There’s also excellent coffee and a carefully edited list of beers, wines and brunch cocktails.
13/55 Mentmore Avenue, Rosebery; (02) 9697 3617
Three Blue Ducks
Housed in a heritage-listed warehouse, Three Blue Ducks’ third location is fitted with exposed beams, hanging plants and communal timber tables in a visual nod to the restaurant’s beachy, relaxed ethos. The food is wholesome yet inventive, with a focus on smoky flavours thanks to the Argentinian grill – think chargrilled king prawns with chilli, avocado, lime, shallots and seasonal greens, and Portuguese barbecued chicken served with corn puree and pickled radicchio.
1/85 Dunning Avenue, Rosebery; (02) 9389 0010
Image: Nikki To
Black Star Pastry
If you haven’t already tried Black Star Pastry’s famous Strawberry Watermelon Cake, get to it. If you have, good news: there are plenty more sweet treats to try. If you’re after a chocolate fix, the decadent Chocolate and Hazelnut Torte and Vegan Chocolate Popcorn Cake are sure to satisfy but this café doesn’t just bake well – the coffee is also topnotch. Expect a line for takeaway and if you’re after a lunch table, it’s best to get in early.
113 Dunning Avenue, Rosebery; (02) 9557 8656
5th Earl
For a breakfast that looks as good as it tastes, 5th Earl has you covered. The Blueberry Pancakes, served with ricotta, berries, honeycomb and fairy floss is perhaps the café’s most Instagrammed dish but be warned – the sugar rush is not for the faint-hearted. There are less-decadent options, too, such as the delicious Granola Super Bowl with muesli, fresh fruit, nuts and seeds, finished with rhubarb compote.
34 Morley Avenue, Rosebery; (02) 8338 1110
Gelato Messina
Sydney’s favourite gelato, Gelato Messina, was a welcome addition to Rosebery in 2015. Queues of gelato-lovers appear day and night, summer and winter, to get their hands on a scoop (or a tub) of the newest playful flavour. Past creations include Mr Potato Head (peanut butter gelato with white-chocolate covered potato chips) and Bad Blood (coconut gelato with almond praline and lurid streaks of berry coulis). If you prefer the classics, Salted Caramel and White Chocolate is Messina’s bestselling flavour.
58 Mentmore Avenue, Rosebery; (02) 9317 3191
Frenchies Bistro & Brewery
A bistro and a brewery? Sign us up. This warehouse-style hangout is an ideal afternoon meeting place, with nine beers on tap (brewed on-site, of course) and a great bar menu – favourites include Pork Rillettes, Pāté En Croūte and can’t-go-wrong cheese and charcuterie boards. Head upstairs where the bistro menu has a larger offering, including stuffed suckling pig and a one-kilogram dry-aged, grass-fed Black Angus rib eye for two.
6/61-71 Mentmore Avenue, Rosebery; (02) 8964 3171
Top image: Three Blue Ducks/Nikki To
SEE ALSO: An Eating and Drinking Tour of Newtown and Enmore
