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No two ways about it, Sydney's wine bar scene is flourishing. Full to the brim. Spilling over. A decade ago, there were only a handful of wine bars. Now? They're all over town. And we're here to happily drink them up. What's more, these slick haunts are also some of the best spots in Sydney to grab a nice dinner with friends.  It makes no difference whether you're a novice or an expert, fancy something natural or classic, old world or new, or whether you want to spend moderately or extravagantly, Time Out Sydney's writers, including Food & Drink Editor Avril Treasure, have curated this list for every palate, at every price point. Bottoms up. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, food & drink inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox. Can't get enough of that boozy stuff? Check out the absolute best bars in Sydney here.

For devotees of genuine Mexican fare, it's a great relief that Sydney is no longer only served by the tacky Tex-Mex, stand-and-stuff, burrito-centric eateries that were once the sole expression of the cuisine readily available here. There's now an exciting new wave of Mexican diners sweeping Sydney, with nary a pinata, sombrero or lucha libre mask in sight. We're not saying there isn't a time and a place for a bowl of liquid queso and a dorito or two – there really is – but with a culture and cuisine that spans thousands of years and dozens of regions, it's a crime to assume that Old El Paso and a cartoonishly large frozen Margarita is anything close to 'authentic'. Prime your palate for the true flavours of Mexico with our guide to the best Mexican eateries in Sydney, curated by Time Out Sydney's critics including Food & Drink Editor and Mexico-lover, Avril Treasure. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, food & drink inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox. RECOMMENDED READS: Keen to get around some killer spots for an arvo tequila or two? Check out Sydney's best rooftop bars Love spice? Check out our guide to Sydney's hottest Thai restaurants Thirsty? Have a look at the best bars in Sydney right now

You know you've reached peak Sydney when you're sipping a crisp vino over a beautiful meal and outside the windows is the big blue. Perhaps it's three courses of modern Aussie fare from Sean's overlooking North Bondi Beach? Or maybe you prefer the gentler harbour vistas you get at Chiosco or Catalina, or spots that are right on the sand like Bobby's and The Boathouse Shelly Beach? One thing's for sure: eating by the water gives your meal that extra shine, which is why so many Sydneysiders flock to the shores for a special occasion, year-round. For your next extra-special soiree, book a table at one of the best waterfront restaurants Sydney has on the books, rounded up by Time Out Sydney's editors, including Food & Drink Editor and ocean-lover Avril Treasure, who has had her fair share (and then some) of long, boozy lunches by the sea. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, food & drink inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox. Looking for an epic place for a drink? Here's our guide to Sydney's very best bars.

Spring 2024 update: The silly season has begun and Sydney’s restaurants are the place to be. Whether you’re looking for your next date-night spot or want to celebrate someone special, you’ll find the best places to wine and dine in Sydney below. Here's our list of Time Out's best restaurants in Sydney right now, from hot newcomers to time-honoured institutions, curated by our expert, on-the-ground editors and food writers who eat and drink their way around Sydney, including Time Out's Food & Drink Editor, Avril Treasure. How did we narrow it down to the very best? When deciding, we considered fun, flavour, creativity, value for money – and 'wow' factor. So yes, of course, you’ll find a fine diner inside the Sydney Opera House here, but you’ll also find neighbourhood pasta, hole-in-the-wall Thai and venues right by the sea. Happy dining, Sydney. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, food & drink inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox. RECOMMENDED READ: Still hungry? Check out our guide to the best cheap eats in Sydney.

Spring 2024 update: Let’s face it: life is expensive. But the good news is that you don’t need to stay home every night and survive on frozen pizza, thanks to our city’s incredible cheap eats. The best bit? Often they rival any dishes you would find in a fancy fine diner. We’ve rounded up the top places with prices that won’t burn a hole in your wallet, including our current faves Tan Viet Noodle House, Peranakan Place, Mami's and Hariri Chickens. Because life’s too short to eat sh*t food. Going out for a meal is sometimes a big occasion, worth the splurge. But it doesn't have to be that way. From banh mi to tonkotsu ramen, biang biang noodles to vegan burgers, and pretty much everything else in between, some of Sydney's greatest culinary hits are the cheapest. Time Out Sydney critics and local food writers, including Food & Drink Editor Avril Treasure, have eaten their way around town to bring you this list, and while cheap isn't what it used to be, there are still lots of excellent affordable venues to check out. These are the ones well worth their salt. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, food & drink inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox. Want to spend less at the big-ticket players? Check out our cheap fine-dining hacks.

Leafy and buzzing Surry Hills might just be the neighbourhood with the very best of what this city has to offer in terms of eating and drinking. Whether it’s homestyle, hole-in-the-wall Korean or an all-out chef’s menu from a kitchen with nothing but open flames, each and every price point and palate is catered to on these streets, from the fringe of the city down to the bottom of Crown. Time Out Sydney's editors and critics, including Food & Drink Editor Avril Treasure, have chosen their favourite picks from the 2010 postcode (and the home of Time Out Sydney HQ!). Go forth and eat well.  Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, food & drink inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox. Feel like a drink? These are the best bars in Surry Hills. After a bargain? Check out Sydney’s best cheap eats

Australians have a slight obsession with Japanese food. From silky bowls of ramen and glossy slithers of sashimi to crispy gyoza and bite-sized sushi rolls, we’d go to great lengths for a taste of Tokyo. Luckily, you don’t need to splurge on a ticket to Tokyo, since we’re blessed with some of the finest Japanese restaurants Down Under. Steeped in precision and ancient traditions, Japanese cuisine is a meticulous art form in its own right. In Australia, you’ll find highly awarded chefs firing Kobe beef right before your eyes, grandmas pouring fragrant teas and sake in cosy izakayas, and new-wave cooks serving high-end sashimi in exquisite omakases. Whether you’re after no-frills or all of the frills, here are some of the best Japanese restaurants in Australia. 🍽 All the best restaurants in Australia🐠 The best fish and chips in Australia🍕Where to find the best pizza in Australia

The enclave of Potts Point is home to some serious dining gems, be it mainstays like Fratelli Paradiso or the Apollo; game-changing plant-based restaurant Yellow; or mod-Asian joints like Ms G’s and Cho Cho San. Plus, drop-dead gorgeous spots Parlar and Franca. Time Out Sydney editors and critics, including Food & Drink Editor Avril Treasure, have eaten their way through Macleay Street and beyond, curating this list with the top places to eat and drink in the 2011 postcode. So, have a read and get exploring. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, food & drink inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox. After a drink? Check out our guide to the best bars in Sydney Want more great eats? Here's our guide to the best restaurants in Sydney

France – the home of love, day drinking, red berets and impossibly stylish people. It’s also home to fine French fare: everything from soft cheeses and fresh baguettes to bouillabaisse bursting with the flavour of the sea. When your annual leave is all dried up, Francophiles can get their fix at one of Sydney’s many excellent French restaurants. Here are the best places to dine on French cuisine, from steak frites to silky crème brûlées, so you can feel oh-so French any day of the week. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, food & drink inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox. While you're here, check out: These are the best Italian restaurants in Sydney Here's where to find the tastiest Greek food in Sydney Quench your thirst with our list of the best bars in the city

Virtually every suburb in Sydney can boast a world-class eatery (or several), but none rival the CBD for the sheer number of exceptional dining options on offer. Time Out Sydney's critics, including Food & Drink Editor Avril Treasure, have cherry-picked the best tables to book in the heart of the city, whether you're stepping out for a business lunch, a pre-show bite, or a swanky degustation. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, travel inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox.  RECOMMENDED READS: Want something a little more casual? Check out our guide to the best cheap eats in the city. Nightcap anyone? Polish off your meal with a drink at one of these fine cocktail bars. 

Bondi gets most of its street cred for sunny days, long swims and that postcard stretch of golden sand, but there are plenty of ace restaurants in this #blessed beachside suburb. Whether you're after a long lunch or a sandy-footed snack, you'll find somewhere great to eat – North, South and everywhere in between. Time Out Sydney's critics, including beach-going and restaurant-loving Food & Drink Editor Avril Treasure, have hit Bondi's streets – and these are the pick of the bunch. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, food & drink inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox. RECOMMENDED READS: Feel like a drink? Check out our guide to Bondi's best bars. Keep cool with our guide to the top ocean pools in Sydney.  Take a look at our ultimate guide to the best restaurants in Sydney here.

Long gone are the days when mushroom risotto was the only option on Sydney menus for vegetarians. Okay, so a few places are still championing that veggo staple, but if you know where to go you don't need to set eyes on it again. Not all of these restaurants are exclusively vegetarian, but every place on this list is serving the kind of exciting, delicious vegetable-based fare that will make you reconsider meat in favour of a whole head of roasted cauliflower, a perfect puffy pizza or a totally plant-based degustation. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, food & drink inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox. If you're a dedicated herbivore, you can find Sydney's best vegan restaurants. Want more? Check out our guide to Sydney's best restaurants here.

✍️ Time Out Sydney never writes starred restaurant and bar reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills, and anonymously reviews, so that readers can trust our critique. Find out more, here. Things aren’t all as they seem in Spice Alley. The Chippendale food court, known for its South Asian food, is quietly housing an Italian pasta bar. It’s a tough ask: Str’Eats is competing with well-established neighbours like elevated Chinese diner Holy Duck and luxe dessert bar Koi, armed only with cheap pasta on paper plates. But this hole-in-the-wall kitchen seems to be doing just fine. On a Saturday night there’s barely a seat going at its tiny alfresco patio. Str’Eats was born during the pandemic when its big sister, nearby Olio, was in lockdown. Owner and head chef Lino Sauro wanted to set up a food cart serving authentic Italian dishes inspired by his childhood and hometown in Sicily. Before eventually opening its doors earlier this year, Sauro had spent years working in five-star restaurants around the world, and opened a Sicilian seafood venue, Gattopardo, in Singapore in 2009. Str’Eats’ pasta is made daily from organic semolina flour and water, with its trio of cooks working elbow-to-elbow in a kitchen barely large enough to contain them. As well as spaghetti, gnocchi, fusilli and tagliatelle, you can opt for thick-cut rigatoni or ribbon-shaped mafalde, as well as gluten-free penne. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Str

✍️ Time Out Sydney never writes starred restaurant and bar reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills, and anonymously reviews, so that readers can trust our critique. Find out more, here. It’s dark and cold and a drizzle has set in, but a throng of diners are throwing back wine and cheese on a Kings Cross pavement and having a grand old time. Some are sitting inside, having secured the luxury of walls and a ceiling, but just as many belong to the spill of eaters that feast in winter coats under portable heaters. And the reason they’re here is Caravin, the newest French diner on the Potts Point block. It’s a wine bar, mostly, but their quirky and delicious roster of Comté custard, poisson cru and smoked beetroot tartare has brought patrons here to drink and dine. Plus, Caravin is European-cool. The owners of the much-loved and now-closed Bar Suze moved into a small nook on Ward Avenue previously inhabited by Dumplings and Beer in late 2023. The two-tiered dining room, which peers into the tiny open kitchen, has been fitted with funky wall art, racks of wine bottles and a towering blackboard displaying the day’s dishes. At the centre of the room a statement Art Deco chandelier glows a soft orange. The French-leaning drinks list focuses on natural wines, with around 20 labels available by the glass and plenty more by the bottle. The Campo di Colonnello by Umbrian producer Raina is a medium-bodied orange drop that’ll help you cool the palette. Ano

When you think of The Corso in Manly, the main pedestrian mall that connects the wharf to the beach, you might picture relaxed surf shops, market stalls selling homemade jewellery, and children playing in water fountains. But the walkway, lined with ice cream shops, fast-food joints and beachy pubs, isn’t the suburb’s go-to stretch for wine bars or fine dining. And yet, here comes Henry G’s. Set inside a former butcher-turned-vitamin shop, Manly’s new wine parlour shows signs of its former life, with a decommissioned meat rail framing the front room and scratched signage reading “Purity Cleanliness Services” still legible above its curtained windows. The bar’s owners, Saga Group, have already established a bit of a presence around these parts, operating nearby In Situ, Donny’s Bar and The Hold. Their newest opening is named after Henry Gilbert Smith, who, after arriving in Sydney in 1827, set about building up Manly as a tourist destination. Some of the area’s most recognisable landmarks, including The Wharf, The Corso and its rows of Norfolk Pines can be traced back to Henry G’s OG tourist drive. Inside the walls are fitted with bookshelves housing more than 2000 antique books, every nook is lined with plush leather seating, and a 19th century piano sits centre stage. The little touches are the most enjoyable, including an ancient book press bearing the names of Henry G’s first two wives, Eleanor Whistler and Margaret Anne, and a framed print of his family tree hung outside

On a night where a Biblical downpour has forced a raft of Sydney venues to close, all three floors of Darlinghurst’s loudest pub are heaving. The Taphouse, teetering on a narrow corner that splits the streets of Flinders and South Dowling, is a Saturday night spot that requires loud voices, composure in tight spaces and a sharp pair of beer goggles to navigate its endless staircase. It’s not a new place. In one form or another, a pub has stood on this location since 1878, originally operating as a family-run joint called the Palace Hotel. It sold to local brewery Tooth & Co in 1952, and rebranded as The Local Taphouse after changing hands again in 2007. Ten years later, it was taken over by hospo bros Josh and James Thorpe, the latter of which moved on to establish Odd Culture Group having opened its first pop-up right here. After closing its doors indefinitely in 2023, The Taphouse was resurrected in September by Applejack Hospitality, the minds and money behind Rafi, The Butler and nearby Forrester’s, as well as the state’s first-ever surf park Urbnsurf. The ground floor, walled with yellow tiles and sports screens, could fool you into thinking this is any old pub. But upstairs there’s a sophisticated feel: candlelit tables and wood-panelled walls and a private corner spot known (however unsettlingly) as “The Cage”. Climb another staircase and you’ll reach the Med-inspired rooftop terrace, refurbished with a fully retractable roof, plus picnic tables and linen parasols blan

It’s Friday night and every table at Ricos Tacos has a reserved sign. Seems like news spread fast that one of Sydney’s most popular taquerias has swapped Chippendale for Redfern. The restaurant, which founder Toby Wilson first opened as a food truck outside Messina in Rosebery, has taken up new residence at Cleveland Street’s Norfolk Hotel, joining Public Hospitality Group’s growing troupe of Sydney venues. And the taco joint’s new owners tend not to move quietly (see: El Primo Sanchez). The space is loud with neon lights, disco balls and hand-painted walls depicting talking goats, dancing tacos and two pigs cheerily boiling a human on open flames. The narrow restaurant quickly opens out into a leafy courtyard where tacos rattle out of a recycled shipping container. If you arrive early, the mezzanine-level dining room – ‘Club Ricos’ – will be dark, lit only by the fuzzy glow of two tiny TV sets airing a ’90s Mexico-Brazil soccer replay. When the lights come on and the tables fill out, the space transforms into a retro sports bar, noisy with pool and foosball games, the walls plastered with bygone Mexican soccer stars. Wherever you’re seated though, the food comes fast. If you go to the bar after you order, it’ll probably beat you back to your table. The tacos arrive in twos. They have five styles, plus one weekly special, ranging from fan-favourite ‘Rico’s fish’ to the intriguing but subdued chicken with almond coffee mole. The battered fish is rich and salty, coated in shall

Complete with ‘Schnit + Schooner Tuesdays’, a famed sticky date pudding, and (so Brits remember what country they’re in) Foster’s by the tinnie – The Lady Hampshire is a pub steeped in Australiana. And that’s before you get to the bar-length mural of Aussie icons past and present, featuring a croc-cradling Steve Irwin, a torch-wielding Cathy Freeman and a yard-sculling Bob Hawke. Built in 1911, the Camperdown pub was reopened in 2023 by Public Hospitality, whose expanding Sydney footprint already includes The Strand Hotel in Darlinghurst and Oxford House and El Primo Sanchez in Paddington, amongst (many) others. Further west, they’ve managed to retain a scrappy charm that harks back to The Lady Hampshire’s former life. Outside, dozens of kegs are piled along pavement on Parramatta Road. Inside, patrons’ dogs roam a rug-thrown floor. Some of the menu items aren’t available. For others, the staff have to nip over the road to grab the ingredients. Despite buzzing with people, it sometimes feels like they’re making it up as they go along. But it fits. The walls are messy with wonky frames and pinned-up beer mats. The sprawling beer garden is pieced together with recycled furniture. The stage, with its velvet curtains and Persian carpet, feels like an elaborate living room arrangement. The cocktail list reverts to the Australiana theme, with names like Bloody Howard, Dark & Warney and The Lazenby. The Lazenby, like the man himself, is an Aussie-fied take on 007. Inspired by James

Sydney’s new basement bar Now & Then could be in worse company. Its Clarence Street spot is within bar-hopping distance from the likes of Cantina OK! and Old Mate’s Place, both of which have achieved something approaching cult status in recent years. Those two venues, though, have carved out their own novel market share: Cantina OK! as a standing-room-only micro mezcal bar; Old Mate’s Place boasting a 102-steps-high open-air deck in the midst of the city. So it’s probably no wonder Now & Then has gone concept-heavy too. Co-owner Natalie Ng, who also owns fellow CBD venue Door Knock, has written a double-sided drinks menu: it has a “Now” list that features in-vogue, modern-era recipes, and a “Then” list which includes a bunch of vintage cocktails lifted from the history books. A small blip in the formula is that there’s no real telling which side is which. There are toblerone- and fruit cobbler-themed drinks filed under “Then”, while minor edits to old-school cocktails like the Southside and Manhattan are defined as “Now”. It’s a little muddled, and might benefit from a clearer divide. Confusion aside, there’s no need to panic: the drinks are up to scratch. For those who like their cocktails to taste like chocolate milk, the Tobler’s Toblerone is a foamy dessert-like tipple. With notes of nougat and honey and topped with curls of grated Toblerone, it washes down smoothly with a gentle kick of rum. Ready to Rumball is another rummy sweetener, a swirl of chocolate, dark fruits a

Walking down King Street without a plan can be an awful thing. There are obviously too many restaurants and bars in the two-kilometre stretch for anyone to make a sound decision. What makes it even harder is when the best options aren’t even visible. In this case, Huelo’s auburn-framed storefront seems to spend most of its day obscured by the cone-gripping spillover from its noisy neighbour Mapo. But its charm is in being unassuming. And even once you’re inside you can’t see the half of it. You’ll likely be greeted by the warm and disarming Swan 'Swanny' Kanongataa – formerly shouldering general manager duties at big-name venues Bistecca and The Rover (‘Swanny’ co-owns Huelo alongside Dre Walters from Old Mate’s Place, and Ginny’s Canoe Club). Patrons can hang out over a cocktail or two in the store, between walls lined with beautiful containers of pasta, tinned fish and other “small goods”, while peering out to the bustling street. But unbeknownst to the spontaneous visitor, the two-storey spot once home to late-night bar True Romance, opens up into three hidden spaces via a sneaky door at the back of the shop. There’s a tiny 12-seat bar room, a slightly roomier outdoor courtyard, and yet another cocktail lounge upstairs. On a hot summer evening, the plant-studded back garden is the place to be. While the upstairs space with its sofas, mood lighting and pulsing beats is where to take a nightcap until 2am. But while blood might rush at the prospect of yet more choice, Huelo (

It’s probably fair to say – affectionately or otherwise – that dining out doesn’t get more Sydney than a fancy French bistro tacked onto a pub. Especially when the toilet speakers are still tuned to the horseracing. But fortunately for Rozelle’s chic new venue Chez Blue, it’s likely to attract far more lovers than haters. From brioche triangles served on a silver toast rack, to a pair of warm coffee-side madeleines, Chez Blue has close brushes with peak twee. And, that’s before the roving cream bowl at dessert time. The 90-seat bistro and bar is the latest from the Solotel group, whose 26-venue empire sprawls from Sydney to Brisbane, and includes iconic institutions like Opera Bar, Aria and Chiswick. Chez Blue’s head chef Mark Williamson has swapped the Eastern Suburbs for the Inner West, having ruled the roost at fellow French diner Bistro Moncur in Woollahra since 2016. Here, tables are fairly wedged into the modest space, donning frilly lampshades and branded tablecloths, with a private(ish) dining area available to reserve. The menu is emblazoned with hedonistic phrases like croque monsieur, chicken liver brûlée, and Le Dauphin double crème that take you to a place far from Rozelle’s hectic Darling Street and the adjoining Sackville Hotel. And just when you thought you’d sleepwalk past the aperitif list, a few entries could catch your eye. The Absinthe “frappe”, maybe. Or the Amer Biere, which pairs the budget lager Stella Artois with the hard-to-find French aperitif Amer

First: A hot towel on arrival. Spa-style timber interiors. Glass sliding doors etched with the words “Boutique Saké Room”. Minimum spend. Then: A kitchen door with views of a gloomy car park. A Doraemon figurine in the bottle cabinet. In the fruit bowl, someone’s drawn a smiley face on a sweet potato. Darlinghurst’s newest Japanese joint, Amuro, is neither chic nor shabby. Or maybe it’s both. But the restaurant’s swirl of contradictions is actually one of its drawcards. They don’t do reservations here – if you want one of the restaurant’s 20 seats, you’d better arrive well before 6pm. The majority of the spots are counter-top, front-row tickets to the chef show, with a couple of two-seat, window-side tables away from the heat of the kitchen. Through the other side of your hot towel, you’ll be greeted with a postcard. The image is from a city sidestreet – geishas in the shadow of a towering pagoda in what looks like old-timey Kyoto – and on the reverse, a short list of dishes are written in hand-scrawled caps beneath the words “Week 34”. And tonight, conversation is on the menu. Literally. Amuro’s dishes are ever-changing, rotating in tune with the seasons and at the volition of the young team’s culinary creativity. What doesn’t change, though, is the drinks etiquette. With no written wine list, the two house rules are (a) you must order at least one drink, and (b) you must order them only “through conversation”. This has come about, so the staff say, because such is the avera

In a city loaded with hidden gems – concealed in dark alleys and dingy basements, behind unmarked doors and unassuming shop windows – there are other venues that go for the opposite approach, sucking you in with a blast of bright lights and loud noises. The Dolphin Hotel is one of those. You can hear it coming from a dozen doors down on Crown Street. Baselines blare from open windows, diners chatter cheerily from curbside tables, a giant banner strung from the first floor balcony reads: You Want a Pizza Me? Stepping inside is like entering the heart of the storm. This isn’t, after all, your standard Sydney pub. Walls wrinkle with off-white fabric, tables and chairs pop with black-on-white faux graffiti, daily specials are taped to arbitrary vertical surfaces. The place is positively sprawling, opening into a collection of distinct dining rooms and bar areas, including an outdoor terrace and street seating.The clientele is young, smartly dressed, and – on weekends – in a riotous mood. The packs of day drinkers and hen parties are more likely to be after a tray of sours than a perfect pizza. But that hasn’t stopped the hotel’s head honchos from serving that up. They’ve spent the last few months building the Delfino Pizzeria, a dedicated in-house pizza kitchen. It boasts a handmade Neapolitan Mesiano wood oven, a dough recipe made of three types of Italy-imported flours, and the masterful hands of head pizzaiola Sasha Smiljanic, who previously led the kitchen at popular Newtown

Head to South Eveleigh’s Locomotive Street any weekday lunchtime and you’ll find buzzy lines of office workers mobbing the doorways of established Sydney chains like Kürtősh, Pepper Seeds and Anita Gelato, not to mention Kylie Kwong’s excellent eatery, Lucky Kwong. But quietly frying churros and packing tacos is their lo-fi neighbour that has more than food to shout about. Coyoacán Social is the new Mexico street food outfit that’s moved into a tangerine-orange shipping container in the wall next to the Commonwealth Bank building. It’s the third restaurant from Plate It Forward, the social enterprise that already has Sydney favourites Colombo Social and Kabul Social to their name. This time, Plate it Forward’s founder Shaun Christie-David has teamed up with head chef Roman Cortes to create this homage to Mexican street food. The restaurant donates meals to people facing long-term unemployment and food insecurity in both Sydney and Mexico, including to the centre that helped Cortes himself overcome addiction in Mexico City. The organisation also works with local charities to create a safe space within the Redfern and South Eveleigh communities that surround their latest eatery. So, what about the food? The small menu draws on Cortes’ family recipes from Mexico City, Jalisco and Coyoacán, featuring familiar exports like tacos, quesadillas, tostadas and nachos. There are three types of quesadillas; the chicken tinga coming recommended, with smoky chipotle-style chicken with fres