Sydney gay neighborhood

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The Adina Apartment Hotel is on Crown Street and is only around a five-minute walk from the Beresford Hotel.

Enmore Road provides for sweet tooths, too. Uncover them with Sydney’s Pride History’sregular walking tours, led by leading LGBTQIA+ historians and lively ‘nuns’, known as the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. Before you catch a show, grab a cocktail at the Enmore Country Club, which is funkily themed in the style of an American saloon, or Fortunate Son, which sits directly across the road from the theatre and was created by two of Sydney's best-known bartenders — so you know the drinks are going to be delicious.

For cheap eats, look no further than the Chinese Dumpling Master, an ultra-filling Xinjiang restaurant adored for its braised eggplant, the plastic grapes hanging from the ceiling and the fact that it’s BYO.

Conveniently, P&V Wine & Liquor Merchants is across the road, which stocks natural Australian and international wines, as well as craft beers, artisanal spirits and non-alcoholic drinks. The pub also sponsors Erskineville’s PACT, a theatre space that showcases works from emerging LGBTQIA+ and underrepresented artists.

Order a generous scoop of Turkish mastic ice cream from Hakiki or try the multi-award-winning gelato from Cow and the Moon. Get a tarot reading each Thursday in the caravan parked in the beer garden and be sure to listen out for the bathroom-specific mix made by Tit regulars Paul Mac and Jonny Seymour.

Credit: The Bearded Tit, Redfern

Another creative hub in Redfern is 107 Projects, an arts charity that transformed an unused commercial garage in the middle of Redfern Street into a multi-use community space.

If you stay here you’ll be close to the harbor, Sydney’s CBD and many other LGBTQ districts, including Potts Point and Darlinghurst. This small cove is a popular and relaxed hangout for LGBTQI+ locals, particularly during the summer months. Give us the details and we will publish it for free.

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Exploring Sydney’s LGBTQIA-friendly neighbourhoods

While you’ll find LGBTQIA+ communities across Sydney, here’s a guide to four suburbs — Darlinghurst, Enmore, Erskineville and Redfern — that speak to the city’s wide range of queer venues and culture, meaning you’ll always be able to find a home-away-from-home.

Darlinghurst

As the historic hub of Australia’s gay rights movement, Darlinghurst is rich with inspiring stories.

Other local institutions are Infinity Bakery, Sydney’s first organic sourdough bakery, and South Dowling Sandwiches, both offering unpretentious yet unforgettable sandwiches.

Taylor Square, Darlinghurst

Enmore

Enmore may be a compact suburb in the heart of Sydney’s LGBTQIA-friendly Inner West, but don’t overlook it.

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). You’ll find a number of small, contemporary galleries, along with performing arts centers and hip cafes.

It’s home to Oxford Street, the center of Sydney’s LGBTQ scene with clubs, bars and cafes run by and for Sydney’s LGBTQI+ community.

The strip was dubbed the ‘Golden Mile’ during its peak between the 70s and 90s and was a haven where queer men could socialize and be themselves during a time when the rest of the city was far less welcoming.

It’s a not-for-profit organization that’s artist and activist-run. Redfern is only around three kilometers from Sydney’s CBD and is home to beautiful parks and an excellent cafe and dining scene.

Best bars, clubs and restaurants in Redfern

The Bearded Tit is a fantastic bar and art space that’s the gathering point for many of Redfern’s most colorful characters to sit back and relax with some delicious cocktails.

The only food they offer are cheese boards, but you’re also welcome to order food to the bar from the nearby Lorentto Pizzeria.

Best places to stay in Redfern

Hotel Hacienda is a lovely, welcoming hotel that’s around a 10-minute walk from The Bearded Tit. It’s a great budget choice with a few different options for single rooms, as well as multi-room apartments on offer.

Downstairs, Oxford Underground hosts regular queer club nights boasting high BPMs. 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.

The likely drawcard is Enmore Theatre, known for Art Deco interiors, incredible acoustics, and an enviable line-up of musicians, performers and comedians.