6 Ways to Discover Multicultural Sydney

Chinese people have been living in Sydney’s Chinatown in Haymarket since the late 1800s. Now, the bustling enclave on Dixon Street is one of the most popular cultural precincts and tourism hotspots in New South Wales. Originally a timber storage yard, the precinct was turned into a pedestrian mall in the 1980s and traditional Chinese-style arched gates were established at both ends. Today, it’s a thriving district boasting an array of Chinese restaurants, supermarkets and gift shops.  

Venerable restaurants for classic Chinese cuisine include Royal Palace Seafood Restaurant, Royal Pavilion, and Emperor’s Garden Restaurant, while relative newcomers Spicy Joint and The Eight offer a more modern take on traditional fare. Top-notch Japanese, Malaysian, Indian, Vietnamese, Korean and Thai food is also readily available at various restaurants, cafes and hole-in-the-wall eateries – some standout options include Gumshara for ramen, Ho Jiak for laksa and chicken rice, and Mamak for hand-stretched roti. 

Tip: Visit during Lunar New Year festivities in February when Haymarket transforms into a vibrant street party with fabulous feasts, spectacular shows and magnificent works of art.

The suburb of Burwood in Sydney’s west is fondly known as Sydney’s second Chinatown. A relatively new kid on the block, this dining and retail precinct dishes up some of Sydney’s best authentic Asian street food at 50 hawker-style eateries. On Sydney’s north shore, Chatswood has become a popular hub for Asian eats; don’t miss District Dining at the Chatswood Interchange and Hawker Lane at Westfield - a hawker-inspired marketplace offering a range of delicious Asian food options.  

Sydney’s western suburbs are home to the vast majority of multicultural pockets – from Harris Park, known as ‘Little India’ where queues snake out the door for the city’s most authentic biryani and dosa – to the ‘Little Vietnam’ of Cabramatta, where you’ll find some of Sydney’s best pho. Ashfield is famed for its Shanghainese food (xiao long bao, anyone?), and Strathfield has an array of Korean hotpot and BBQ restaurants to choose from. Granville is a hub for Lebanese culture and mouth-watering charcoal chicken - El Jannah in particular - whilst nearby in Auburn, Turkish cuisine reigns supreme.  

Those looking for superb souvlaki and gyros need not look further than the suburb of Earlwood – Australia’s most Greek-populated suburb – while Petersham is packed with Portuguese delis, restaurants and bakeries. For exceptional pizza and pasta, Haberfield and Five Dock offer an array of busy Italian restaurants and cafes; be sure to save room for a slice of Pasticceria Papa’s famous baked ricotta cake for dessert. 

Tip: Recruit the assistance of local experts Gourmet Safaris or Taste Tours, who offer guided cultural tours of these popular suburbs.  

A fast way to get a cultural fix is to visit one of Sydney’s multicultural markets, starting with the Ramadan Night Markets in Lakemba. Held nightly during Ramadan, the market kicks off at dusk and runs until 3am, offering an array of traditional Islamic foods as well as street food favourites and innovative creations from across the globe.

The first Saturday of each month sees Paddy’s Night Food Markets take over the Sydney Markets precinct at Flemington, offering a lively selection of multicultural cuisine and stalls. By day, the Sydney Markets are home to the Sydney Produce Market, Growers Market and Flower Market, catering mainly to professional buyers from supermarkets, restaurants and green grocers. Private groups can take a tour of the markets with Sydney Market Tours or visit Paddy’s Flemington Markets Friday - Sunday to mingle with passionate artisan producers, growers and traders from diverse cultures.

 Closer to the city, Paddy’s Market in Haymarket has been operating for over a century and is one of the best places to source exotic fruits and vegetables in Sydney, as well as gifts and handmade goods. On Friday nights, the famous Chinatown Night Markets are the place to experience one of Sydney’s most popular late-night shopping hotspots – while Chinatown Burwood runs vibrant night markets four times a week, from Thursday – Sunday.

Tip: Arrive early for food markets as popular vendors often sell out of their signature dishes; also, to avoid queuing up.

Sydney’s annual calendar offers an array of festivals and events that celebrate its vibrant multiculturalism. Sydney’s Lunar New Year celebrations are said to be some of the biggest outside of Asia, held each year at locations across the city from Darling Harbour to Parramatta Square, and the central hub of Chinatown on Dixon Street in Haymarket. Visitors can experience street parades, lion dancing, giant lanterns, pop-up markets, art installations and lots of delicious food.

Held annually from February – June, the Greek Festival of Sydney is one of Australia’s largest and longest-running annual cultural events, celebrating the Greek-Australian lifestyle, culture and heritage.

In March, Darling Harbour plays host to the annual Malaysia Festival - the largest Malaysian cultural event in Sydney. Locals and visitors can experience the colours of Malaysia, featuring the unique variety of food stalls from famous Malaysian restaurants in Sydney, and a wide array of cultural activities and performances led by Sydney’s own Malaysian student population.

The annual Serbian Festival - also held in March – is the largest of its kind outside of Serbia, and brings the best in music, dance, food and community spirit as a celebration of Serbia's distinctive culture and heritage.

For lovers of film, Sydney is home to more than 50 film festivals annually, including the Sydney World Film Festival which recognises the important role independent films have in the history of filmmaking, storytelling, and culture. Other popular multicultural film festivals include The Alliance Française French Film Festival, the Jewish International Film Festival and the Greek Film Festival, all of which feature screenings, Q&As, and special events.

Tip: Time an incentive program to coincide with one of Sydney’s cultural or film festivals - most are held around the same time each year.

Sydney is famous for its parks and gardens, several of which offer an insight into the city’s multicultural heritage. At Darling Harbour’s southern end between Darling Quarter and Darling Square, the Chinese Garden of Friendship is a collaborative effort between the Sister States of New South Wales and Guangdong in China. The Garden was designed by the Guangzhou Landscape Bureau according to the ancient Chinese philosophy of Taoism and its principle of Yin and Yang. It’s a tranquil retreat for visitors and locals to admire the garden’s beautiful flowering plants, lush greenery and peaceful lake.

In Sydney’s west, the 9.2-hectare Auburn Botanic Gardens are home to a dedicated Japanese Garden, which plays host to an annual Cherry Blossom Festival. Held for two weeks in August, the festival celebrates the time when the cherry blossom trees – known as ‘sakura’ – are in full bloom, attracting thousands of visitors. It’s a nod to the cherry blossom season in Japan where people take the time to go ‘flower watching’ or ‘hanami’ – whether it be a stroll in the park or family and friends gathering for a picnic under the beautiful pink trees.

Further south, the Japanese Gardens at Campbelltown Arts Centre are home to a beautiful array of Japanese plants which visitors can explore during opening hours at no cost. Private venue hire of the Gardens is also available.

Tip: Time a trip to Sydney in August to see the cherry blossoms in bloom at the Auburn Botanic Gardens.

Also in Surry Hills is White Rabbit Gallery, which since opening in 2009 has become one of the world’s most significant collections of Chinese contemporary art. Dedicated to works of the 21^st century, the White Rabbit Collection includes nearly 3,000 works by more than 750 artists and is continually expanding thanks to owner Judith Neilson who makes regular trips to China and Taiwan to augment the collection. Housed in a former Rolls-Royce service depot, the gallery can only house a fraction of the collection at a time, so operates two exhibitions per year with closure periods in February and August to rehang.

At the Art Gallery of New South Wales, the Asian Lantern Galleries present works from the Gallery’s collection of Asian art, which stretches from Indonesia to Mongolia, Japan and Iran. The Asian Lantern Galleries and its working Japanese tearoom play host to rotating exhibitions that take guests on a journey through the arts and cultures of Asia.

 Tip: The Art Gallery of NSW offers free guided tours of the Asian Lantern Galleries on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 1pm; departing from Naala Nura, the south building.