What do you get when you already own number 23 on the ‘World’s Best Bars’ list (Cantina OK) and follow it up with a dim, sparkly, intergalactically themed bar serving ‘filthy’ martinis from a carafe? You get a queue. Proudly local and proudly “weird”, time spent in the line is best spent deciding on your martini order, which Bar Planet’s crack bar team mark on a tick-able coaster system to ensure you get it exactly the way you want it. 16 Enmore Rd, Newtown NSW. barplanet.com.au

Chef Keito Abe entered the battle for the title of Sydney’s best ramen back in 2014, and Chaco remains one of our favourite fixes. Abe’s interpretation of pork bone tonkotsu ramen from his hometown Fukuoka – the “fat soy” – delivers similar ribsticking viscosity enhanced with chicken bones, served with perfectly chewy noodles and meltingly tender chashu. It’s the signature serve of a handful of soups ranging from traditionalish to tradition-busting, with additions such as John Dory wontons, cult citrus yuzu and fresh coriander. The 25-seat Darlinghurst bolthole now has a slightly larger Bondi sibling with a slightly expanded menu, including yakitori. 238 Crown St, Darlinghurst; chacoramen.com.au

Sydney’s banh mi wars have split the city into two passionate but divided factions: Team Marrickville Pork Roll and Team Hong Ha. Both attract sizeable queues at lunchtime, but with fewer locations and, fans say, more exacting preparation of the signature pork roll, it’s Hong Ha on Mascot’s main drag that has more people waiting more often for their daily dose of pork. Superlative as the rolls are, slathered in the traditional pate and mayonnaise and loaded with pork, vegetables and optional minced chilli, fans are just as eager to spend up to 20 minutes in the fast-moving queue for the veggie and lemongrass chicken rolls, and the selection of homemade dim sims and spring rolls. 1151 Botany Rd, Mascot NSW.

Like the great banh mi battle of the inner suburbs, Sydney’s west has been divided by chicken. Frangos and El Jannah each sling a different style of bird – the former a chilli and lemon-doused Portuguese chook and the latter a Lebanese-inspired charcoal number – but both have battalions of enthusiasts prepared to queue either in person or in the drive-thru line for a chicken burger or a whole flame-kissed chicken. 4/8 South St, Granville NSW. eljannah.com.au

First came a series of pop-ups across Sydney, slinging pastries, pies and an assortment of other doughy delights crafted by the team behind Ester and Poly’s beloved bread. A more fixed installation followed on the roof of the Paramount House Hotel – ‘A.P. House’ – attracting lines of people eager to sample the signature focaccia-like ‘pizzas’ topped with LP’s mortadella, Stracciatella and a host of other delicious toppings in Cali-inspired surrounds. With the addition of Newtown’s ‘A.P. Town’, their first stand-alone establishment, one thing has become obvious: wherever the All Purpose Bakery crew go, a queue follows. 1a Bucknell St, Newtown NSW. apbakery.com.au

This yum cha house in Cabramatta has had diners queuing for 36 years (thankfully, not in one sitting though). Wait times can easily stretch to 40 minutes, which gives you plenty of time to plan out what you’re going to order. All the classics are there, from prawn rice noodle to fluffy BBQ pork buns, pork sui mai and scallop fritters, with mango pancakes and custard tarts for dessert. It’s easy to see why it’s so busy, especially when you get the bill. Once you’re done, head to the back of the line for dinner later. 12/10 Hughes St, Cabramatta NSW. facebook.com/VinhPhatCabra

There’s no shortage of Shanghainese restaurants on Liverpool Rd in Ashfield, but which one to choose? Sandwiched between Shanghai Night and Flavour Shanghai you’ll find New Shanghai, the birthplace of the ubiquitous dumpling chain. The crowds come for the pan-fried pork buns, which are prized here for their fluffy tops and burnished bottoms. There are no wrong moves on the menu, which includes slippery garlic eggplant and prawn wontons in a sesame peanut sauce. Next door, the New Shanghai Workshop serves up fresh noodles and frozen dumplings for a feast at home. 273 Liverpool Rd, Ashfield; newshanghai.com.au

Originally opened in the wake of Covid lockdowns, Marta’s ‘Roman Bakery’ takeaway window proved so popular that it’s become a permanent, queue-attracting part of chef Flavio Carnevale’s Rushcutters Bay trattoria. Familiar Italian treats like focaccia and ricotta-stuffed cannoli share counter space with the difficult to pronounce but very easy to eat sfogliatelle: a stunningly layered pastry stuffed with pistachio custard, herby ricotta, or any one of a host of other sweet or savoury fillings. Listen long enough to the people waiting alongside you in the line and you’ll inevitably hear them mention the must-order maritozzi – a brioche bun filled with whipped cream and dusted with powdered sugar. 30 McLachlan Ave, Rushcutters Bay NSW. marta.com.au

Mamak has a cult following in Sydney, and somehow, through the ups and downs of Sydney dining, this place has retained its popularity – the queue out front remains a fixture of its streetscape. They come here for the fresh roti canai – a thin and flaky roti designed for tearing and dipping, served with two curry dips and sambal dip (for only $10) – as well as the frothy teh tarik and smoky satay skewers, evocative of street stalls throughout Malaysia. After the roti canai, share a fish curry with fresh tomatoes, okra and eggplant. This is extraordinary value food; join the queue. Haymarket and Chatswood; mamak.com.au

Sydney’s original dive bar burger joint, Mary’s in Newtown has attracted a perpetual line since its opening in 2013. As known for its scribble-covered walls, deafening tunes and slick selection of new-age wines as it is its signature Mary’s burger (potato bun, beef, cheese, tomato, lettuce, pickles and burger sauce), this friendly side-street haunt doesn’t have a sign: just look for the red light over the door and the queue stretching down the street. 6 Mary St, Newtown NSW. marys69.com/newtown