Regarded as one of Sydney’s student hubs, Chippendale is an urban crossroad between the University of Technology Sydney and the University of Sydney. With a demographic of #young, #casual patrons, you will find a plethora of delicious and #affordable #bites scattered throughout the streets of Chippendale. Behind a block of unassuming student apartments, a bundle of authentic #Asian food vendors are nestled into a cozy laneway known as Spice Alley. A fully licensed venue featuring cuisines from #China to southeast Asia, Spice Alley truly captures the multicultural culinary phenomenon that has gripped urban Sydney. Grab a pen and paper and take notes as I walk you through some of this laneway’s best #snacks to offer.
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Alex Lee Kitchen
Inspired by the thousands of Singaporean hawker centres, Alex Lee Kitchen brings the vast array of south-east Asian spices to Spice Alley in Sydney. From #roti combos to mouth-watering #stir-fries, Alex Lee Kitchen knows how to do range. A personal favourite of mine and an award-winning dish is this venue’s #laksa, which can be topped with a wide range of protein. As one of the first #restaurants you will see as you wander through the laneway, it is defiantly worth checking out.
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Shanghai Dumpling Bar
On a bustling #Friday night, you will certainly notice the endless queue snaking through the venue. Chances are it's composed of eager foodies waiting to get their hands on fresh #dumplings by Shanghai Dumpling Bar! This joint stands out from other dumpling shops due to its cheery rainbow dumpling mix which makes for a great #Insta shot. However, I know that the rainbow food trend isn’t for everyone and Shanghai Dumpling Bar is keen to prepare traditional favourites such as Xiao Long #Bao, #BBQ pork buns and prawn #dumplings. When eating your way through the alley with your mates, a few steam baskets of house-made #dumplings make the perfect sharing food - or you could keep a few baskets to yourself and I wouldn’t blame you.
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Sedap Malaysian
Whether you want to relive your time in #Malaysia or are curious to try food from the southeast #Asian country, Sedap offers smaller sharing bites to full-blown stir-fried mains. Crowd favourites include the #Nasi #Goreng - a fried #rice dish complete with egg, shrimp and cooked with a flavourful sweet soy sauce. Don’t let yourself miss out on some of Sydney's best #Malaysian food by passing up Sedap.
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Gin Lane
Whilst not necessarily a #food vendor, Gin Lane is a hidden gem situated on the outskirts of Spice Alley that simply cannot be missed. As the alcohol cart at Spice Alley limits you to #beer, premade #drinks and a small choice of #wine, those who prefer #cocktails may feel that they have missed out. This won’t be an issue as Gin Lane is happy to satisfy your thirst. Featuring a seriously overwhelming range of gins to choose from including hemp #gin, I would recommend having one of the friendly servers or bartenders pick one for you depending on your preferences. For group outings, you can order some of the more quirky shared #cocktail jugs in Sydney. If you really want to cause a scene with your friends, order the Smoking Treasure Chest which is topped off with a smoking chest and sparklers. Whether you order a tame G&T or a glowing cocktail in a fishbowl, Gin Lane will ensure that you drink in style.
Image credit: Gin Lane Instagram (@ginlanesydney)
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