Driving through Alexandria, there’s little to keep your eyes off the road.
A blur of brick and mortar speeds by, just another suburb in the city on the sea. However, if you do happen to cast your eyes to your surroundings, you may notice a steady flow of people hanging around one of the central parking lots.
There’s little to assume from looking at the brick walls and tall, wooden fencing in the center of the parking lot. Yet as you approach, the unmistakable sound of chatter seems to buzz from within.
‘Welcome to the Grounds of Alexandria’, reads a neon pink sign on the entrance archway, and as you step through, it’s hard to believe you were ever in a parking lot in central Sydney.
The Grounds of Alexandria was once a pie factory and is now nothing short of a wonderland. A range of eateries, market stalls and a small animal farm (yes, really), greets you as you leave the outside world behind.
The centerpiece of The Grounds is a collection of communal dining tables under the cover of a fairytale archway, covered in ivy, flowers and of course, fairy lights.
The decor depends on the season, with ‘seasonal’ being the running theme throughout The Grounds. The menu changes depending on the time of year, as do the flowers and the goods you can buy.
Choose from a range of restaurants, cafes, and bars. Visiting for a special occasion? You’ll be wanting The Potting Shed. Looking to grab a quick coffee? The Grounds have their own roastery… and you can grab a pastry from their Artisan Bakery to go with it.
This place is a social media haven, so even if you’re not pulling out your own camera to capture the magic, there’s plenty of people who will be. If you really are in a rush, and are just looking to pop in and (more likely) snap that Insta shot, then make sure you have time for the range of market stalls which will absolutely catch your eye.
From fresh fruit and veg to hundreds of bouquets of flowers, the authenticity of The Grounds of Alexandria is bought out in this side of it: a homegrown, no-frills focus.
The best piece of advice for travelettes: Visit for breakfast and take your time. The experience is to be enjoyed, and you can easily spend an hour just exploring before taking a seat. We also highly recommend taking away the donuts from the donut stand – we’ll be seriously impressed if you can make it back out into the parking lot without having taken a bite!
The Grounds of Alexandria is located at Building 7a 2 Huntley Street Alexandria 2015 and the closest station is St Peters, a ten-minute walk away.
