34 of the Hottest Dishes and Drinks in Sydney Right Now

The Hot List is the definitive guide to Sydney’s most essential food and drink experiences, updated weekly. Learn more.

One of the coolest things about going out to eat is seeing the outside world reflected on your plate. Rain messes with veggies’ growing seasons and yields. Water temperatures affect which fish are swimming around – and getting caught. And if a cold snap’s long enough, the weather can gaslight us all into thinking we actually like mulled wine for another year.

And Sydney’s bone-chilling (by Sydney standards) start to winter is dominating the menus – and trends – in kitchens throughout the city right now. This month, the most popular dishes in town – and on The Hot List – are all about comfort. Sunday roasts, braised meats and veggies, and cold-weather classics dominated.

Whether you’re checking out a new spot or want to see what’s new at an old favourite, these dishes will bust you out of the midwinter blues.

Double yellowfin tuna and swordfish belly bacon cheeseburger, Saint Peter – $36

“Our bestselling dish at the Saint Peter Bar, which is walk-in only, is the burger. We love this dish because it epitomises our philosophy of using the whole fish – and also viewing fish as meat. We use the trim from premium tuna served in the restaurant, mince it and form it into patties that are so meaty you won’t believe it’s not beef. The burger was just featured on Somebody Feed Phil on Netflix. Phil Rosenthal said it was his favourite ‘alt burger’ ever.” – Josh Niland, co-owner

Buttermilk soft serve, poached quince, caramelised white chocolate, Mister Grotto – $24

“This was created by Lauren Eldridge, head of pastry across all our venues on Australia Street. It continues to be our most ordered dessert. The house-made buttermilk soft serve is happy, fun and delicious. It’s currently served with poached quince and shards of caramelised white chocolate. It’s the perfect end to a Grotto meal.” – Mister Grotto

Oven-baked lamb shoulder with Greek yoghurt, The Apollo – $56 (small), $110 (large)

“Our bestseller and go-to is the lamb shoulder with Greek yoghurt. It’s a longstanding staple on the menu. It’s the perfect order for the cooler months, as our guests are after something a little more cosy. A side order of potatoes is a must!” – The Apollo

The Africola, PS40 – $18

“Our most popular drink has to be the Africola, and it has been for a few years now. It’s got Mr Black Coffee Liqueur, a native wattleseed cola we make, and a coconut foam. The secret ingredient is the contrast in temperature and texture – the bottom is freezing cold while the top layer is 70 degrees (Celsius). We encourage everyone to dive in and drink both layers at the same time. Everyone wants to be the one who introduced their friends to the Africola for the first time. We sold 1336 of them last month, and usually sell above 100 Africola on a busy Friday or Saturday night service.” – Michael Chiem, co-owner

The Happiest Meal, Happyfield –$38

“As always, the Happiest Meal was definitely our top seller this month, as it has been every day of every week since its inception. We’ve sold 2572 so far this month, and we sold 3156 for the month of May!” – Chris Theodosi, co-owner

Panna cotta lamington, Flour and Stone – $12.50

“We sell 2000 to 2500 panna cotta lamingtons monthly. It’s an irresistible lamington with a devoted following. A hint of patriotism might play a role in that, but we think the true magic comes from soaking our vanilla sponge in panna cotta overnight.” – Flour and Stone

Potato, whey, cured yolk, Jane – $16 ($20 with truffle)

“Our bestselling dish this June was a classic: our potato, whey and yolk. We sold almost 500 of these this June – that’s over 150 kilos of potato used. It’s crisp-edged layers of thinly sliced potato served with a rich whey and burnt butter sauce, finished with shaved, cured egg yolk. It’s the kind of dish that feels just right on a cold winter night.” – Jess Fricke, group operations manager

Bruléed Carnaroli rice pudding, Porteño – $18

“Our arroz con leche is a Porteño take on the traditional rice pudding. We use Carnaroli rice for its richness, layer in yuzu curd for a citrus edge, and finish it with a brulée iron for a smoky, caramelised top. As soon as one goes to a table, everyone else wants to give it a crack.” – Matt Fox, head chef

Chicken liver parfait, Randy’s – $17

“Our chicken liver parfait is made with mirin and shaoxing rice wine, served with sweet and sour currants. Mind-blowing and bold flavours. It’s remained on our menu since day one, and we can’t take it off due to popular demand.” – Andy Emerson, co-owner

Strauben, Paski – $18

“Our most popular new dish at Paski is the Strauben, a classic dessert from northern Italy near the Austrian border. It’s similar to an American funnel cake: batter is drizzled to order in a circular motion into hot oil, then served on apple and cinnamon mousse and topped with a berry compote. Every table is getting one these days. Not only is it delicious, but it also suits the weather perfectly – and it’s the perfect size for two people.” – Mattia Dicati, co-owner

Garlic bread, Fontana – $5

“The hottest seller for us is always the garlic bread. This month we sold 1175 of them. It’s garlic bread… It’s a bread roll that we get from the wonderful Andreas at Organic Bread Bar every morning. The bread is heated to order and pumped full of this deliciously pungent, caramelised garlic butter. Who doesn’t love a classic and simple little thing, done really well?” – Ivey Wawn, co-owner

Aodo rotlo with Chhas, Chatkazz – $21

“We currently have winter special dishes that have been hugely popular and in demand. The aodo rotlo has pearl millet, flatbread with smoky eggplant and cooling buttermilk – the perfect winter balance.” – Chatkazz

Chicken, avocado and finger lime sanga, Good Ways – $20

“Zesty, citrusy pops from the finger lime, creamy, nutty avocado paired with poached chicken on a house-baked ciabatta slathered in Pepe Saya butter. A modern Australian take on a classic sanga. Delicious.” – Tom Pye, co-owner

Morning roll, Superfreak – $16 ($20 with ham)

“Our morning roll has been the most popular dish in June – and every other month this year. We’ve sold over 400 in June, and over 3000 this year so far. It’s a herby spinach frittata, with jalapeno tequila relish, comté, watercress and mayo on a sourdough English muffin. It’s a refreshing alternative to the bacon and egg roll, but just as delicious and satisfying.” – Daniel Harrison, co-owner

Chicken curry, Lankan Filling Station – $68

“One of our bestsellers this month was our chicken dish. When we first opened, we always had a chicken curry on the menu. It was my mum’s recipe and it was hot, spicy, red and fragrant. Chicken, however, is a tricky thing to have on the menu, as sustainable sourcing means it can become quite expensive. But we’ve recently started buying direct from Tathra Place farm and have put a new version of our old dish on the menu. We cook a half deboned chicken on a hibachi and serve it sitting in a puddle of a variation of our original chicken curry sauce. There are a lot of our customers who expect us to have a chicken curry on, so it’s nice to have a version we like so much.” – O Tama Carey, owner

Roti du Dimanche, Chez Crix – $42

“This month our Roti du Dimanche (Sunday roast) has been the hottest item moving across the pass. We’ve sold out every Sunday. Last week’s was beef cheeks braised in Bordelaise overnight, accompanied by root vegetables and kale braised in vegetable stock and white wine. Served with mashed potato done the proper way, Bordelaise sauce and the illustrious Yorkshire pudding cooked in tallow. Our Sunday roast is normally a big hit, but this cold spell over the last few weeks has made it even more attractive to those looking for a winter warmer.” – Stephen Summerlin, sommelier

White Coral, Quay – part of the Quay experience set menu, $365 per person

“This is the most sought after – and photographed – dish on the tasting menu. The day before service, a mousse is spooned into a cream gun and given two hits of nitrous oxide. The aerated mix is then placed in the kitchen’s vacpac machine. As the air’s removed, the sponge-like form of the white coral appears, as if by magic. It’s then frozen. The next day, each piece is cut out of its container to order and bathed in liquid nitrogen. It emerges very fragile – the waiters have less than a minute to get it to the table before the dessert loses its delicate structure.” – Quay

Abalone cotoletta sandwich with parmesan garum dipping sauce, Attenzione – $24

“I’d say this little dish has brought the most smiles and happily surprised nods of approval since its inception a few months ago. It’s inspired by a fun little video where we asked our followers to come up with a two-ingredient concoction. Although this sits in our snack section, it’s commonly cut and shared between two. The abalone is tenderised, crumbed, fried and doused with sansho pepper. Then slid between two discs of fluffy white bread, loose leaf lettuce and an incredibly moreish parmesan garum dipping sauce topped with chive. It’s a little interactive, a little playful, but most of all just gosh darn delicious.” – Felix Colman, co-owner

Gundel palacsinta, Corner 75 – $20

“Originating in Budapest’s famous Gundel restaurant, this crepe has proliferated throughout Hungary – the restaurant still keeps its recipe secret, though. For this we use the same crepe we use for the hortobagyi palacsinta. It’s filled with a walnut paste of sugared walnuts, cream, rye whisky and orange. The crepe is then bathed in a boozy whisky chocolate sauce. Finished with candied walnuts cooked in butterscotch.” – Corner 75

Line-caught calamari, Firedoor – part of the current set menu, $225 per person

“Jarrod Day’s line-caught calamari is sliced paper-thin into delicate ribbons, served in a pork hock broth with a smoked quail egg yolk, tonburi, and charred brussels sprout leaves. It’s a dish that captures what we try to do at Firedoor, highlighting the quiet complexity of ingredients, with the fire bringing depth to every element. Being on the set menu, we served over 1500 portions this month alone. There’s something both nostalgic and new about it: the comfort of a warm broth, the intrigue of calamari prepared like noodles, the smokiness of the yolk.” – Firedoor

Salmon roe and egg sandwich, Ursula’s – $15

“The salmon roe and egg sandwich has been a guest favourite from the moment it hit our menu and it’s a great canape to start a meal. It came about when a friend of ours, who loves champagne and is also gluten-free, was coming in for dinner and I wanted something special for him to start. The slightly sweet biscuit, the egg-enriched mayonnaise and the salty pop of salmon roe all combine perfectly to accompany your favourite glass of bubbles.” – Phil Wood, co-owner

Spaghetti con pallottine, Postino Osteria – $37

“We sold about 320 of these in June, which was a pretty soft month compared to previous months! Our poor chefs have to hand-roll every single tiny little meatball. It’s been our go-to signature and guests’ favourite pasta dish since the opening. Rich and bright sugo, tender and delicious little meatballs, and perfectly al dente spaghetti. Kids love it, grown-ups love it – it satisfies every single Italian craving.” – Anna Pavoni, co-founder Maestro Hospitality

Rainbow trout with braised leeks and Lebanese zucchinis, Baba’s Place – $44

“This change to our seasonal fish dish is inspired by an Australiana classic – salmon fillets over the barbeque. The trout is cooked only on one side and with no bones. The fish finishes cooking on a warm sauce of braised leeks and Lebanese zucchinis finished in mussel and white wine stock. The entire dish manages to play off its oppositions and resolve in perfect balance.” – Baba’s Place

Wednesday pasta and wine special, Bar Freda’s – $30

“We re-introduced our Wednesday $30 pasta and wine special in June. When we had Cafe Freda’s, this was our most popular special, and this has carried through to Bar Freda’s. The space is nice and cosy this time of year and Ruby, our head chef, is doing some delicious specials like cacio e pepe; fettucine with ’nduja butter and chorizo; and gnocchi with pumpkin puree, sage, parmesan and pine nuts. You’d be hard-pressed to get a drink and a meal anywhere in Sydney for $30 these days, and Bar Freda’s is a nice place to settle in with friends during the week – outside of the hubbub that is the weekend.” – Dave Abram, co-owner

Porridge, brown sugar, poached pear, cranberry and hazelnut, Cafe Cressida – $16

“The porridge has always been a popular breakfast dish, and as the temperature’s dropped it has definitely come to the fore. My wife Lis always wanted us to have porridge on the breakfast menu and for good reason – it’s a great meal. We rotate fruit and nuts with the seasons, but it’s always served with brown sugar and a small amount of melted butter.” – Phil Wood, co-owner

Grassland chicken and pork dumplings in smoky broth, Ester – $42

“Our bestselling dish this month – outside of mainstays like our potato bread and blood sausage sangas – has been our Sommerlad chicken dumplings. We’ve sold 255 serves this month, 303 last month and 240 the month before. It’s full of intense smoky umami flavours that are satisfying and moreish – especially in the colder months. The rich and almost sticky broth adds a delicious texture that’s hard not to drink straight from the bowl.” – Honor McGrath, restaurant manager

Wild-caught carp with double burnt chilli herb salsa, Firepop – $36

“This dish has only just been introduced and every single person that has it absolutely loves it – 100 per cent hit rate. The carp’s texture is akin to silken tofu or crème caramel with a very clean flavour. The chefs meticulously fillet the whole fish. This removes the traditional barrier to enjoying carp – the notoriously complex bone structure – while telling a story of sustainability and discovery that challenges preconceptions about Australian seafood.” – Alina Van, co-owner

Ricotta hotcakes, banana and honeycomb butter, Bills Darlinghurst – $32.50

“This June we cooked over 6000 hotcakes for our guests. Fresh ricotta is the star of the dish, which we sourced from local Sydney cheesemakers Paesanella. The hotcakes have been our bestselling dish for most of the 32 years they’ve been on the menu – we think it’s partly because of their fuwa fuwa (Japanese souffle pancake) texture and their pairing with banana and honeycomb butter. And maybe because they also make people happy.” – Bills Darlinghurst

Applewood-smoked chicken, lentils, preserved lemon, chicken jus, 40 Res – $38

“It’s smoky, rich with the lentils, zesty from the lemon and finished with a rich whisky jus – a total winter warmer! Best paired with a glass of 2017 Brash Higgins ‘Bloom’ chardonnay or our house Martini – it’s our biggest-selling drink at the moment.” – 40 Res

Malaysian chicken sate skewers, Island Radio – $7 each

“Our Malaysian chicken sate skewers were the top seller in June, with 989 portions sold. They’re marinated for 24 hours in makrut lime leaf, galangal and Indonesian sweet soy, then grilled and brushed with a rich sesame satay sauce for a smoky, deeply flavoured finish. They’re served with crispy curry leaves, acar (Indonesian pickles) and a sesame satay dipping sauce. They’re a no-brainer way to kick off the meal – nearly every table orders a handful.” – Island Radio

Maremma duck pithivier, black garlic, Bennelong – $20

“Since temperatures have dropped, this has been the number one most ordered dish at Bennelong Bar. The ducks come from Maremma Free Range, (two hours’ drive) north of Canberra. They’re raised on green pastures guarded by Maremma sheepdogs, who protect the ducks from predators at night. The pie has become a winter staple and is often seen paired with a lovely glass of red.” – Bennelong

Fried chicken and toum sandwich, Mixed Business – $20

“We sell about 50 of the fried chicken and toum sandwiches in an evening. It’s a classic well-seasoned piece of brined chicken fillet that’s super crispy and loaded with plenty of house-made toum, and a piece of semi-sweet pickle on white bread. It gives maximum flavour per bite – especially if you’re familiar with Emma’s Snack Bar’s ‘punch in the face’ flavours. It’s a huge sanga – enough to share.” – Anthony Sofy, co-owner

Pink Pony Club, Earl’s Juke Joint – $24

“Pink Pony Club has been the top-selling drink on our regular menu since February – five months running! It’s house raspberry-infused vodka, Rhubi rhubarb mistelle, cardamom, citrus and – most importantly – glitter. It looks fun and doesn’t take itself too seriously. And instead of giving cloying confectionery, it’s surprisingly balanced, nuanced and refreshing.” – Earl’s Juke Joint

Crumbed prawn finger sandwich, AP Bread & Wine – $16

“Since the prawn finger sandwich came on it’s been the top-selling item on the new menu. It’s crumbed and fried prawn dipped in nanban and finished with a riff on a Japanese tartare sauce, sandwiched in AP’s own toasted shokupan. It’s available in the afternoons and on the dinner menu from Wednesday to Saturday.” – AP Bread & Wine

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