Norton Street - Sydney's Little Italy

As children lark around a fountain dedicated to Dante, and the waning winter sun illuminates the terracotta tiles of the piazza, you’d swear you were in any one of a hundred small Italian towns. In fact the location is the Italian Forum in Norton Street, Leichhardt, just a short trip fromthe bustling centre of Sydney. Known as‘Little Italy’ due to its popularity with generations of Mediterranean immigrants, the region actually owns its name to a Prussian explorer of the Australian continent in the 1840’s – Ludwig Leichhardt. Luckily, today’s travellers only need hop on a bus to explore the attractions of this suburb.

Foremost amongst these is the Forum, built in 1988 to reflect the style of the ‘old country’. Yet this is no gaudy version of reality, rather a genuine focal point for the local community combining restaurants, boutiques, a library and on the upper levels, residential apartments. The lower ground level restaurants such as Sapora Della Vigna, Al Martino’s and La Giara, offer traditional Italian fare and are particularly popular at weekends. There’s also plentyof gelato bars to satisfy sweet cravings.

On the next level you’ll find a branch of the impressive fashion retailers Veri Boutique, boasting the latest collections from Versace, Roberto Cavalli and Dolce &Gabbana – to name just a few. For those seeking gifts, the nearby Merchant of Venice store offers magnificent masks befitting the origins of its name, whilst the neighbouring Piccolo toy and book store is sure to find favour with younger visitors.Yet Norton Street’s appeal isn’t just limited to the Forum. Wander further along the avenue past an ever growing array of naturopaths and chiropractors and you’ll find another shopping enclave, Norton Plaza. With a supermarket, eateries and specialty shops, it caters to the everyday needs of the local population, and also boasts the stylish Tuscany restaurant.

Directly across the street from the Plaza is the iconic Berkelouw bookstore. A flagship for quality reading, the shop’s second floor is crowded with fascinating second-hand material and even a baby grand piano – the perfect accompaniment during book launches. Berkelouw’s al fresco café is also a must for keen observers of the passing parade. Literary nourishment is again available just a few paces along at Shearers Bookshop, nestled beneath the Palace Cinema building. Particular popular with film fans seeking more cultured viewing than that available at the average multiplex, the Palace on Norton Street also hosts the French, Spanish, Greek, German and Italian film festivals each year. The adjoining Martini Bar + Restaurant complements its cinematic neighbour with quality dining,live jazz and salsa dancing­­.

If you continue along the road across Marion Street, past the small-scale grandeur of the Town Hall, amidst a jumble of shoe stores and variety shops you’ll find long-standing establishments such as Bar Italia. This side of town is also the main thoroughfare for the annual Italian Festa, where street closures transform the area into a huge fair. The Festa celebrates the region’s cultural diversity with international food, gift stalls and live entertainment.It generates a special atmosphere, often replicated during football World Cups when enthusiastic fans spill out onto the streets – a splash of colour and celebration of Mediterranean origins, much like Norton Street itself. 

Getting there: Take either the 436, 438, 439, 440 or M10 bus opposite Sydney Town Hall to the corner of Norton Streeton Parramatta Road. Trip takes 25 minutes.