Orana, Mary’s Underground, Chuuka, Now on The Resy Hit List

Because it’s the hottest ticket in town right this moment—provided you can snag a table. Widely considered one of the nation’s best, Adelaide’s Orana made a name for itself with exhilarating tasting menus that championed indigenous ingredients and the communities that produce them, proving that Australia’s larder could dice with the best in the world. This one-month residency brings chef Jock Zonfrillo to Surry Hills, with standout ingredients like crocodile bell lardo and bunya nut miso featuring on a 24-course tasting menu. Beg, borrow, steal—this is the best of the best. 

To make a reservation, call +61 8 8232 3444. 

Because it’s the most fun dining room in Sydney right now. Mary’s Underground takes the energy of OG Sydney concert venue The Basement and gives it a shiny—but crucially, fun—upgrade. There’s dry-aged duck and lobster on the menu and an award-winning list of natural wines, but the vibe is true to the intimacy of the original; a house band hits the jazz notes most nights, while the atmosphere can swing between relaxed to full-blown party. 

Because this new CBD hotspot has it all: great food, drinks, and a basement bar with a house party vibe. Housed in a former warehouse, this slick newcomer comes from a dream team behind spots like ACME and Bondi Icebergs, with a Mediterranean-style brasserie upstairs and a hidden bar—more club than bar, if we’re honest—downstairs focusing on champagne, tequila, and mezcal. Polish off a plate of pasta laced with chilli and crab, before descending the steps for a stiff drink and dance. 

Because this svelte Bondi izakaya is faithful to the spirit of its namesake eatery, while offering an upmarket take for the local crowd. True to the Japanese izakaya’s focus of drinks first, food second, this sophomore effort from the Panama House team boasts beach views and an innovative drinks program from award-winning bartender Kate McGraw. Mixing luxury and rare spirits with native ingredients and cutting-edge techniques, drinks are paired to grilled yakitori and kushiyaki skewers, delicately cooked over a robata grill. 

Walk-ins only.

Because you can catch some 2010 vibes without having to leave the centre of the city. A wine bar and Italian-centric restaurant focusing on small wine producers and handrolled pasta, Ragazzi comes courtesy of a couple of ex-Love, Tilly Devine and Dear Saint Éloise alum, guaranteeing poise and polish to a night out. Early standouts include a pink peppercorn cacio e pepe with oozy egg yolk, and slurpy gigli noodles with goat and anchovy ragù, with housemade gelato for afters. The weeknight balm your soul needs.

Walk-ins only.

Because it epitomises everything that gives Sydney its reputation for world-class Asian cuisine. A collaboration between world-class chefs Chase Kojima and Victor Liong (of Sokyo and Melbourne’s Lee Ho Fook respectively), this Chinese-Japanese crossover takes Japanese ingredients and techniques to create twists on classic Chinese dishes, like blue swimmer crab and scallop fried rice, or an addictive tempura chicken with a sweet-sour yuzu sauce and dried chillies. The two-level waterside space is gorgeous, with distant views of the harbour bridge. What’s not to love?

To make a reservation, call +61 2 9657 9882. 

Because this back-to-fundamentals wine bar and restaurant in Darlinghurst encapsulates everything great about dining out. While everyone else is focusing on getting bigger, Bar Vincent is focused on getting smaller, and providing a personal touch; the owner, an alum of Billy Kwong, pours minimal intervention wines and chats to an appreciative local clientele. Meanwhile, chef Andy Logue sends out elegant modern European plates, fresh seafood, and handmade pasta (including a devastatingly good agnolotti del plin), lending the room the feel of a rural agriturismo. Perfect for a low-key night. 

To make a reservation, call +61 2 8354 0881. 

Because, finally, mere mortals can afford to pop into this hallowed Sydney establishment. A new weekday two-course menu for $85 (or three for $100) now means that mere mortals can pop into one of the most vaunted dining rooms in the city for dishes like mind-blowing dishes like yellowtail sashimi with dashi and cultured cream, or a salted caramel and pecan trifle with an exquisite Lagavulin whisky ice cream. The dining room’s still completely impeccable and the view still breathtaking. Run, don’t walk. 

To make a reservation, call +61 2 9240 8000. 

Because chef Joel Bennetts (ex-Three Blue Ducks) is back, and he’s pouring everything into this tiny no-reservations spot. An all-vegan gnocchi bar in Bondi sounds par for the course, but Bennetts has a knack for taking the every day and elevating it to something exceptional. A rotating blackboard of 12 dishes and 8 natural wines by the glass keeps things simple, allowing the chef to engage with diners and relinquish the utmost care on each dish. Finish with tiramisu, or a coconut and vanilla panna cotta, rinse, and repeat. 

Walk-ins only.

Because now you can get fork-tender lechon and a glass of skin-contact wine close to the centre of town. The casual all-day outpost of modern Filipino spot Rey’s place, this tiny (and we mean tiny—there’s only 10 seats) bolthole may be geared toward the nearby lunch crowd, but that doesn’t diminish the astounding quality of the food you’ll eat. As well as a short and sweet list of rice bowls and thoughtfully curated wines and beers, there’s that meltingly soft, crisp-skinned suckling pig that’ll haunt you for the rest of the week. 

Walk-ins only.