Como Bridge, Oatley

Parking: Usually some on Myra Place.
Como Bridge crosses the Georges River between Oatley and Como and is for pedestrians only. There is a separate adjacent bridge for the trains, which allows for some great train spotting on your walk (something my son loves). Once you have crossed the bridge into Como, make sure you check out the playground, marina and cafes. Blackfish Café is a great spot, with panoramic views of the water and surrounding bushland. There is also a small 20m swimming pool, which opens from 1 October until 30 March (except public holidays). The marina offers boat hire, from runabouts to luxury and BBQ pontoons. They can hire you fishing equipment as well.

Filter, Mortdale

Parking: Street parking is very tricky, but there’s usually a spot behind Buzz Bar or the station.
6am – 3pm, 7 days a week
I LOVE their cheese & mushroom toastie, with a side of curly fries! Who knew 3 ingredients could taste so good! They put the cool into Mortdale, with some great artwork. I love the one that says “Filter Coffee, Not People”. And the service is always top notch too.

New York Patisserie, Mortdale

Parking: Street parking is very tricky, but there’s usually a spot behind Buzz Bar.
Monday to Saturday: 9am – 6pm
Sunday 9am – 5pm
Whether you are looking for a naughty snack, family dessert, large cake for a special occasion or just a coffee, you can’t go wrong here. My personal favourites include their Lemon Meringue Pie, Mini Red Velvet Naked Cake and Choc Chunk Cookie Dough Brownies 😊

Oatley Park, Oatley

June – August, 6pm
April – October, 7pm
November – March, 8pm
The gates are opened at approximately 6:30am all year round.
Parking: limited parking at the playground, as well as more near the castle and the beach.
If this park isn’t in the top five in Sydney, I don’t know what is. First and foremost, there is an amazing inclusive, adventure playground; a $1.4m project which opened September 2019. It makes a refreshing changes from all the plastic playgrounds you see elsewhere. This one is constructed mostly from natural materials and blends in so well with the bushland setting. The park also has a ‘Castle’ which can be hired for private functions, with an electric BBQ, seating area and power point. Another 50m down the hill is Oatley Baths, the perfect place to cool down on a hot day. There’s a beach on Georges River, with shallow water and no waves. It’s tiny, but perfect for toddlers and never crowded. And most importantly, there is visible shark net. There are also several bushwalks in the park with plenty of opportunities for wildlife spotting.

Ollie & Me, Mortdale

Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm
Saturday 9am – 2pm
Parking: Street parking is very tricky, but there’s usually a spot behind Buzz Bar.
If you are looking for a lovely gift, this shop sells beautiful homeware, artwork, Ecoya candles and more! They have some wonderful presents for children, and Grandma has spoilt Max here a few times.

One 2 One, Oatley

Monday -Friday 6:30am-5pm
Weekends 6:30am-4pm
Parking: Usually street parking on Myall Street or Mi Mi Street.
As a mum of a 2-year old, there are not many cafes where you can (almost) relax and drink a semi-warm cup of coffee. But One 2 One is one such place, especially on a sunny day sitting in their backyard whilst children enjoy the outdoor toys. It’s not a huge outside area; large enough to fit a trampoline, ride-on diggers, climbing frame, play kitchen, roundabout and rocking horse (!!), but small enough that you can see your children at all times. Eunice, the owner, is always adding new toys, refreshing the menu and making sure her customers are happy.

Postcards from Napoli, Oatley

Wednesday to Sunday,5pm to last orders at 9.30pm
Parking: Usually street parking on Myall Street or Mi Mi Street.
I have been to Italian restaurants throughout all of Sydney, including 2 of Sydney’s most Italian suburbs (Leichhardt and Haberfield), but Postcards is by far my favourite. The owners, Dino and Davide, are always smiling and happy to chat. They were both born and bred in Napoli and opened the restaurant in 2017 to share their passion for food, in particular Neapolitan food. You’d be hard pushed to find more authentic; their pizza oven is from Napoli, as is their special pizza sauce. And they are one of only eight pizzerias in Sydney, which has been awarded AVPN (Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana ) certification. Not surprisingly, they specialise in pizzas (my favourite is La Saporita – Buffalo Mozzarella, Italia Sausage, Mushroom, Pecorino Cheese & a touch of Black Truffle) but they usually have a few pasta specials as well. They are BYO ($3.50 per person corkage) and if you’re really lucky, they might treat your table to a free round of limoncello. By the time you leave you will feel as if you are in a little restaurant in Napoli “where the atmosphere is vibrant, the food is beautiful, and everything is authentic”. Bookings are essential, especially on weekends.

St Kai, Mortdale

Tuesday to Sunday 6:30am – 3pm
Parking: Plenty of street parking on Balmoral Road or Bowman Street.
Their menu isn’t extensive, instead they have chosen provide a small selection of excellent dishes. Quality not quantity. And there are not your normal, boring café dishes either. My go-to order is their Bebop (ice, milk, coffee jelly, espresso; like a bubble tea but with coffee) and Shrooms Breakfast Roll (mushrooms sautéed, cheese, lemon mayo) – it’s available all day, despite the name. Having said that, they updated their menu this week, and if you fancy a richer coffee, you’ll love their Affogato Iced Coffee (Ferrero Rocher Ice Cream, Hazlenut and a double shot of hitman)! The staff are always happy, which makes such a difference I think. You have probably noticed that for the food options in this Top 10, customer service is my main criteria. Good food is one thing, but great service is key. And St Kai has both in spades.

The Cellar Door, Oatley

Wednesday and Thursday 4pm-11pm
Friday 4pm-12am
Saturday 3pm-12am
Sunday 3pm-10pm
Parking: Tricky, but it’s right next door to Oatley train station. And if you don’t drive, you can enjoy more of their delicious wines.
Every suburbs needs a wine bar like this one. A bar which sells great wine, that is reasonably priced, and brings people together. When Skeetas Local closed mid-March 2020 due to Covid19 restrictions, it was a very sad day in Oatley. Luckily on 2 December 2020, The Cellar Door opened in its place. Some things have remained the same. The menu looks very similar to Skeeta’s but with also a few additional, larger antipasto options. Like Skeetas, they still have live music on Sundays from 5pm. A couple of small differences include the three beer taps they have installed (beer always tastes better on tap), and they now sell gift vouchers which make great birthday and Christmas presents. Hopefully the person you buy it for will invite you along, so it’s a win win.

Vinnies, Mortdale

9am-5pm Monday to Saturday
10am-4pm Sunday
Parking: Limited on Cook St, but plenty behind Buzz Bar and the station.
“Vinnies is your number one destination for affordable and pre-loved items. Everything you buy or donate inspires change in your local community.” I have bought many bargains from this Vinnies, from a 4ft cuddly Santa for $7 to a 6ft Christmas Tree for $20, and a Zuru Pets Alive Boppi the Llama for just $3 and garbage truck for $2. I love the fact that not only am I able to find bargains at my local store, but I am also helping the local community with my purchases and donations.

Como Bridge, Oatley

Parking: Usually some on Myra Place.
Como Bridge crosses the Georges River between Oatley and Como and is for pedestrians only. There is a separate adjacent bridge for the trains, which allows for some great train spotting on your walk (something my son loves).

Once you have crossed the bridge into Como, make sure you check out the playground, marina and cafes. Blackfish Café is a great spot, with panoramic views of the water and surrounding bushland.

There is also a small 20m swimming pool, which opens from 1 October until 30 March (except public holidays). The marina offers boat hire, from runabouts to luxury and BBQ pontoons. They can hire you fishing equipment as well.

Filter, Mortdale

Parking: Street parking is very tricky, but there’s usually a spot behind Buzz Bar or the station.
6am – 3pm, 7 days a week
I LOVE their cheese & mushroom toastie, with a side of curly fries! Who knew 3 ingredients could taste so good! They put the cool into Mortdale, with some great artwork. I love the one that says “Filter Coffee, Not People”. And the service is always top notch too.

New York Patisserie, Mortdale

Parking: Street parking is very tricky, but there’s usually a spot behind Buzz Bar.
Monday to Saturday: 9am – 6pm
Sunday 9am – 5pm
Whether you are looking for a naughty snack, family dessert, large cake for a special occasion or just a coffee, you can’t go wrong here. My personal favourites include their Lemon Meringue Pie, Mini Red Velvet Naked Cake and Choc Chunk Cookie Dough Brownies 😊

Oatley Park, Oatley

June – August, 6pm
April – October, 7pm
November – March, 8pm
The gates are opened at approximately 6:30am all year round.
Parking: limited parking at the playground, as well as more near the castle and the beach.
If this park isn’t in the top five in Sydney, I don’t know what is.

First and foremost, there is an amazing inclusive, adventure playground; a $1.4m project which opened September 2019. It makes a refreshing changes from all the plastic playgrounds you see elsewhere. This one is constructed mostly from natural materials and blends in so well with the bushland setting.

The park also has a ‘Castle’ which can be hired for private functions, with an electric BBQ, seating area and power point. Another 50m down the hill is Oatley Baths, the perfect place to cool down on a hot day. There’s a beach on Georges River, with shallow water and no waves. It’s tiny, but perfect for toddlers and never crowded. And most importantly, there is visible shark net.

There are also several bushwalks in the park with plenty of opportunities for wildlife spotting.

Ollie & Me, Mortdale

Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm
Saturday 9am – 2pm
Parking: Street parking is very tricky, but there’s usually a spot behind Buzz Bar.
If you are looking for a lovely gift, this shop sells beautiful homeware, artwork, Ecoya candles and more! They have some wonderful presents for children, and Grandma has spoilt Max here a few times.

One 2 One, Oatley

Monday -Friday 6:30am-5pm
Weekends 6:30am-4pm
Parking: Usually street parking on Myall Street or Mi Mi Street.
As a mum of a 2-year old, there are not many cafes where you can (almost) relax and drink a semi-warm cup of coffee. But One 2 One is one such place, especially on a sunny day sitting in their backyard whilst children enjoy the outdoor toys.

It’s not a huge outside area; large enough to fit a trampoline, ride-on diggers, climbing frame, play kitchen, roundabout and rocking horse (!!), but small enough that you can see your children at all times. Eunice, the owner, is always adding new toys, refreshing the menu and making sure her customers are happy.

Postcards from Napoli, Oatley

Wednesday to Sunday,5pm to last orders at 9.30pm
Parking: Usually street parking on Myall Street or Mi Mi Street.
I have been to Italian restaurants throughout all of Sydney, including 2 of Sydney’s most Italian suburbs (Leichhardt and Haberfield), but Postcards is by far my favourite.

The owners, Dino and Davide, are always smiling and happy to chat. They were both born and bred in Napoli and opened the restaurant in 2017 to share their passion for food, in particular Neapolitan food. You’d be hard pushed to find more authentic; their pizza oven is from Napoli, as is their special pizza sauce. And they are one of only eight pizzerias in Sydney, which has been awarded AVPN (Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana ) certification.

Not surprisingly, they specialise in pizzas (my favourite is La Saporita – Buffalo Mozzarella, Italia Sausage, Mushroom, Pecorino Cheese & a touch of Black Truffle) but they usually have a few pasta specials as well. They are BYO ($3.50 per person corkage) and if you’re really lucky, they might treat your table to a free round of limoncello.

By the time you leave you will feel as if you are in a little restaurant in Napoli “where the atmosphere is vibrant, the food is beautiful, and everything is authentic”. Bookings are essential, especially on weekends.

St Kai, Mortdale

Tuesday to Sunday 6:30am – 3pm
Parking: Plenty of street parking on Balmoral Road or Bowman Street.
Their menu isn’t extensive, instead they have chosen provide a small selection of excellent dishes. Quality not quantity. And there are not your normal, boring café dishes either.

My go-to order is their Bebop (ice, milk, coffee jelly, espresso; like a bubble tea but with coffee) and Shrooms Breakfast Roll (mushrooms sautéed, cheese, lemon mayo) – it’s available all day, despite the name. Having said that, they updated their menu this week, and if you fancy a richer coffee, you’ll love their Affogato Iced Coffee (Ferrero Rocher Ice Cream, Hazlenut and a double shot of hitman)!

The staff are always happy, which makes such a difference I think. You have probably noticed that for the food options in this Top 10, customer service is my main criteria. Good food is one thing, but great service is key. And St Kai has both in spades.

The Cellar Door, Oatley

Wednesday and Thursday 4pm-11pm
Friday 4pm-12am
Saturday 3pm-12am
Sunday 3pm-10pm
Parking: Tricky, but it’s right next door to Oatley train station. And if you don’t drive, you can enjoy more of their delicious wines.
Every suburbs needs a wine bar like this one. A bar which sells great wine, that is reasonably priced, and brings people together.

When Skeetas Local closed mid-March 2020 due to Covid19 restrictions, it was a very sad day in Oatley. Luckily on 2 December 2020, The Cellar Door opened in its place. Some things have remained the same. The menu looks very similar to Skeeta’s but with also a few additional, larger antipasto options. Like Skeetas, they still have live music on Sundays from 5pm.

A couple of small differences include the three beer taps they have installed (beer always tastes better on tap), and they now sell gift vouchers which make great birthday and Christmas presents. Hopefully the person you busy it for will invite you along, so it’s a win win.

Vinnies, Mortdale

9am-5pm Monday to Saturday
10am-4pm Sunday
Parking: Limited on Cook St, but plenty behind Buzz Bar and the station.
“Vinnies is your number one destination for affordable and pre-loved items. Everything you buy or donate inspires change in your local community.”

I have bought many bargains from this Vinnies, from a 4ft cuddly Santa for $7 to a 6ft Christmas Tree for $20, and a Zuru Pets Alive Boppi the Llama for just $3 and garbage truck for $2. I love the fact that not only am I able to find bargains at my local store, but I am also helping the local community with my purchases and donations.