The Sydney restaurant scene’s been a big old mixed bag in the first half of the year. New addresses and new owners for long-loved venues; Greek dining rooms hit their stride; familiar teams opened their biggest, most ambitious dining spaces; and more than a few did the restaurant-or-bar dance.

Through the sea of newness, these 10 restaurants cut through. Among them is a sensational lasagne in the suburbs and an old Saint Peter head chef’s genuinely exciting, snacky seafood. Some dining rooms go big on vibe and some keep it simple. And there’s one where a swarm of people gather five days a week for meat straight off the grill.

Let’s get into it.

Bessie’s, Surry Hills

I can’t think of a trio more dedicated to delivering good-times hospitality than the Bar Copains team: Nathan Sasi, Sali Sasi and Morgy McGlone. Just look at the vibes at their newest, Bessie’s. A friendly buzz, a knowledgeable (not know-it-all) floor team, with a drinks list that competes with a menu of Med plates kissed by charcoal.

The pil pil Murray cod is a must, but if you stick to the snacks you’ll be happy too. That’s where you’ll find charred flatbread, a zippy dish of taramasalata and a ’70s-esque trio of mortadella, devilled eggs and pickle spears. And my dearest, darling hot cheeks: nuggets of ocean jacket with a golden KFC-esque crunch, ready for a zip of lemon and a dip of Green Goddess. The restaurant’s genuinely open till late, powered by Nathan’s poppy party playlist. What did we do without you, Bessie? – Grace MacKenzie, Sydney food and drink editor

Cibaria, Manly

The latest from the Pavonis is a crowd-pleasing “piazza” restaurant. Cibaria is spacious, by the beach, and has a menu serviced by dedicated kitchens: the trattoria, the friggitoria, the forneria, the spaghetteria, the gelateria, the pasticceria. Just like a piazza. It’s primed for big groups who want it both ways: classic fritto misto and playful lasagne fritters; marinara pizzettas and lemony scallops on their shells; spaghetti swirled with puttanesca or a swish rock lobster ragu. It’s “for everybody, for every day” Alessandro tells us, and that’s why it’s a winner. – Grace MacKenzie, Sydney food and drink editor

Clarence and V, CBD

When it came to crunch time to write the opening story for this shy CBD eatery, I felt stuck. It was just very, very good. Not much more to it. “Just go to Clarence and V,” I told the team, “it’s great.”

You walk in past the ’50s-style shutters, then you’re looked in the eye, asked how your day’s going and told to pick a seat. There’s a coaster under your glistening glass, and a coffee’s already coming. The team – led by owner Vito Mollica and chef Stella Roditis – are in a smooth rhythm, chitchat flowing back and forth between the open kitchen and small dining space. Your food comes, quick. My bowl swims with a bright, herby avgolemono, buoying a little bright-green zucchini stuffed with rice. Vito asks if I want a glass of the orange wine, tells me it’s beautiful, from Italy, then it arrives with a hunk of bread. There’s not much more to say: it’s just good, clean hospitality, plain and simple. – Grace MacKenzie, Sydney food and drink editor

Corner 75, Randwick

The little scalloped coasters yell – in red, all-caps – “ CORNER 75 IS A FUN PLACE WITH GREAT FOOD”. And never has a piece of card been more truthful. When the Sixpenny and Baba’s Place teams took over the venue, which has been a hub for Sydney’s Hungarian community for over four decades, regulars were worried the Randwick restaurant would quickly lose its charm.

It hasn’t.

It’s still a fun place. The fit-out gives “doily”, with high maroon walls acting as shrines to notable Hungarians and patrons. The technicolour bathrooms might be the best in the country, with hand-painted frescos of flowers, ballerinas and general whimsy. Honestly, it’s on track to become one of the most photographed bathrooms in the game.

The menu has familiar enough items to satisfy those who knew and loved the OG, but there are also hot newcomers: pickled bullhorn peppers stuffed with sauerkraut, and an LP’s pork and paprika sausage. And general manager Alice Tremayne’s Eastern European wine list encourages you to explore – Hungarian furmint, who knew? It’s great food (and drink), just as the coaster promised. – Lucy Bell Bird, national assistant editor

Izakaya Gaku, Five Dock

Opening a casual-leaning restaurant in the inner west is a bit out of a sidestep for chefs Shimon Hanakura and Haru Inukai. The duo have largely operated in the inner city, focusing on the finer side of dining with Gaku Robata Grill. They’re taking a more approachable direction at Izakaya Gaku, blessing Sydney with the only place to get kamameshi: a joyous little pot of chewy, crunchy, smoky, pack-a-punch rice. Go all-in with the lobster tail serve, where the meat effortlessly pairs with the Nagano rice. Match it with the pair’s indelible signature: Gaku ramen, one of the best bowls in Sydney. – Howard Chen, contributor

Kolkata Social, Newtown

Some people pull more than their weight making the world a better place. Take Shaun Christie-David’s Plate It Forward restaurants, social enterprises that employ mostly female refugees and migrants. That’s simply one good reason to visit his latest Newtown restaurant, Kolkata Social, but it’s not the only one. Firedoor alum Ahana Dutt is on the pans, cooking the Bengali recipes she learned from her mum Sharmila Basu Thakur.

The flavours delight, especially a barramundi in an silky, fragrant broth of smoked yoghurt and mustard oil. During opening week, Thakur worked the dining room, spreading her vivacious energy. Although she’s gone home to Kolkata, her spirit remains throughout the menu – and on the vibrant mural on the wall. – Pilar Mitchell, contributor

Mister Grotto, Newtown

Nailing one new venue is no easy feat. So when the Continental Deli team nailed three at once – Mister Grotto, Osteria Mucca and Flora; haloing their Australia Street stalwart – we were, just quietly, awestruck. They’ve never done things by halves, and this pescatarian’s dream sticks to the brief.

The food from former Saint Peter head chef Mans Engberg is elite – frothy bowls of meaty pippies with bright, floral cornbread! A tangle of raw cuttlefish and young coconut! Zippy sausage-stuffed shishito peppers, fried then rolled in chimichurri! But it’s the surrounds that make the Grotto really special. The ocean-blue walls are a museum of treasure collected by creative director Sarah Doyle: bright flags, wooden sea creatures and an impressive number of vintage hand-reels. There’s a flock of duck decoys and a Seafood of Australia map, painted especially by Michael Wholley. Sit at the bar, order the minty Fisherman’s Mojito and soak it in. – Grace MacKenzie, Sydney food and drink editor

Olympic Meats, Marrickville

Believe the hype. Trust the queues. Wait it out. It’s worth it. Olympic Meats starts getting busy the second it opens every day – whether you’re there for takeaway gyros or you’re hoping to score a table. But don’t take that as a sign to turn away. Take it as a sign to trust in the wisdom of the crowds. Double down. If you do, you’ll be treated to some of the finest grilled meats in Sydney right now – plus house-stretched filo (wrapping greens and feta, or custard for dessert), and salads and sides that punch well above their weight. Democracy was born in Ancient Greece. It’s only fair that Olympic has an egalitarian seating policy. So get in early and hope for the best. You won’t regret it. – Callum McDermott, Hot List editor

Osteria Mucca, Newtown

Candlelight. Crisp tablecloths. Shiny silver rings hugging heavy white napkins. Behind the forest-green doors of the old butcher’s shop cosied up to Continental Deli, a scene’s been set for a spectacular performance. By the time you’ve dragged bread through the oil leftover from a plate of puntarelle and mozzarella, gone all-in on the agnello alla griglia, and delighted at head chef Janina Allende’s perfect little gnudi, Mucca ’s magicked up your night. Then pastry chef Lauren Eldridge’s pretty little pea-green cassata arrives – the literal and proverbial cherry on top. – Grace MacKenzie, Sydney food and drink editor

Sippenham, Sydenham

Residents of Sydenham have patiently waited for a wine bar like Sippenham, where owners Nick Giannopoulos and Stephen Mandis have awakened a sleepy sliver of Unwins Bridge Road. The best mates have married bits of London nightlife to an inner-west sensibility, highlighted with their personal wrinkles. Mandis greets you like a long-lost friend, while Giannopoulos feeds you like a long-lost grandchild – all while deep cuts pump from speakers overhead. Paired with a glass from Lo-Fi’s wine list, the velvety beef shin lasagne will warm your winter bones. The sum of these parts has made Sippenham one of Sydney’s hardest seats to book. – Howard Chen, contributor

Honourable mentions

The Malaya ’s been serving Sydney for 63 years, pioneering Malaysian food. The secret to longevity? Staying nimble. When the city moves, it moves. Its third (and latest) address change takes the restaurant to a two-floor Harry Seidler-designed building in Martin Place, where there’s a new wine list and a showy curved space for that signature beef curry. Nearby, the Bentley boys opened old-school steak joint Eleven Barrack, a big part of the CBD’s flashy re-emergence. The mood is right, with the schmick service, beautifully executed food and precise wine lists they’re known for. Broadsheet ’s into the silver dish of ricotta dumplings, ready to dip into whipped cod roe.

By the water is the 10-seat Kombu Lab, where chefs ladle out bowls from a teeny four-dish menu. Two kelp-based broths deliver a clean, refined flavour – you only have to choose whether you’re going ramen or tsukemen, the Japanese dipping noodles.

With so many standout Sydney slices, the fact Hot List editor Callum McDermott still talks about Regina La Pizzeria should be all the encouragement you need to visit. There are three styles: one that’s both criminally crisp and impossibly fluffy; a deep-dish beaut; and one that comes out of Sydney’s only Fazzone.

The AP bread lords are doing the dinner thing, too. At AP Bread & Wine, AP-eritivo Hour delivers snazzy drinks, skewered and fried mussels, and the happiest meal (a Martini, fries and three oysters). But you could be swirling slicked-up spaghetti made from leftover sesame and fenugreek loaves, or getting into vol-au-vents and whopping dinner-coded sangas. All in a sandstone cottage in Darlo. – Grace MacKenzie, Sydney food and drink editor