No longer just a fringe suburb to cool kids Newtown and Marrickville, Enmore has come of age, evolving from a near-empty enclave to one of the hippest drinking and dining strips in the city. Here are six places to hit up next time you’re in the inner west.

Young Henrys
It’s true, you can find Young Henry’s in pretty much every bar and bottle shop in the city, but for a frothy pour straight from the tank, you’ll need to head to the source. We’re all familiar with the classic Newtowner, but have you tried their Motorcycle Oil porter or their rum and raisin brown ale? The bar serves up the whole gang, with eight on tap and more by the bottle or tinnie. You can even take away longnecks and growlers, and for spirit lovers, the Noble Cut gin is a must-try.

76 Wilford St, Newtown. younghenrys.com.

Stanbuli
A slang term for the citizens of Istanbul, Stanbuli is the vision of former Porteno panhandler Ibrahim Kasif with that clever crew Joe Valore, Elvis Abrahanowicz and Sarah Doyle from Porteno, Bodega and Continental Deli. Inspired by the traditional Turkish taverna, the menu is broken into small raki mezesi, medium meze and large charcoal dishes inspired by traditional Istanbul street food. Although you can’t really go wrong, the two things you must order are the plump, sweet mussels stuffed with fragrant rice, and the blue mackerel sandwich, filled with pickled turnips and grilled fish.

135 Enmore Road, Enmore. stanbuli.com.au.

The Stinking Bishops
A turophile’s dream, The Stinking Bishops is home to an impressive collection of deliciously stinky, funky and whiffy boutique cheeses – over 30 to be precise. Go simple with a self-curated cheese and charcuterie platter matched to a crisp, citrusy fiano, or explore the dairy-enriched dinner menu which includes creamy burrata with raw peas and salsa verde, and a grown-up mac ’n’ cheese with artichokes.

Shop 5/63-71 Enmore Rd, Enmore. thestinkingbishops.com.

Queen Chow
East meets inner west at this Cantonese-inspired eating house, owned by hospitality royalty, Merivale. It’s no surprise that the duck is so crisp and the dim sum so delicate, with powerhouse trio Christopher Hogarth, Patrick Friesen and dumpling master Erick Koh in the kitchen.  If you’re after drinks instead of food, head upstairs to The Smelly Goat where you’ll find an unusual beverage list, which draws on diverse ingredients like carrot, capsicum and “Crunchy Nut milk”.

2/167 Enmore Rd, Enmore. merivale.com/venues/queenchow.

Emma’s Snack Bar
Hidden within the suburb’s uniform brick terraces, this local legend is known for its traditional renditions of Lebanese street food classics. Start with spicy hummus topped with crispy garlic and chilli and baba ganoush, made from fire-roasted eggplant lightly mashed with tahini and garlic. The parsley and citrus heavy tabouli is some of the best in town.

59 Liberty Street, Enmore. emmassnackbar.com.au.

The Cow and the Moon
Crowned best gelato in the world in 2014, this not-so-secret gelato bar is just as known for its queues around the block as its ice blocks.  The family-run gelateria keeps things mostly traditional, with standout options such as pistachio, passionfruit or their award-winning almond affogato, allowing the quality natural ingredients to do all the talking.

181 Enmore Rd, Enmore. cowandthemoon.com.au.