Dumplings & Beer

Simplicity is key at Dumplings & Beer, a tiny venue in the backstreets of Potts Point. The venue seats just 25, with only 14 items on the food menu. Which is shorter than the beer list.

Think classic barbeque pork buns, scallop and chive dumplings and soupy xiao long bao. Try spiced pork belly sliders with cucumber, shallots and Hoisin sauce, or pan-fried tofu with slow-roasted eggplant, black fungus and coriander in a Peking duck style wrap.

Co-owners Alex Ly and his sister Rose want to provide healthy, home-style cooking, so most dishes at this neighbourhood bar are lightly stir fried or steamed. The result is a place where you can relax and stay late into the night mixed with the more traditional dining options of a Chinese tearoom.

There are several varieties of tea on offer, and it wouldn’t be a Chinese restaurant if you couldn’t order a can of Sunkist. There are around 20 beers on offer, all selected to complement the flavour profile of the food, from Monteith’s Black Beer to Schöfferhofer longnecks. Make sure to pay attention to the dessert menu, too.

Dumpling & Beer's second location in Darlinghurst is much bigger, seating 60. Although serving up larger quantities, the restaurant's defining simple ethos and pared back menu remains.