Pilar Mitchell

Mother Chu’s Taiwanese Gourmet has served its homestyle Taiwanese classics since the ’90s. But after a menu overhaul, now’s the time to visit.

Tart-sweet and supremely versatile, these blood-red beauties are popping up on menus across the country. Here’s where you can try them.

Grab yours plain for a coconutty hit, or choose from sweet and savoury toppings like corn, spring onion, grated pumpkin or grated taro.

The Fijian-born couple behind it stocks hand-harvested sea salt, honey from one of the world’s last healthy bee colonies, and a sellout chilli chutney oil that goes with everything.

From electric Thai-ish flavours to neighbourhood Italian, snacky Spanish plates and a Malaysian spot inside a flash new market, these are 12 to book now.

Tsubasa Tamaki’s blistered Japanese-Neapolitan pies are among the best in the world, and the Circular Quay joint is the lauded pizzaiolo’s largest location.

A handful of lucky guests gathers every month to tear injera bread and tuck into delicious stews, all chased with birz, a delicate fermented honey drink.

With just eight coveted seats and one service per night, the tiny restaurant books a whole month of seatings in minutes.

The Malaysian-born chef, who trained in Europe before dedicating her later life to sharing her country’s cuisine, passed away in February. Writer Pilar Mitchell pays tribute to her friend, who helped raise the profile of Malaysian food in Sydney.

Alongside excellent beef pies and an array of regional bakery hits, the menu also features hard-to-find dishes like bak kut the and assam laksa.

The menu from Comedor’s Alejandro Huerta and Michelin-credentialled Galia Valadez isn’t Mexican, but there will be nods to the flavours of the chefs’ childhoods. A loose riff on Peking duck and a Guadalajara-style lamb barbacoa star, and a dessert Huerta says is “the best I’ve ever had in my life”.

There’s plenty of drama at Martin Place’s newest dining destination. From ravioli in kombu broth and tuna crudo with bottarga to a 24-layer chocolate cake, the Mille Vini team is crossing culinary borders with ease.