Surry Hills used to be a tough working-class area for the majority of its history until gentrification completely altered its look in the 1980s. It introduced industrial styles of cafés, spacious lofts, and contemporary Asian restaurants. Signs of Surry Hills’ working-class origins can be found in the long list of great pubs in the neighborhood — places like the Dove, Olive, Forresters, and Beresford are among the signature dive-bars of Sydney. The abundance of Indian, Vietnamese and Lebanese eateries on Cleveland Street, together with award-winning cafés like Single O, Reuben Hills, and Paramount Coffee Project makes Surry Hills Sydney’s dining capital.
