Paddington

The Intersection in Sydney’s Paddington neighborhood gathers the A-list of retailers on one pretty block. But this is no mall.

There is perhaps no other brand as synonymous with Aussie style as Zimmermann.

Chez Panisse alum chef Danielle Alvarez packed up her knives and moved Down Under to bring her particular brand of farm-to-table cuisine to Sydney.

Yes, 10 William Street is technically a restaurant, but really it's a fun place to drink.

Nestled in leafy, Victorian-era Paddington is In Bed, an interiors shop of dreams (see what we did there?).

Camilla and Marc is an Australian family endeavor that has been super successful. There are nine boutiques across Australia, but the location at Paddington Intersection (a strip of Aussie boutiques, plus a few local galleries) is our favorite. The siblings produce collections that are a little more structured and formal than what you'll see from other Aussie designers—these are not pieces to be worn at the beach, but the quality more than justifies the cost.

At Saint Peter, there is a whole room dedicated to dry-aging fish. You might find mackerel or albacore hanging until its flavor has intensified to the satisfaction of chef Josh Niland. Niland applies the nose-to-tail approach typical for meat to all the fish he serves: Nothing goes to waste. A meal might include a round of local oysters, rock flathead (similar to a small cod) with barbecued corn and sorrel butter, and a simple lemon tart for dessert.

Buried deep in leafy, suburban Paddington is a bookstore straight out of Harry Potter’s world. The many shelves are haphazardly packed with tomes, there’s no rhyme or reason to the organization of it all, and there might be an armchair or two to curl up in—and you’re expected to stay a while. Ampersand also moonlights as a café, so plan to settle in.

Parlour X is a temple of high-end shopping in Paddington, in what was once a church built in 1845. Balenciaga, Vetements, Isabel Marant, Fendi, and Comme des Garçons make up a typical edit for fashion buyer and Parlour X founder Eva Galambos (she has a soft spot for Celine), but you’ll also find a smattering of Aussie labels, like Ellery.

Half boutique, half brunch spot, Funkis Köket (“köket” means cuisine in Swedish) has that signature pared-back, clean but warm Scandinavian aesthetic a million other cafés try to copy. A small ledge down the back holds an array of baked goods that get us out of bed in the morning, jet lag be damned: warm, gently spiced cardamom bullar, cream buns, and, instead of acai bowls and avocado toast, open-face rye sandwiches with smoked salmon and crème fraîche.