TriBeHyde – The Triangle Below Hyde Park
A multi-function hotel, groovy coffee, an indie bottle shop and tasty tempura in an industrial oasis.
I want to christen the small section of inner Sydney bounded by Liverpool St, Wentworth Avenue and Elizabeth Street – TriBeHyde – the Triangle Below Hyde Park. It’s still a slightly grungy industrial environment, sparsely populated by uber cool venues, reminiscent of those neighborhoods in New York – like TriBeCa, Dumbo and NoLita –- for which the locals are so fond of assigning portmanteaus.
I recall wild house parties in this zone in the 1980’s in multi-story squats with missing floorboards where the arteratti lived – too cool or too poor to pay rent. In those days few lived in the inner city and there was nowhere to buy milk at night excepting a run-down milk bar which has been replaced by the steps to Hyde Park.
TriBeHyde centers around an ugly-cool underground carpark complete with an inner-city mural, bright orange exhaust chimneys and an astroturf park – used by a few smokers and dog owners. The ersatz lawn gives way to a fenced off garden with some fabulous trees and ivy and a mysterious stairway probably belonging to the modern apartment block.
I had thought to name the area TriSoHyde – the Triangle South of Hyde Park – though it sounds too much like “Try So Hard” – the curse of so many Sydney venues failing to keep up with their marketing and rent. Though the venues in TriBeHyde are effortlessly cool.
Parami
Just down from this concrete oasis, early in the morning, Parami is crowded with locals getting their morning coffee. Sitting under the gingko trees on Sori Yanagi three legged stools they munch on freshly baked muffins. And Parami also sells onigiri to take away for lunch. Some have complained that their onigiri are smaller than those from a Japanese 7-11, however, on my low carb diet I’m happy to eat 2 varieties from their huge selection.
Haco
Haco, behind Parami, make excellent tempura though like many Sydney’s famous restaurants it’s much too expensive for casual dining. However, on Friday and Saturday the teishoku (lunch set) is $40-$60 depending on whether you have vegetables, meat or seafood. In Japanese style you get sushi, soup, rice, and pickles on a tray. The tempura arrives in batches as soon as its cooked. Best to book in advance as it does get popular.
The Oak Barrel
On the edge of TriBeHyde, the ancient frontage of The Oak Barrel doesn’t seem inviting but be sure you go in. You’ll find rare wine and whisky, sake and hundreds of craft beers. Established as an independent bottle shop in the 1950’s The Oak Barrel makes it mark by stocking brands you won’t find in the major retailers. They also host events based on a particular brands or style of booze. The events are inexpensive as they aim to educate and promote the products they discount on the night. It’s a brilliant opportunity to try something new before you buy. They also have annual whisky fair upstairs in an historic hall. If you’re lucky, often on Friday, the staff may be doing a free counter tasting.
The Ace Hotel
Though great my love in TriBeHyde is The Ace Hotel – well technically it’s across the road – but close enough. The main entrance is on Wentworth Ave, though you can cross Goulburn Street and enter through the coffee shop – Good Chemistry – beneath the neon sculpture. There’s also Loam for lunch – where you still get a coffee after 3pm when all the other baristas of Sydney have signed off. The Lobby bar has books and art and hosts music and disco events. Up above, under the covered rooftop, Kiln offers a fixed price multicourse dinner for about $110. When the Ace Hotel was built during the pandemic, it was occupied by artists tasked with creating site specific works. You’ll find some of Jason Phu’s graffiti on the walls and work by many famous Australian contemporary artists throughout the Ace. The Ace Hotel also hosts an artist in resident to create works for Good Chemistry.
Visit TriBeHyde and call it by my name.
