Che-marie Trigg And Sarah Norris

There’s a fromagerie selling Liam Neeson’s favourite toastie, a Lebanese deli all about community and culture (and some beautiful dips) and a butcher doing things differently.

While our restaurant, bar and cafe scenes are thriving, so too are spots dealing in food to take home and enjoy, or even cook yourself. From a fromagerie selling Liam Neeson’s favourite toastie, to a boulangerie and deli in one, here’s the best of the year so far.

We toast an intergalactic Newtown bar that’s big-upping the Martini, pair brews with prawn toast at an inner-west warehouse devoted to a former PM, and sip classic cocktails beneath a 400-tonne clocktower. Here’s why it's been an outstanding six months for Sydney’s drinks fans.

Despite being one of the toughest years for the industry, Sydney has delivered an outstanding line-up of new restaurants from the likes of Kylie Kwong, Neil Perry, Phil Wood and more. We’ve got a 12-seat Japanese omakase, an inner-west eatery redefining dining and a pizzeria making some of the city’s best.

A former detective’s office-turned-bar, inner-west pubs given new leases on life, and a long-awaited brewery have added variety and spice to Sydney’s drinking scene.

The former Acme chef is returning to the acclaimed Freshwater Italian diner to lead its wine bar all summer.

There’s an inner-west cafe in a repurposed loading dock where everything on the menu contains produce from the owner’s Hawkesbury farm, a newbie in an old chocolate factory and a beautiful venue where caviar is a must.

Get $5 tacos, $10 burgers, $12 Espresso Martinis and $6 glasses of vino all through July.

Mitch Orr has departed Cicciabella, Terzini has sold his stake in the Dolphin Hotel and there might be another Scout-adjacent bar on the way.