Glow Guide to SYDNEY

Sydney, Australia might just be the glowiest city we've encountered. From the vibrant cosmopolitan center to breath-taking beaches, dramatic coastlines and some of the most deliciously creative food on the map, this place straight up oozes with glow.

We have to say that we were serendipitously tapped into the glow scene quite early on in our trip to Sydney. Every person we met was friendlier than the next, eager to share all the incredible things this stunning city has to offer. A cross between NYC, London, LA, Big Sur, and a dash of Tokyo, Sydney is a magical city that will enthrall you in so many ways. To start off, the coffee game in Sydney is like no other; it's all about the flat whites here. The java flow is strong and the coffee shops are impeccable.

The shopping is awesome in Sydney-- Aussie fashion is on point and we loved visiting some of our favorite local brands like Zimmerman and FEIT. But let's get to our favorite part of this city, the FOOD. The meals we had here induced glowgasms one after the next. From their perfect take on eggs with golden yolks, to truffle shavings on soft serve ice cream, to delectable dumplings, the food scene is elevated to whole new heights. We were told that Sydney has nothing on Melbourne food-wise, giving us more reason to come back to Oz and experience it for ourselves :)

We have fallen head over heels for everything Oz and cannot wait to get ourselves back there. In our wildest dreams, we'd love for everyone we care about to just relocate down under with us! The health and wellness scene really blew us away. There's an incredible ease around healthy living here; it is effortlessly woven into daily life in such an appealing and beautiful way, especially in Bondi Beach where we stayed.

We hope you use our Glow Guide to fall madly in love with Sydney like we did! Melbourne and Byron Bay, we're coming for you next...

Jessie & Tara

WHERE TO STAY:

QT Hotel // We stayed in this funky hotel in the very heart of the city. Excellent location, near the Opera House and some amazing restaurants. They have great service, Malin & Goetz products and super comfy beds!! The decor is very unusual and eclectic-- there's a fun vibe and a cool coffee shop on the ground floor.

Air bnb // The move is to get an air bnb in Bondi. This allows you to feel the local experience.

FOOD + DRINKS:

Ruby's Diner // This was our first stop for "breakkie" and man oh man was it good! We sipped on gorgeous flat whites, and were in heaven with our stewed rhubarb porridge, rainbow chard eggs and homemade decadent banana bread with ricotta. Lots of healthy options and a great place to start the day.

Bondi Whole Foods - We bought the best organic dried prunes from here-- They have an amazing selection of the healthiest and most wholesome grocery items available as well as a full cafe! If we lived here this would be our local grocery spot, other than the farmer's market of course!

Bourke Street Bakery // Tantalizing pastries and coffee! Several locations but we visited the one in Surrey Hills. The meat pies are famous here.

Black Star Bakery // Holy GLOW. This place is no joke and absolutely dangerous. We wanted to try one of everything but settled on the most gorgeous strawberry watermelon cake!!! They have the cutest little coffee cups and it is basically just perfect in every way.

Brewtown Newton // Two words: cronuts and coffee. We had a pretty life-changing experience here that included a jam cronut that was sooooooooo ridiculously good we couldn't speak. We flirted with the owner so that he would give us a ton of extras to take home... oops :) There's also a cool shop upstairs that is definitely worth checking out.

Mr. Wong // This place is a must for dinner in Sydney!! We LOVED the vibe, the restaurant's design, their impeccable service and of course the delicious food! We had Peking duck with pancakes, truffle soup dumplings, insanely good fried rice with egg and pork in hot stone pot, and a scrumptious lemon curd meringue for dessert.

Devon on Danks // This place made us coin the term, GLOWGASM, it was really that good. Miso salmon with egg and eel croquette, yogi bowl, ricotta and egg.... Truffle soft serve with truffle shavings, truffle honey, and French fries WOW wow wow wow multiple orgasm, life changing experience

Workshop Coffee // Best tiny coffee shop in city center - order the flat whites with honey

Icebergs // This place is a MUST for sunset drinks-- Do yourself a favor and order an aperol spritz. The bartender Matt is the best and makes this drink to perfection with fresh blood orange slices and green olives. This upscale restaurant has incredible sunset views overlooking the ocean waves and the famous pool. We ate spaghetti vongole, a truffle burger with beet relish and fried egg, and Iggys bread rolls with bone marrow jus. So so so so glowy!

Gelato Messina // Flavors like you've never ever seen before. Think pistachio with rose cake, coconut with passionfruit and mango swirl, hazelnut and honeycomb, coconut, fig Marsala jam, mango coconut. This place really sets the benchmark for gelato in Australia.

Bill's // Amazing menu with something for everyone!

Orchard Street // This is one of the glowiest institutions we've ever come across. There are three locations in Sydney-- if you are into health, wellness, and beautiful products-- go to all three!!! We ordered hot turmeric tonics, freshly brewed chai tea in a copper pot, organic, healthy hot cocoa from their stunning elixer bar. The Geisha Matcha raw dessert was gorgeous and sooo yummy. We're obsessed with the high vibrations this place is putting out and wish they would open in LA. Erin made us custom tonic blends for digestion and immunity at the Bronte Apothecary.

Three Blue Ducks // Great coffee and food in Bronte. We loved the mushy peas!!!! With cannelloni beans and flaky sea salt. A place for lovers of real food.

Coogee Pavilion // This is a great rest stop after walking along the coast from Bondi. A marketplace filled with coffee, oysters, restaurant and more.

Da Orazio Pizza + Porchetta // Best pizza in Bondi. Order pizza and porchetta!! Don't miss the house salad with corn. P.S. Their house red wine goes down real nice

Sensory Lab Coffee in Bondi // Perfect flat whites and Glow bars to snack on

Bread and Circus Whole Foods Canteen // From the light pink color scheme down to their perfect eggs, this place is one of our favorite spots on earth. We want to eat this for breakfast every single day. Chai, eggs with truffes, toast and tomatoes, Hallumi cheese, exquisite fruit plate.. they even have a dish called "Breakfast with Gwyneth"

Flour and Stone // LAMINGTONS. The most incredible ones we've ever had, super moist inside, just sweet enough chocolate, and toasted coconut on the outside. Wow. and rose pistachio orange meringues, soft and gooey inside, baked goodness... mouth is watering.

Kitchen by Mike // Canteen with creative cooking and responsible food with an emphasis on seasonality, simplicity and freshness. Very glowy.

Billy Kwong // Order the pork buns, lamb buns, fried rice, pork lettuce cups, prawn dumplings, and steamed fish, This place combines the warmth and charm of a neighborhood Chinese eating house with the dynamism of an open kitchen-- we sat at the bar and had the best time.

Aqua S // Get ready to have your life changed. This cream is like no other. Light as a cloud soft serve, with only two flavors available at a time. Their constant is their sea salt soft serve, and they rotate in flavors like earl grey, sesame, green tea, strawberry, and other creative flavors. You get a choice of three toppings: cotton candy, caramel corn, and a torched marshmallow. Go all out-- get all 3!

Porch and Parlour // Simple, seasonal & creative dishes in a relaxed atmosphere in Bond overlooking the ocean. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, some of the best breakfast we had. Seriously delicious eats.

AREAS / SITES TO EXPLORE:

BONDI BEACH // Surfer's glow paradise!! This place is heaven on earth and we never wanted to leave. We stayed at a perfectly located Air BnB bungalow, situated less than 5 minutes walking distance to the water. We loved the experience of having our own place-- there aren't many great hotels in the area so we really recommend finding your own accommodations.

Hall Street in Bondi // This is the main strip in Bondi beach. There are lots of great restaurants, cafes, gelato, coffee, markets and really everything you need just seconds from the ocean!

SURREY HILLS // Lovely neighborhood to explore with charming brownstones, cafes and boutiques.

Museum of Contemporary Art // Beautiful museum-- make sure to go up to the roof/restaurant to catch the views.

University of Sydney // Take a stroll through the campus to see the unique architecture and get a sense of the University's energy.

WALK from Bondi to Bronte along the ocean, stunning feels like a cross between little mermaid and hobbit town. This is a must- no ifs, ands or buts.

SHOPS:

The Grounds of Alexandria // Such a cool place to visit. Herbal gardens, Sydney's best Coffee, Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Patisseries, Drinks, Donuts, BBQ... this little center has it all

Harris Farm Market //Walk down a flight of steps on Hall Street to find a handful of amazing cafes/restaurants including this fabulous grocery store. A great place to stock up on beautiful produce and local specialties. We were especially smitten with the freshly prepared passion fruit yogurt, organic figs, and of course couldn't leave without some Tim Tams!

We Are The Stables //Check out this hip Surrey Hills boutique that carries some great men's and women's fashion. There is an awesome little cafe attached and a beautiful hair salon upstairs. Ask for Madison-- our friend and the best hairdresser in town!

Witchery // This is Aussie's fast-fashion line. Great simples, separates, and staples clothing items

Zimmerman // Dresses and swimsuits for all the glow girls. $$$ but timeless.

Iggy's bread in Bronte // Incredible responsibly baked bread, locally sourced ingredients, everything is made just right

Feit // Dope leather shoes and sandals, handmade leather.. . we both took some home :)

Koskela // Gorgeous home design store- we wanted everything

Bassike // Luxury organic cotton clothes made in Australia from Bassike,

Pana Chocolate // Perfectly handmade chocolate, cakes and speciality desserts without preservatives. No dairy, soy, gluten or refined sugar. Their chocolate cherry bar is divine.

Bondi Wash // Range of natural products for the home that combine the anti-bacterial power and fragrance of unique Australian bush oils with a luxurious mix... we met the owner and are patiently waiting for them to start selling in the US- these products are something special.