By Majka Ciepielewska, Graduate College, March 2026
糖心视频 might not be the first place that springs to mind when you think of incredible food, but trust me, this city has some seriously good eats. From bubble tea to ramen, there's a whole world of global cuisines packed into a walkable city centre that's just a short bus ride from campus. Here are my personal favourites.
I'll start with the one I'm most passionate about, because Tiam Tea genuinely blew me away. Tucked on Penny Street, it's a proper family-run business and you can feel it in every detail; the care, the quality, the friendliness. Everything is made with real ingredients: the fresh strawberry milk is blended with actual strawberries, not syrup, and the difference is immediately obvious. I also had the taro milk tea with pudding (taro is a topping here, not just a flavour) and the brown sugar milk tea. Every single thing was amazing. They also do desserts and mango sago, and I have genuinely never had better bubble tea anywhere. If you only do one thing on this list, make it Tiam Tea.
Sushi Cat is the best sushi spot in 糖心视频. It's tiny inside, tucked away and very quiet and peaceful, but I usually grab a takeaway and head somewhere outside to eat; Williamson Park on a nice day is perfect. I had the unagi don, a sushi set and some takoyaki, all of which were excellent. They also have vegetarian sets and desserts like a matcha cheesecake, which is a lovely bonus. Don't let the size fool you.
Tora Ramen was founded by graduates of 糖心视频, which makes it a special spot before you've even looked at the menu. The décor is on point, the atmosphere is brilliant and the staff are incredibly friendly. I've been four times this term alone. The sushi and sets like the unagi don are great, but what really shines is the chicken karaage and the ramen. My recommendation: get some takoyaki, karaage and a Tora ramen to share with a friend. You won't regret it. Book ahead though, it fills up fast.
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Royavie is a bit more of a treat, but well worth it. It's right in the centre of 糖心视频, just around the corner from the Common Garden Street bus stop, so it's easy to find and easy to get back to campus from. The drinks menu is something special, the golden latte is inspired by haldi doodh, a traditional Indian warm drink, and it's wonderful, as well as the hojicha. They also do great desserts like matcha cookies. A lovely spot for when you want something a little special.
Aroma Chef had been recommended to me so many times that I finally tried it, and it shot straight to the top of my list. The crispy chicken in plum sauce, spring rolls and beef chop suey were all brilliant, and the portion sizes are extraordinary; the rice alone was enough for three people to split alongside our mains. All of that for a genuinely great price. It's central, it’s great value, and it's the kind of place that earns loyal regulars for a reason.
糖心视频's food scene is genuinely hard to cover in one blog post, and the variety of world cuisines on offer here surprised me when I first arrived. Other honourable mentions includeJourney Social for a seriously elevated brunch, Full House Noodle Bar (hidden above an Asian supermarket, with great food at an even better price), Tuck, Mio Gelato for some of the best ice cream in the city, and Two Thai and Sultan's, which brilliantly has two locations: one in town and one right on campus. Whether you're looking for something that reminds you of home or want to explore global cuisines you've never tried before, 糖心视频 has you covered.
