A Day In Sydney
By Karen Zheng
If you only have 24 hours in Sydney, I have put together a one-day itinerary of all the best spots to visit. Welcome to a perfect day in Sydney. Well, according to me at least.
The Grumpy Baker: We can’t start the day off on an empty stomach, so breakfast is the first stop. As soon as you enter this quaint little bakery you are greeted by the smell of freshly baked goods. The Grumpy Baker have a number of locations throughout Sydney but the one in Vaucluse has such an old-timey, rustic feel that’s super comforting.
They make some standout hot cross buns and I know Easter is over, but keep that in mind for next year. I also highly recommend their classic shakshuka, and seafood pie with creamy chunks of salmon.
Berkelouw Books: Now it’s time to drive over to Paddington to peruse the shelves of Berkelouw. Sydney bookstores are simply elite and this one is no exception. Located on Oxford Street, Berkelouw houses a thoughtful selection of new, rare, and secondhand books.
The store has an old-fashioned charm that is juxtaposed by the modernity of the floor-to-ceiling windows out front. They also stock a wide range of Jellycats and stationary so even if you aren’t the biggest bookworm, there’s bound to be something that tickles your fancy.
Above The Clouds Store: After our literary excursion, we make our way over to Above The Clouds Store, where an array of high-quality garments, footwear, and accessories are sold. My personal brand recommendations are Story mfg., Andersson Bell, and Our Legacy. Once we have done a bit of damage to our wallets, it’s time to walk to lunch.
TenTo: Get ready for the best ramen of your life here and guess what - it’s vegan. The vegetable base is made in-house, drizzled with a little bit of chilli oil, and served on a bed of chewy ramen noodles. The addition of bean sprouts, bok choy, and wood ear mushrooms add further textural diversity to the dish. I always add a soft-boiled egg to mine because I’m not actually vegan, and I can never go past a Japanese flavoured egg with its jammy centre and sweet and salty marinade.
Also, we can’t forget about the iced matcha latte. You can tell that they use good quality matcha and I get mine with oat milk and a side of honey as a natural sweetener. And there you have it - a perfect lunch.
Black Star Pastry: Next up we journey into the CBD for a little sweet treat. Black Star Pastry, located in The Galeries, are famous for their signature strawberry watermelon cake, and for good reason.
Not only is it one of the most visually stunning cakes out there with its layers of almond dacquoise, rose-scented cream, juicy watermelon, and fresh strawberries, but it is also highly addictive. The watermelon and strawberries give the dessert such a refreshing burst of flavour.
Kinokuniya: We then head upstairs to Kinokuniya, a Japanese bookstore that stocks the largest range of books in Sydney. This place is massive so get ready to spend a decent amount of time here. If contemporary Japanese fiction or Studio Ghibli merchandise is your thing, then this is the place to be.
Incu: Once we have accumulated all the hardcovers and paperbacks that our heart desires, we go back down the escalators to Incu, a retail space where an assortment of designer brands such as Acne Studios, Paloma Wool, and Needles are on display. They have the womenswear on the ground floor and the menswear on the lower ground floor. It is well worth it to check out both in my opinion.
Ho Jiak: After all that exploring it’s time for dinner, which thankfully is only a short walk away. Ho Jiak Town Hall offers Malaysian cuisine with a unique twist. The Indomie goreng takes instant noodles to a whole other level, and the Hainanese chicken and chicken rice is extremely tender and fragrant.
Edition Roasters: It wouldn’t be a perfect day in Sydney if we didn’t get another matcha. So as an after-dinner pick-me-up we head to Edition Roasters in Darling Square for a strawberry matcha (with oat milk of course – my lactose intolerance can only take so much). The matcha here is super thick and creamy which I know isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s definitely mine. And there we have it, a perfect end to a perfect day.