It’s hard to believe it was only a decade ago that shared dining was still a relatively novel concept in Sydney, with the exception of some Asian eateries or pizza joints.

But then along came Bodega, the groundbreaking South American restaurant nestled on Commonwealth St, and harbour city dining would never be the same. Opened by Sarah Doyle (above), her partner Elvis Abrahanowicz and friend Ben Milgate, Bodega’s mix of lusty, Latin American tapas, imported wines, rockabilly flair and sexy, inked-up staff was an instant hit.

Before long, identical venues began popping up and you couldn’t swing “un gato” in the city without hitting a chef with a sleeve tattoo and slicked coiff.

Bodega would later spawn its Argentinian sister restaurant, Porteno, and the group would invest a stake in four more of Sydney’s hippest venues, including the original cult burger joint Mary’s and Luke Powell’s LP’s Quality Meats.

Not bad considering Doyle and her partners had an emergency exit strategy should Bodega flop – a one-way ticket to blissful anonymity in Argentina.

“That was the plan,” says Doyle with a laugh. On a recent evening she was celebrating the restaurant’s 10-year anniversary amid a packed soiree.

“I remember, just before we opened, we went to lunch at Billy Kwong and there was a queue to get in,” she says. “We were saying how insane it would be to have a line of people waiting outside our own restaurant. If you had told me then where we would be today, I wouldn’t have believed you in a million years.”

If you don’t mind lining up, mark your calendar for the Bodega spin-off Bodega 1904, opening later this month in Harold Park, followed by the new-look Porteno on Holt St, Surry Hills. The original location, on Cleveland St, will be reserved for private functions. “And then I think no more restaurants for a while,” says Doyle, before changing her mind. “Although, we’ll see what happens.”