In a world of Instagram reels and TikTok trends, word-of-mouth still prevails when it comes to restaurant recommendations. Some are named off the bat, while others (that deserve just as much love), take a minute. Here are some of the best spots in Sydney that haven’t yet cracked the rumour mill. Have you heard of any of these?
Bastardo. Is it a reference to the management? A characterisation of the service? A call-out to the type of patron the team favours? No, nulla, niente. It’s actually a nod to the menu being a “bastardisation” of Italian food. Serving garlic bread with the wagyu meatballs in red sauce might be considered eccentrico by traditionalists, but they’ll love it nevertheless. Bastardisation? Bring it on. 50 Holt St, Surry Hills NSW. porteno.com.au
After naming his first restaurant Arthur, after his grandfather, chef Tristan Rosier has followed up with eatery Jane, after his grandmother. If Arthur is the more formal of the two, Jane is more of a good-time gal, serving elegant yet un-fussed fare suited to a more casual style of dining. The stunning restaurant is no plain Jane, rather a sleek retro inspired brasserie, with corduroy banquettes and polished dark timber tables. The menu is beautifully handwritten by Jane herself – with all the elegant loops and tails of the age. Start with the Moreton Bay bugs, which come swimming in a tarragon beurre blanc like little lobster thermidor. No booking? No worries. Jane welcomes walk-ins with open arms. 478 Bourke St, Surry Hills NSW. janesurryhills.com
Cafe Paci, with its warm, vibey dining room, has stood strong during the pandemic. Ordering wisely is a must here: the food is rich, and if you want to try one of everything you may indeed roll out through the front door at the end. Allow the fantastic wait staff to guide you (and rein you in as needed), and if you’re blown away by the wine suggestions they’ll direct you to a website where you might be able to find the very same drop. 131 King St, Newtown; cafepaci.com.au.
There’s much that’s familiar on chef Matteo Zamboni’s Italian menu – from home-made focaccia to kingfish crudo and ricotta ravioli. Almost every dish has a little twist that lifts it from predictable to pleasurable. The sage and burnt-butter ice cream with brioche – musky, herbal and milky-sweet – is a scoop you’ll want to leave room for. 47 Windsor St, Paddington NSW. civico47.com
Thai is the cuisine of choice at chef Annita Potter’s new venture. But don’t come expecting anything of the quick ‘n’ easy, green-curry, red-curry, pad-Thai and fishcakes variety here. With its fascinating food, some excellent, reasonably marked-up wines, kitchen theatre, smiling service and friendly interaction with chef Potter herself, Viand is a special night out. 41 Crown St, Woolloomooloo NSW. viand.club
Keita Abe of Chaco Bar and Chaco Ramen has opened a temple to tempura in the backstreets just south of the CBD which explores the delicious possibilities of deep-frying everything. A concrete cube hung with black noren curtains marks the unassuming entryway for a trailblazing 20-course tempura tasting experience. A walnut wraparound counter separates diners from two circular fryers, into which premium Japanese ingredients are delicately dipped. The deep-fryer is turned off for desserts but the crunch continues with adzuki red bean ice cream cradled in an edible wafer spoon. When it comes to fried food, HACO has mastered the art form. Finally, proof that deep-frying does make everything better. 102/21 Alberta St, Sydney NSW. hacosydney.com.au
You could be forgiven for thinking that Paski Vineria Popolare – an enoteca from legendary wine importer Giorgio De Maria – is named after the Italian vino. As it turns out, Paski is named after Giorgio’s border collie. (The border collie is named after the wine.) The tiny space includes a combined corner kitchen and dining room, with tables tessellated for maximum headcount. Chef Enrico Tomelleri’s menu focuses on seasonal fare, with only a handful of ingredients on each plate. 239 Oxford St Darlinghurst NSW. paski.com.au
Parlar, pronounced “parlour”, brings coastal Catalan dining with a side of Mediterranean cool to Sydney. The food focuses on Catalonia, and specifically where it meets the south of France along the Mediterranean coastline. Head chef Jose Saulog plays it out with a share-style menu that kicks off with small snacks such as anchovy churros topped with an ornate ribbon of creme fraiche allioli, and Gilda toast, a spin on the quintessentially Basque tooth-picked pickled anchovy, green olive and green chilli pinto from San Sebastian. Shop 3/81 Macleay St, Elizabeth Bay NSW. parlar.com.au
Get set for an Aegean adventure, only not in the Mediterranean but right across from the Pacific waves. The new kid on the Bondi block, Topikos is the latest sparkling opening for the Point Group, the brains behind CBD dining destination Shell House. There’s a Hellenic look and feel to the white and blue-themed dining room and bar, with pale wood-and-wicker chairs, dusty-blue napkins and matching banquettes. Sticking tightly to the Greek script, the menu is an I-want-it-all shareable selection – from smooth and punchy taramasalata topped with fish roe to neatly laid-out sardines on pita-bread toast, decorated with tomato, lemon and dill. 180 Campbell Parade, Bondi Beach NSW. topikos.com.au
Squeezed into the first floor of a laneway tower, above a hard-to-spot red neon sign and wild, kabuki-inspired foyer mural by street artist Lisa King, Besuto plays on the trend for intimate Japanese “trust the chef” omakase dining with an Aussie twist. Spanning 18 courses that change based on best-available produce, the set menu takes those who occupy the restaurant’s 12 seats on a communal eating journey, guided by ebullient chef Hiro Kano, and more demure sushi expert Hiro Fujita. 6 Loftus Ln, Sydney; besutosydney.com.
