Your Paddington newsletter. Every Wednesday, free.

New restaurant coming to that Paddington terrace

The old Darcy's/Guillaume/Ursula's site on Oxford Street is getting a new operator and a new cuisine. No word yet on what's coming, but it's one of those rooms that's hard to get wrong. Worth keeping an eye on.

Vote for your favourite Paddo business before June 14

The first-ever Paddington Business Awards are happening and voting is open until June 14. If you have a local favourite, now's the time to back them. The awards night is at Charlie Parker's on June 18 if you want to make a proper evening of it.

Victoria Barracks: Council pushing for heritage protections now

The Mayor has written to the Federal Government asking for binding heritage protections to be locked in before Victoria Barracks gets sold off. Good to know someone's pushing on this before it's too late. Council is also proposing new netball and basketball courts at Woollahra Ovals in Rose Bay — feedback open until 8 July, or show up in person on 16 June at 5.30pm if you want to have a say.

Oakleigh Cottage sells for $4.9m, below guide

That freestanding double-fronted cottage on one of Paddo's busiest streets just sold for $4.9m, which is a bit under the $5m-$5.5m guide. No off-street parking and a 184sqm block, so not a bad result all things considered. The owners are heading to Queens Park.

Dua Lipa is a fan of 10 William Street

If you needed another reason to book a table at 10 William St, Dua Lipa just added it to her list of favourite places in the world. The narrow Paddington terrace has been a local staple since 2010 — great pasta, natural wine, late hours. Nothing new to us, but nice to see it get the recognition.

AFL holiday camps at Centennial Park this July

Two AFL camps running at Robertson Road Fields over the July school holidays. Little Foxes has the little ones (4–7) covered on 8 July, and Kicking Dynamics has an older kids masterclass (8–14) designed by former Swan Tim Schmidt. Worth locking in early if you've got a footy kid who needs somewhere to be.

New rooftop bar just opened in Paddo

There's a new rooftop bar open in Paddington and it's already getting attention. Hollywood-inspired, sun-soaked, sounds like a solid summer spot. Worth checking out next time you're walking Oxford Street.

Council rounded up all the local playgrounds in one spot

Woollahra Council has put all their playgrounds on one page — Gugara Park in Paddington, Lyne Park's flying fox boat, all of them. Handy to have in one place instead of googling around. Worth bookmarking before the next school holiday panic.

Council pushes back on Victoria Barracks sale

The Defence Department is looking to offload Victoria Barracks and Council wants heritage protections locked in before anything happens. Mayor Sarah Dixson is writing to the Assistant Minister for Defence to push for binding controls and proper community consultation before any divestment goes ahead. Worth keeping an eye on — this one could reshape a big chunk of Paddington.

Paddington Markets is on again this Saturday

Same spot it's always been — Paddington Uniting Church on Oxford Street, every Saturday rain or shine. Over 100 stalls of local fashion, ceramics, jewellery and the usual good browsing. Worth a lap if you're already heading that way.

Infrared fitness classes in Paddington, $29 for a week

If you've been curious about the infrared class thing, J.I.M in Paddington has a new member deal running — seven days unlimited for $29. Thirty minutes, no mirrors, low-impact. Worth trying if you want to see what the fuss is about.

New late-night pizza bar opens on Oxford Street

Dr. Goodes has taken over the old El Primo Sanchez spot at 27-33 Oxford Street. It's pizza and cocktails by day, then the DJs come on and it turns into a proper boogie situation out the back. Walk-ins welcome.

Saint Peter just cracked the world's top 10

Josh and Julie Niland's Oxford Street seafood spot has landed at number 10 on Food & Wine's 2026 global restaurant list, voted on by over 400 chefs and food writers worldwide. If you haven't been since they moved into the Grand National Hotel, now's a pretty good excuse to book a table.

Unicorn Hotel hit with stop-work order after unauthorised demo

Council has slapped a stop-work order on the Unicorn Hotel after unapproved demolition work was carried out inside the heritage-listed Oxford Street pub. The mayor and local councillor have both weighed in, with council now investigating before deciding on fines or legal action. We'll keep you posted.

Unicorn Hotel reno paused over heritage concerns

The Unicorn Hotel on Oxford Street is on hold while heritage concerns get sorted out. The Paddington pub is a local landmark, so it's good to know someone's paying attention before the hammers come out.

Dated Paddington terrace sells for $2.4m at auction

A Paddington terrace sold for $2.4 million after an investor edged out young families at auction. The result is a reminder that even unrenovated stock in the area attracts serious competition.

Paddington Markets is back this Saturday (and every Saturday)

If you haven't been to Paddington Markets lately, it's worth a wander. Over 200 stalls of local fashion, ceramics, jewellery, plants and food spread through the grounds of 395 Oxford Street every Saturday from 10am to 4pm. It's been running since 1973, which makes it one of those rare Sydney institutions that actually lives up to its reputation.

Paddington's Busby's Is the Wine Bar Worth Finding

Busby's has quietly become one of the better spots on Oxford Street, tucked into the ground floor of Oxford House with a vinyl soundtrack and a serious team behind it. Clayton Wells is doing the food, Mike Bennie the wine list, and Paolo Maffietti the cocktails. Drop in for a glass and stay for the creste di gallo with vodka sauce.

A Euro Middle Eastern Tapas Bar Opens on Oxford Street

Caness has quietly taken over an old grocery store on Oxford Street, Paddington, bringing a Middle Eastern twist to Mediterranean small plates. Think prawn saganaki, pulled lamb sliders, and Yemenite kubaneh bread, plus an 80-bottle wine list with plenty available by the glass. It's open from Tuesday evenings and feels like the kind of place that'll be hard to book by August.

Mitch Orr's Snack Menu Has Landed on Oxford Street

Monica Rooftop, sitting atop the new 25 Hours Hotel The Olympia on Oxford Street, is open and it's a good one. Mitch Orr is doing his thing with elevated snacks, think devilled spanner crab on Jatz and tuna tartare on betel leaves, while the drinks list is just as considered. Views stretch from Paddington rooftops all the way to a cheeky sliver of the Harbour Bridge.

Porcine and P&V Finally Open Their Wine Bar

After four years of talking about it, Porcine and P&V Wine have joined forces at L'Avant Cave, a new wine bar tucked into the courtyard below Porcine on Oxford Street. The menu is all small bites built for drinking, think garlic snails, croque monsieur and a pigeon liver pate on Melba toast. P&V is running the drinks list, so you already know the wine is going to be excellent.

Glamour couple lists Paddington terrace for $3.55m

A Paddington terrace described as one of the suburb's most desirable is on the market for $3.55 million. If you've been waiting for a classic Paddo terrace to come up, this one's worth a look.

Roxy Jacenko's Paddington office hits the auction block

A well-known Paddington commercial property linked to PR personality Roxy Jacenko is heading to auction with price hopes around $10 million. It's a significant commercial listing for the area, and one worth watching if you're keeping an eye on Oxford Street precinct values.

Two Paddington spots make Sydney's essential eats list

Paddington has two entries in a freshly updated round-up of Sydney's best restaurants right now. Ursula's on Hargrave Street gets a nod for Phil Wood's elegant bistro cooking, while Saint Peter at the Grand National Hotel on Underwood Street continues to impress with its legendary fish-forward menu from Josh and Julie Niland. Both are well worth a booking.