Parramatta’s Hidden Food Gems You Need to Try
The best meals are often the ones you don’t see coming. Step outside Parramatta CBD and into the suburbs where these under-the-radar venues are making serious flavour waves.
There’s more to Parramatta than Church Street. Just a few streets or suburbs away, you’ll find family-run spots and local favourites quietly building a cult following. Whether it's smoky charcoal meats, modern Asian street food or minimalist cafés with standout menus, these hidden gems are worth the detour.
Touka
Shop 2/2 Horwood Place, Parramatta
Touka offers an elevated Japanese BBQ experience in an intimate, traditionally styled setting. Specialising in premium cuts including tender Wagyu beef. Guests can enjoy the art of yakiniku by grilling their own selections over charcoal at the table.
Complemented by a curated menu of izakaya-style sides and sake, Touka is ideal for a relaxed winter evening, whether it’s a special occasion or a quiet night out. It remains one of Parramatta’s best-kept culinary secrets, authentic, flavourful, and immersive.
Smoky Cravings
Shop 1/20 Victoria Road, Parramatta
At Smoky Cravings, the sizzle of charcoal-grilled skewers draws you in but it’s the full flavour of the Philippines that keeps you coming back.
Their perfectly charred pork and chicken skewers are smoky, tender, and deeply marinated in traditional Filipino spices. But don’t stop there, dig into comforting classics like crispy lechon kawali, rich kare-kare, and Filipino spaghetti. It’s a bold, smoky celebration of Filipino street food and soul food under one roof.
Fishboy Private Kitchen
51 Aderton Road, Telopea
Tucked away in Telopea, Fishboy Private Kitchen is one of Sydney’s best-kept culinary secrets, delivering authentic flavours and time-honoured recipes straight from Hong Kong to your plate.
Fishboy offers both ready-to-eat and takeaway meals made with care, tradition, and a deep respect for flavour. Their signature Fishman Steamed Rice is a standout, a generous bowl layered with dried prawns, scallops, toothfish, and fresh squid, evoking the vibrant street markets and beloved eateries of Hong Kong.
June
7 Lomond Crescent, Winston Hills
Located in the quiet backstreets of Winston Hills, June is the kind of cafe you wish was in your neighbourhood and absolutely worth the detour if it’s not.
With a welcoming, sun-drenched courtyard and a rotating menu that covers everything from bacon and egg rolls to fresh salads, burgers, and hearty wraps, June balances substance with style. There’s a day menu for your go-to morning favourites and an “after dark” offering that leans into heartier plates, cocktails, and live music perfect for unwinding as the sun goes down.
Got Pho
827 Pennant Hills Road, Carlingford
Got Pho is more than just a great spot for Vietnamese, it's a family story served by the bowl. Founded by Mama Linh, who grew up cooking in Saigon, Got Pho is built on generations of flavour and tradition.
After time spent in Paris and years running beloved Sydney restaurants like Saigon Metro and La Mint, the family has brought their signature warmth to the outskirts of Parramatta. Now run by daughter Julie, Got Pho is a tribute to Linh’s roots serving fragrant broths, tender noodles, and the kind of comfort food worth travelling for. It’s soulful, authentic, and without doubt, worth the detour.
