They say good things come to those who wait! When it comes to food, a line of excited, hungry customers outside of a restaurant or bakery often points to something special; whether it’s a mortadella and cheese-stuffed breakfast croissant, a loaded lunchtime banh mi or an Instagrammable evening tipple. These are the restaurants, bars, cafes, bakeries and eateries from across Sydney that keeps us glued to the footpath in anticipation.
The Caterpillar Club is the groovy new venue by the ever-excellent Swillhouse Group. The subterranean bar picked up where Frankie’s left off, complete with a dancefloor, thousands of records, and highly coveted booth seats. Despite being a sizeable space, this is the club de jour and the line starts early. If you’re adding it to your bar crawl, be prepared to take that literally. 92 Pitt St, Sydney; swillhouse.com.
What do you get when you already sit firmly 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; barplanet.com.au.
Sydney loves a bowl of noodles, and bowls of noodles don’t get more life affirming, more artfully crafted or more queue-attracting than at Chaco Ramen. Chef Keita Abe avoids the well-trodden tonkotsu (pork broth) path, creating his own signature styles that showcase flavours like yuzu scallop, chilli coriander and the beloved fish salt special. Work up an appetite in the queue with a few crunches or burpees so you can guiltlessly order an extra serve of gyoza with your noods. 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.
This yum cha house in Cabramatta has had diners queuing for 38 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.
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 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; marta.com.au.
So keen are the Mamak team to authentically recreate the street food culture of Malaysia, they’ve even imported the queues. Fried chicken, curries and satay are star attractions, but it’s the roti – impressively flung, slapped and stretched in the front window – that has kept a line forming for well over a decade. Rain, hail or shine – nothing is stopping the legions of Mamak fans from their Malaysian fix. 15 Goulburn St, Haymarket; mamak.com.au.
Unsurprisingly, a tiny neighbourhood wine bar isn’t exactly the most spacious spot in town. But even with Bar Copains plentiful street seating, you’d better get in early if you want a taste of that pig’s head fritti or a glass of exceptional, natural-leaning wine. The good news is, Bar Copains is technically supposed to be a snacky wine bar, so some folks will pop in for a pre-dinner drink. But those in the know will hold onto their seat, order the whole menu, and stay for the long run. Bookings are accepted but many tables are left available for walk-ins. Might we suggest ‘run-ins’ instead? 67 Albion St, Surry Hills; barcopains.com.
The hottest seat in town is an understatement at Cantina OK. The pint-sized mezcal bar that specialises in margaritas has just enough space for a half-dozen patrons (if they’re sociable) inside, and a handful of upturned milk crates for sitting outside. By default, Cantina OK has a line provided two staff members show up. Be prepared to wait. When your time comes, you’ll be rewarded with warm service, ice-cold drinks and the envy of those that followed you down the alley. Council Pl, Sydney; okokok.com.au.
Sydneysiders can’t get enough of sandwiches right now, and few places do them better than Rockdale’s Happy Valley. The buzzing brunch spot recently scored a new, bigger location but its legions of loyal fans ensure that the queue snakes on and the sandwiches are made fresh. Join the line. You won’t regret it when you get your hands on the hefty ‘Alley Deli sando, where sweet beetroot relish cuts through generous layers of salty smoked beef, turkey and salami for a perfectly balanced bite. Save room for dessert too – or take it to go – because Happy Alley’s chewy choc-chip cookies are worth the wait. 13 Bay St, Rockdale; happyalley.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’ and then Newtown’s ‘A.P. Town’, their first stand-alone establishment. While it’s worth hopping into the queue at all of these spots, it’s the Carriageworks Markets where A.P. has the strongest hold. Open from 8am every Saturday, we suggest you get there at 7am. 245 Wilson St, Eveleigh; apbakery.com.au.
Ashfield might have no shortage of eateries with the word ‘Shanghai’ in the name, but you won’t have any trouble finding New Shanghai; it’s the one with the queue stretching down Liverpool Street. Watching the hypnotic dumpling-making process through the window while you wait for a table only builds the anticipation for wontons, pot stickers and the signature xiao long bao, all jostling for space on the table among the inevitable over-ordering of noodles, stir fries and other Shanghai-inspired marvels. 273 Liverpool Rd, Ashfield; newshanghai.com.au/ashfield.
