Sydney gay neighborhood

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The Marrickville Organic Food Market runs every Sunday where you can find organic produce and handmade crafts, while many of the old warehouses have been transformed into excellent coffee houses.

Best bars, clubs and restaurants in Marrickville

Red Rattler is a super unique venue that hosts a whole bunch of different queer events. At the back, a leather door hides DD’s, a small diner with a handful of seats, a chandelier and an ever-changing degustation menu based around seasonal produce. 

The Sunshine Inn, Redfern

Erskineville

This leafy Inner West suburb is home to Australia’s most famous gay bar: The Imperial, made immortal in The Adventures of Priscilla: Queen Of The Desert.

If you’re looking for a nude beach, the small and secluded Obelisk Beach is popular with LGBTQ locals and tourists.

Want to know the world better? As a nightcap, visit Twin Peaks-themed tiki bar Jacoby’s for a flaming cocktail, or Midnight Special, a cosy speakeasy with live blues acts and deep-cut vinyl DJ sets.

Redfern

Within Redfern lies the heart of Sydney’s alternative LGBTQIA+ community: The Bearded Tit.

Laid-back and welcoming, the bar is home to many of the city’s queer creatives, with performances from musicians, drag kings and queens, and members of Sydney’s ballroom community. It hosts a variety of events, including shows and themed nights geared toward patrons within the LGBTQ community.

Best places to stay in Surry Hills

Hotel Harry is a stylish, hip hotel close to Crown Street which also has an onsite restaurant with a dance floor and live music performances.

Enmore Road provides for sweet tooths, too. Give us the details and we will publish it for free.

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A cheat sheet for Sydney’s LGBTQ neighborhoods

Sydney has a thriving LGBTQ scene and plays host to one of the world’s best pride events: Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.

It’s a studio apartment with a double bed and a sofa bed that provides great value for money.

Clovelly Beach and Obelisk Beach

If you’re hoping to chill on the beach during your trip to Sydney then make sure to visit Clovelly Beach. It’s about seven minutes from The Bank and just down the street from The Imperial Erskineville, so you’ll never be far from some of the area’s best LGBTQ venues.

Marrickville

Marrickville sits right next door to Newtown, around seven kilometers from Sydney’s CBD.

Once a major industrial hub, it’s now a popular foodie hangout with a number of craft breweries and a thriving art and music scene. You’ll find a number of small, contemporary galleries, along with performing arts centers and hip cafes. It also invites the public to bring their favourite vinyl for a spin.

Erskineville mural, Erskineville - Credit: Emily Dooley

Be sure to stop at Concord Street’s mural dedicated to two late LGBTQIA+ musicians, George Michael and trans electronic music pioneer SOPHIE.

Sydney’s own Stonewall Hotel is one of the most popular with entertainment spanning across three levels, including two bars and a drag venue. Order some takeaway to eat on the go from their extensive, American-influenced menu, or settle in for one of their bottomless brunches.

Best places to stay in Potts Point

The Macleay Hotel is a great accommodation option that provides beautiful views of the Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House and is only a short walk from the harbor itself.

The Imperial Hotel is one of the most popular LGBTQI+ venues in Sydney’s Inner West and one of Sydney’s most iconic locations, once used as the setting for the famous 1995 film Priscilla Queen of the Desert.

sydney gay neighborhood

Bar Positano is a popular cafe bar that often runs limited edition cocktails during Mardi Gras to go with their usual offerings of delicious paninis and Aperol Spritzes.

Best bars, clubs and restaurants in Surry Hills

The Beresford Hotel on Bourke Street was once solely an LGBTQ club and today it’s still very popular with LGBTQI+ clientele.

It offers a gym, an outdoor pool and sleek, minimalist rooms.

Redfern

The density of LGBTQ residents drops off after Potts Point but there are still thriving LGBTQ communities in neighborhoods like Redfern, which has the fifth-highest proportion of LGBTQ couples in Australia (as of 2016). It’s close to King Street and Enmore Road where you can find excellent cafes and restaurants.

Best bars, clubs and restaurants in Newtown/Esrkineville

The Bank is a great pub right in the heart of Newtown on King Street and they pride themselves on being a welcoming, safe space for everyone.

PACT, Erskineville - Credit: Lucy Parakhina

Also on Erskineville Road is The Hive Bar, which embodies the suburb’s ethos of community. This small cove is a popular and relaxed hangout for LGBTQI+ locals, particularly during the summer months. Regents Court is a luxurious option for those looking for furnished apartments offering chic studio apartments with privacy and comfort.