One glance at the sign and you could be forgiven for turning up with a bag of dirty laundry. For a Friday night out in the city it’s a little off-putting. But if you manage to look past the misleading name, Darlie Laundromatic actually turns out to be a cheeky little bar and café on the bottom floor of an old terrace house just around the corner from Oxford St, Sydney.
Decked out with a long share table, umbrella picnic tables in the backyard and hanging tea towels on a washing line, it's like accidentally stumbling into someone’s very friendly house party. Local artist exhibits decorate the walls and a handpicked selection of DJ's on the weekend complete the relaxed vibe with their mix of underground tunes that wouldn’t be worthy of mentioning unless carried out in vinyl behind a peek-a-boo gap in the wall.
A snobbish liquor selection hides behind the bar and a list of adventurous cocktail concoctions– always a good thing – sits alongside a menu of relatively cheap food, including hot dogs, sliders and a glorious looking steak sandwich.
As uninviting as the place looks from the outside, this actually does Darlie Laundromatic a favour by attracting a fun, grown-up crowd more likely to venture into a real Laundromat. Even the original pipes remain on the walls for your coat hanging convenience. The only thing missing is a washing machine.
Find Darlie Laundromatic at 304 Palmer St, Darlinghurst, Sydney.
- Lauren Della Marta
