Don’t miss the Heart of Surry Hills Festival this November
This November Surry Hills, one of Sydney’s most interesting villages well known for its strong community culture, will celebrate its creativity with the Heart of Surry Hills (HOSH) Festival. This month long event will showcase all the things that make this vibrant inner Sydney city community so special.
From fine dining to old school pubs, the streets of Surry Hills are home to some of the most interesting bars, cafes and restaurants in the country and November is your chance to discover (or rediscover) all the local favourites.
Along with all the great ways to fill your belly, the festival will also showcase the history and creative culture of Surry Hills. With so much on offer, we have scoured the event list and today share our top things to do in Surry Hills this November.
The Heart of Surry Hills Festival will run from 1-30 November 2022
According to the Precinct Activation Producer, Margot Natoli, the festival will “Celebrate our chefs, sommeliers, cocktail creators, hospitality personnel and our local beverage producers in our venues, and in our beautiful parklands supported by art and music”.
Eat and Drink in Surry Hills
Specialty dishes and cocktails are being created across over 40 Surry Hills venues but today we have chosen a few highlights to help you get started
Using the deals on offer as part of Heart of Surry Hills, we have created a little walk that will allow you to experience a range of these in just 1.5km. So grab a couple of friends you have been meaning to catch up with and get started!
Beginning at Taylor Square and ending at Central Station, this walk is relatively short, but if you try all five specials, you have one fun night ahead!
1. Dead Ringer
Well known (and loved) for their bottomless mimosas brunch menu, Dead Ringer’s friendly staff make this the perfect place to begin your night out in Surry Hills. The HOSH offer at Dead Ringer is their Martini Club – Martini Club is on offer each day from 5pm-7pm featuring Australian gin makers. You can grab a drink starting from $12.
Where: 413 Bourke Street, Surry Hills
2. Brix Distillers
If you have not yet visited Brix Distillers, November is the perfect time. Along with great bar snacks and delicious rum, you can take a tour of the distillery or book a Rum School class.
Their Heart of Surry Hills offer is a Cocktail and Tostadas – $25.00 – Pulled Pork Tostadas (2 pieces). The tostadas include Brix Gold BBQ sauce, pomegranate molasses, chilli pineapple jam, cucumber, capsicum, cabbage slaw, goat cheese. Along with a Heart Surry Hills Brix White, grapefruit, pineapple, cinnamon syrup, prosecco.
Where: 350 Bourke Street, Surry Hills
3. Eileen’s Bar, at Four Pillars Laboratory
The very stylish Eileen’s Bar in the Four Pillars Laboratory has come up a delicious cocktail they are calling the HOSH highball. Made with our original Rare Dry Gin, pear + koji soda, with a hint of truffle cream you can buy one for $16 between 5-pm throughout November.
Perhaps line your stomach with one of their fabulous jaffles or mini meat pies to prepare for the rest of our walk!
Where: 410 Crown St Surry Hills
4. The Dove and Olive
Award winning pub the Dove and Olive is a local favourite for good reason. They have a huge craft beer range and one of the best pub menus around. Their Sunday roast dinners are legendary!
Their heart of Surry Hills offer includes my kryptonite – Chicken wings! Grab a craft beer paddle and spicy American style chicken wings for just $20 all November!
Where: 156 Devonshire St, Surry Hills
5. Little Darling
Li’l Darlin Bar is a Surry Hills institution and this popular hot spot has a great offer for the Heart of Surry Hills festival. This November visit between 4-8pm Tuesday-Thursday and enjoy delicious margaritas & tacos. 1 Margarita & 2 Tacos $20
Where: 420 Elizabeth Street, Surry Hills
Learn more about Surry Hills on a walking tour
For those of you who like a little more structure in your plans or if you are travelling solo, these tours are a great way to explore the deep dark past of Surry Hills with a small group.
Discover the history of the streets of Surry Hills with one of two great walking tour options
Murders Most Foul
Run by local historian Elliot Lindsay, this 2 hour walking tour is a great way to learn about the lesser known but equally fascinating years of Surry Hills (between 1880 and 1930).
Starting from Central Station, you walk dingy alleys and lanes as Elliot shares the fascinating tales of Surry Hills in its dark days. Your tour includes a coffee at the legendary Royale Specialty and you will finish at the Dove and Olive Hotel on Devonshire Street, where you have the option of enjoying lunch.
It’s a steal at only $30! ($40 usually but use the code HOSH for a $10 discount)
The tour will run at 11am on Saturday 5th, 19th and 26th of November. If these don’t suit, I suggest you check out Elliot’s full range of tours on his website.
Local Sauce
It’s well known by our readers that we are big fans of Local Sauce Tours. Apart from being super affordable their guides are fantastic and they offer a great variety of experiences.
For the HOSH Festival, they bring us a fun new take on the “Worst Women of Sydney” on a 3 hour walking tour which includes stops at Brix Distillers, Four Pillars Gin Laboratory and the Shakespeare Hotel.
Focusing on the Queen of Surry Hills, Kate Leigh, you will get to each play a role in her story and have your own lines to deliver during the tour.
The tour includes at least 3 drink stops where we will have small “apéritif” style samples of food and drink.
There are 4 tour on offer across the month the 3rd, 10th, 18th and 24th of November. For $60 you will enjoy a fun 3 hour guided tour plus one full size drink, one mini cocktail and shared food plates.
Hang out with the community
Surry Hills Vintage Market Day
The festival kicks off with a pumped up version of the Surry Hills Vintage Market Day on Saturday 5th November. Along with all the great stalls with be a live stage celebrating women in Jazz.
The market is in Shannon Reserve from noon till 5pm on Saturday 5 November. Find out more on their Facebook page.
The Festival’s Final – a 2 Day Party at Shannon Reserve
The month-long HOSH Festival comes to an end slowly with a 2 day program featuring live music and DJs. There will be gourmet food and beverage stalls and a showcase of local craft breweries and distillers to entice you into Surry Hills to celebrate with us.
If you have not already it’s your chance to try
- BRIX Distillers
- Four Pillars Gin
- Hawkes Brewing Co
- Yulli’s Brews
Picnic on delicious gourmet food with The Gnocchi Way, Sofrito Paella, Lucio’s award-winning pizzeria and Euro concepts antipasto. And for dessert, a MAPO gelato.
The fun starts at noon on both days. See the full entertainment schedule here.
Before you go…
For the entire month of November, pop into Bourke Street Bakery and grab yourself a great deal… For a mere $15, you get a Pork & Fennel Sausage Roll, a Ginger Brulee tart and a drink (Hot or cold selection).
There is loads more to enjoy at the Heart of Surry Hills Festival, so head over to their website and start making a list.
Explore more of inner Sydney by taking our walk around Elizabeth Bay and Potts Point or discovering the Sydney’s most iconic buildings.
