Where To Eat in April: Parami, Calle Rey, City Oltra, and More

At Parami, you’ll find flashes of Mika Kazato’s childhood in Oita, Japan: the yaki imo biscuits recall smoky memories of sweet potato being roasted in her grandmother’s fireplace, while the dazzling range of onigiri pays tribute to the ingredient-stuffed rice balls that her mother would tuck into her bento for school. The chef (who has spent time in the kitchens of Aria, Bills and Chiswick) brings her creative twist to Japanese staples, like fruit sandos, and her selection of teas and fresh-made sodas is attention-worthy, too (the cold-brew gyokuro is excellent, as is the sparkling yuzu drink).

Walk-ins only.

You can find Pasta Emilia‘s tortelli, gnocchi and ravioli at markets around town, but there’s something extra special about dining at its headquarters in Surry Hills. This all-in-one hub includes a cooking school, a food lab that regularly turns out 15 types of organic pasta, and a rustic, farmhouse-style restaurant that ties into co-owner Anna Maria Eoclidi’s Italian heritage – particularly her connection to Emilia-Romagna. The menu turns the spotlight on local producers and biodynamic farms (including her Riverpines vineyard in the Hunter Valley) and dishes that conjure Italy, such as strozzapreti with beef ragu, fettucine with porcini cream sauce and duck and truffle tortelli served with thyme butter and crisp guanciale.

The neon City Oltra sign first lit up a few months ago and it’s been a beacon for great pizza at Central Station. This pop-up is run by Ben Fester and Drew Huston, who previously dragged their ovens to Poor Toms Gin Hall in Marrickville for their pizza-making parties. In a city with countless ways to enjoy a slice, City Oltra stands out for its creative toppings (like artichoke with honey and gorgonzola, pepperoni with ranch dressing, gin sauce with pureed roasted peppers) and giant pies that aren’t fully American or purely Italian, either. The square slices emerge from the oven with this magnificent border – a charred-cheese cityscape that rises from the edges of the pizza like a crusty skyline worth marvelling at. There are pizza takeovers, guest specials and DJ sessions, too.

Walk-ins only.

The bright pink sign at the entrance is one reason Paripé stands out on this dining-dense stretch of Chippendale. This tapas joint also commands attention because it offers a taste of Spain near Spice Alley’s hawker-style stalls: you’ll find classic snacks – such as patatas bravas, garlic mushrooms and Spanish tortilla – along with sangrias and Spanish spirits, too. Tomato-rubbed toasts (pan con tomate), ribbons of Jamón Ibérico, and a range of cheeses (such as Manchego, Roncari and Cabra Pimentón) will also transport you a little closer to the country.

Amani Rachid, Sal Senan and Huss Rachid have already proven themselves to be pretty adept at flexing dough, as the popularity of their pizzeria (My Mother’s Cousin) demonstrates. They’ve followed it up with Self Raised Bread Shoppe, another eatery that reminds us how great carbs can be. There’s a wonderfully messy egg and hash brown bun that’s glued together with gooey cheese and burger sauce, a grilled cheese toastie worth savouring and two kinds of ingredient-stuffed hoagies.

Credit the pastry chefs Sarah Ghantous (Flour & Stone) and Greer Rochford (Cornersmith) for the plum tarts, lamingtons and other sweets that will draw you to the counter.

Walk-ins only.

Ossama Yaakoub has been running Kadmus since 2009. His generous menu offers a panaromic look at Lebanese cuisine. There are two takes on samke harra (spicy fish): in the northern port cities (like Tripoli), it’s typically cooked with tahini – which is a big contrast to the southern version. You’ll find both here. The menu ranges from staples that have received mainstream recognition (falafel, tabbouleh, zaa’tar bread, baba ganouj) to lesser-known dishes (like lubyeh, a Lebanese green bean stew) that deserve more spotlight.

It’s a tough gig taking over the site vacated by the standard-setting Automata, but Hartsyard’s Jarrod Walsh and Dorothy (Dot) Lee have the CV and industry cred to match that task. Longshore is the name of their new venture, due to open late April, and it reflects the coastlines that have inspired the menu (as well as chef Walsh’s Port Macquarie upbringing). The tidal wash gets evoked by various seafood dishes (think raw yellowfin tuna layered with habanero paste, bergamot jam and pomelo, or steamed sand whiting with smoky green garlic and XO pipi butter) and an interior that draws on art and materials that conjure up sand and shorelines.

Call (02) 8277 8522 for booking information.

Dimitri’s has been a fixture of Sydney’s dining scene since 1975. For many years, it was a familiar landmark on Crown Street, Surry Hills. In 2019, it upsized significantly when it relocated to a three-level venue on another iconic main drag – Oxford Street in Darlinghurst. Dimitri’s currently sends out wood-fired bases topped with some combinations that are classic (margherita) and not-so-classic (cavalo nero with fermented garlic cream, buffalo feta and yuzu dressing made a recent cameo, as did pork and fennel sausage with Meyer lemon and mozzarella). It also offers “not pizza” options and lots of drinks by local craft brewers (Grifter, Wildflower) to counter the carbs and crusts.

This vegan and gluten-free joint might trade in tacos, but its culinary influences aren’t so strictly Mexican. The tortillas at Calle Rey are stuffed with ingredients that direct you around the world: the tonkatsu sauce and wasabi mayo in the eggplant taco hint at Japanese pantry staples, while the California roll flavour points to the US. You’ll also be transported to Peru via its bar, which specialises in pisco-powered cocktails.

Summer might be over, but Sydney sometimes gets a lucky run of sunny days in autumn and Promenade might be a good spot to take advantage of that. It’s located in the revamped Bondi Pavilion, right by the beach, and this all-purpose eatery (courtesy of the team behind Lana, Apollonia and Grana) features several diner-pleasing configurations. There’s a kiosk area for your caffeine hit and takeaway snacks, an outdoor terrace which catches the sea breeze, more refined indoor dining options and separate spaces you can entirely book out. The menu matches the coastal surroundings, with dishes that range from coral trout crudo to snapper curry.

Call (02) 7228 1408 for booking info.