Sydenham

Little Portugal of the inner west — custard tarts, charcoal chicken and quiet terrace-lined streets. Low-key, leafy and made for a tart-fuelled afternoon walk.

Antique shops, weekend markets and a peninsula made for slow laps. Rozelle keeps the village feel inner Sydney usually trades away — dog firmly in tow.

A leafy harbour peninsula of sandstone heritage and waterfront reserves. Quiet, scenic and made for a slow foreshore stroll.

Cooks River-close and leafy, with foreshore paths and a quiet village pace. Walkable and made for a riverside lap.

The Inner West at its scruffy best: craft breweries, multicultural eats and Cooks River trails where dogs rule. Come for the dumplings, stay for the off-leash runs.

King Street is tattooed, big-hearted and endlessly dog-friendly. Beer gardens, bookshops and pubs where the water bowl lands before the menu.

The Balmain peninsula's leafy tip, with waterfront parks and ferry calm. Quiet, scenic and made for a slow harbour stroll.

Grand terraces, leafy streets and a quiet that belies how close Newtown sits. The inner west's calm side, made for an easy, unhurried walk.

Inner-west diversity at full tilt — dumplings, grocers and Ashfield Park's green at the centre. Busy, well-fed and easy for an after-dinner lap.

A leafy inner-west favourite of cafes, quiet lanes and light-rail ease. Walkable, friendly and reliably dog-welcoming.