Waterfront restaurants, street food & Spiegeltent, your ultimate nightlife guide to Wollongong

Night owls and foodies, get your gang together and experience Wollongong’s rich food, nightlife and entertainment. Whether you want to settle into a few drinks with friends, wine and dine with your partner, dance up a storm, or push the party limits, browse the most happening venues in the stunning coastal city.

For couples seeking special memories, there are a number of wonderful restaurants offering degustation and ‘trust-the-chef’ menus, along with casual hangouts perfect for groups of friends or family. For a cosy Italian restaurant featuring rustic dishes and traditional pizza, Kneading Ruby is a local’s go-to right in the CBD area. If you only try one thing, you can’t go past the famous Gnocchi with pancetta, goat’s cheese, peas, spinach, lemon, and butter accompanied by polenta chips and a beautiful glass of red.

If exploring the city’s best street food is more you’re style, the Crown Street Markets is sure to satisfy your hunger, with a diverse range of fresh local and national foods. With live music on Thursdays, start your night eating your way through the markets in the heart of the city before you see where the night takes you.

Wollongong’s CBD has some of the best bars in the area, with a range of fun experiences and of course delicious cocktail mixes. Small bars are constantly evolving in the city, so knock three times and ask a local where the latest newbie is hiding.

Now, if waterfront marina views are what you are after, drive a little further south to The Waterfront Tavern. Overlooking sparkling waters across Shell Cove and offering an array of dining options, just make sure you try the signature cocktail ‘Strawberry Ash’ before you leave!

Other things to do after dark include Wollongong’s hottest new late-night sports lounge, Frisky Flamingo. Whether NRL, AFL, basketball, UFC, racing, or cricket is your sport of choice, Frisky’s is the place to be. With a massive indoor media screen, you won’t miss a moment of action, with every table serving as the best seat in the house. And to accompany the sport experience, dig into their American-style share platters and beer towers.

Now roll up because Spiegeltent is returning to unleash an electrifying and entertaining three-week program of cabaret, circus, music, magic and fun in Wollongong from 7-25 June 2023. The extravagant big top tent is decorated with mirrors, stained glass, velvet and brocade, a beautifully glamorous old-world feel, and a live experience like no other. This year’s jam-packed program is also set to feature three headlining shows from heavy hitters of the entertainment world, including the delightfully silly Garry Starr, the fierce and fabulous Karen From Finance, everybody’s favourite Akmal and larrikin Aussie Dave Hughes.

If you’re looking for night time fun that combines entertainment with cocktails, try Breakout Bar and Escape Rooms. Offering a completely unique adventure, experience state-of-the-art escape rooms, belt out a song in the private karaoke rooms, and relax with a drink in the cocktail lounge.

With more than enough to keep you busy as the sun goes down, Wollongong becomes a city full of surprises and like any good wingman, it’s up for anything and refuses to sit still. And hey, if your night gets so late that it becomes early morning, nothing beats watching the sunrise over the ocean (the only true way to know that the night is over) from one of their gorgeous beaches. Now, THAT was a good night…