Hip or hyped: The surprising Sydney suburb named Australia’s coolest

Long overshadowed by trendier postcodes, one inner west Sydney suburb is now having its moment. But is the hype justified?

Time Out recently named Burwood the 16th coolest neighbourhood not just in Australia, but the world.

Time Out’s list, which includes North Melbourne ranked number 24, favours neighbourhoods where diversity thrives, streets stay lively day and night, and where culture and affordable food abound.

By those measures, it’s fair to say Burwood holds its own. Its exceptional diversity fuels a multicultural dining scene, it now boasts a Special Entertainment Precinct supporting a vibrant nightlife, and the daily life in Burwood Park lends the suburb a genuine village feel.

Burwood in Sydney’s inner west has been named among the world’s coolest neighbourhoods. Picture: realcommercial.com.au

But for local business owner Jocelyn Brewer, Burwood’s cool factor is a matter of perspective.

“If bubble tea shops and takeaway food culture is your thing, then I guess you could say it’s a cool place,” Ms Brewer told realcommercial.com.au.

Her connection to the suburb stretches back to the early 90s.

“I used to learn ballet at St. Paul’s Church when I was in year 9. I’d walk up from the station through the shops on Burwood Road to get there. I even got my year 10 formal shoes at Westfield. It’s all changed a lot since then.”

The suburb boasts major shopping and dining precincts as well as plenty of green space. Picture: realcommercial.com.au

Now running her psychology practice from an old Art Deco building on Burwood Road, Ms Brewer argues a neighbourhood’s connection to its past is what makes it appealing.

“My office is in one of the last old buildings on the street, which is now mostly high-rise. I think Burwood Road feels less like a traditional high street anymore because most of the delicatessens, chicken shops and Italian cafés have gone. But St Vincent de Paul is still here after 30 years, which helps keep a bit of that thrift culture alive, and a couple of pawn shops too.”

Sydney’s cultural playground

Burwood mayor John Faker said the council is “incredibly proud” to see the suburb named the 16th coolest neighbourhood in the world and No.1 in Australia.

“Burwood is Sydney’s cultural playground, a place to eat, play, live, and celebrate the rich cultural offerings of our diverse and vibrant community,” he recently told The Guardian.

According to local council, Burwood is the fifth-most multicultural suburb in Australia, while ABS data shows 58% of residents were born overseas and almost a third identifying Chinese ancestry.

The Burwood Chinatown Night Market is a lively hawker-style precinct. Picture: realcommercial.com.au

That diversity is most visible in the suburb’s food scene, including the ever-popular Chinatown Night Markets – a lively hawker-style precinct filled with food stalls, neon buzz and late-night energy, which has become a fixture of Burwood since 2023.

Carlos Ouyang, sales agent at McGrath Burwood, said the markets are exactly the kind of contemporary amenity attracting young professionals to the area.

“They’re very popular among young people who are looking for convenience these days,” Mr Ouyang told realcommercial.com.au. “They don’t like to be cooking all the time. Many of them live in high rise apartments and love the ease of popping downstairs to enjoy all the foods on offer.”

Burwood is one of several ‘Special Entertainment Precincts’ in Sydney. Picture: realcommercial.com.au

Brooke Endycott, director of community life at Burwood Council, said Chinatown Night Markets are an amazing local success story.

“It attracts huge numbers of visitors to the area and has definitely helped give Burwood that cool factor.”

Revitalising the streets

As part of Burwood’s designation as a Special Entertainment Precinct, Ms Endycott said the council has been focused on broadening the suburb’s appeal beyond just the Chinatown Night Markets.

“We’re always working to make sure there’s something happening in Burwood,” she told realcommercial.com.au.

This has included activating streets and laneways across the town centre with music, art and cultural programming.

Located within easy reach of the Sydney CBD. Picture: realestate.com.au

One of the major examples is the transformation of Ford Lane, a decayed and disused service lane that has been brought back to life with vibrant murals painted by local artists. The laneway has also hosts Fridays at Ford Lane – a series of live music events featuring local DJs, bands and musicians spanning hip-hop, world music and K-pop.

“It’s in the perfect location being right next to Burwood Chinatown and also adjacent to Burleigh Street, which has a long legacy as the birthplace of [rock band] AC/DC,” Ms Endycott explained.

“It really was the ideal spot to reimagine as a live-music venue. And given we are a very young community, our music programming of Fridays at Ford Lane also reflects Burwood’s diversity.”

Ms Endycott said activating Burwood’s streets has been a direct response to the council recognising a shortage of live music venues in the suburb.

“We are trying to rectify that by working with local businesses to create more live music venues for the community. One is Burwood Culture House, which is currently in the works and expected to be completed in 2028. It will have a 300-seat theatre and multiple exhibition spaces.”

Beyond live music, she said Burwood’s night-time offering is broader than just live music, with a growing mix of late-night entertainment and social spaces drawing people into the area.

“We’ve also got Emerald Square Precinct, just next to Chinatown, which has the largest pool hall in the Southern Hemisphere and stays open all night. There are lots of places in Burwood where you can have fun without alcohol, which is quite different to other parts of Sydney.”

Living in the Australia’s coolest neighbourhood

If liveability is cool, Burwood is only getting trendier.

According to PropTrack, Burwood’s median house price has surged from $1.83 million to $3.1 million over the past five years, while apartments have climbed from $808,000 to $918,800. Supply remains tight and demand consistently strong.

“The number of transactions is dropping every year,” sales agent Carlos Ouyang said. “We’re now seeing around 60 to 65 house sales annually, compared to 85 to 100 in previous years.”

He said Burwood attracts a broad mix of buyers; young professionals drawn to its centrality and lifestyle amenities and multigenerational families seeking large five-and six-bedroom homes close to top performing schools.

Homes along the exclusive Appian Way rarely change hands. Picture: realestate.com.au/sold

Among Burwood’s most coveted pockets is Appian Way, a serpentine street lined with grand Federation homes that rarely change hands.

In the middle of the street is a famous tennis court.

“It’s always been incredibly popular because of its history, large blocks, beautiful homes and the exclusive use of the community tennis court,” Mr Ouyang said.

Jocelyn Brewer, whose family has lived on Appian Way since her childhood, said the street’s reputation extends beyond Sydney.

“It’s actually been featured in a few films,” she said. “The Mask was filmed there, as well as the Australian classic Phar Lap.”

But Burwood’s evolution is only just beginning. Major rezonings around Westfield and the future Metro precinct are set to reshape the suburb, bringing new retail, housing and public spaces over the next few years.

The suburb attracts families for its tree-lined streets and top schools. Picture: realestate.com.au

According to Carlos Ouyang, the scale of change will be significant.

“Once the Metro arrives, the whole precinct will transform,” he said. “We’re expecting new shops, new developments and thousands of new homes. Over the next couple of years, Burwood is going to feel busier, more connected and even more in demand.”

For a suburb already crowned Australia’s coolest, its next chapter may be its most dynamic yet.