Howard Chen

The Crown Street newcomer brings the casual, communal dining style of Thailand’s som tum shops to Sydney, with a lengthy list of Isan dishes shaped by the owners’ childhoods.

The new northern beaches sanga shop goes all-in with a smoker imported from Kansas. Grab a chopped Texas-style brisket or the “aggressively indulgent” breakfast number.

After eight years as a tiny takeaway joint, the family team has expanded with a dining room that makes them think of home. Plus, find new family recipes on the menu.

The Dai family, which owns The Peak Hong Kong Cafe, visited the island to fine-tune their recipe for waffles filled with choc chips, red bean, and classic Hong Kong flavours like Ovaltine, Milo and Horlicks.

After growing from 53 stores to more than 1000 in a single year, Makkee Dessert brings its mochi-topped tong sui (Chinese sweet soups) here.

Including a Michelin-cred husband-and-wife spot in Surry Hills, “omakase-grade” sushi in Bronte and a masterful Bondi spot dry-ageing fish in house.

Three Rockpool alums have reunited at Blue Ribbon Bistro, bringing chef-driven pub classics to an inner-west community fave.

At the Bentley Group’s new Southeast Asian grill, the executive chef draws on fire cooking, childhood memories and a 150-dish journey through Vietnam.

After more than a year spent searching for the right home, Kay Hwang has reopened Joy Korean Fried Chicken in Enmore with a bigger kitchen, more seats and the same triple-fried crunch.

Already this year’s delivered 12 ripper new spots, including a Thai beef noodle soup shop hidden in a Haymarket tunnel, a cheffy fish’n’chipper and a buzzy corner for king-size slices of pizza.

Just-opened cafes led by chefs have popped up all over town, along with specialty coffee shops, independent bakeries and a neighbourhood stock-up shop selling matcha spiked with foraged wildflowers.

Berlin ruined kebabs for food writer Howard Chen. The serve at a new Sydney food truck brought him back.