All the New Sydney Restaurant, Cafe and Bar Openings We Got Excited About in December, 2023

• First look: The Waratah is jazzing up a Darlinghurst corner with colourful Australiana-inspired cocktails, a menu from Icebergs executive chef Alex Prichard – hello, scallops squared – and a wraparound verandah prime for sunny arvos.

• Chip butty or salad sanga? Petersham’s new parkside and poolside cafe Splash has both. It’s from the Soulmate crew, and it’s got high doses of summertime nostalgia.

• First look: Khamsa Palestinian Eatery has found a new home in St Peters. Head into the casual inner-west spot for falafel, fried cauliflower and stuffed wraps – alongside new menu items like makloubeh, sayadieh and kofta (the once-vegan cafe now serves meat).

• The Bentley Group launched CBD diner King Clarence – with star chef Khanh Nguyen ( ex-Sunda, Aru ) and a grill that was built especially for world-famous Danish fine-diner Noma. Expect fish finger bao that riff on a Maccas Filet-o-Fish among a line-up of dishes that are broadly Korean, Chinese and Japanese.

• First look: it’s Southern Lebanese sweets and French pastries at Sweet Beirut , the double-decker sweet shop just opened in Bexley. Think along the likes of mafroukeh – buttery semolina topped with clotted cream, buts and orange-blossom syrup.

• First look: behind a CBD door masquerading as a banh mi cart, Vinabar is pumping out cocktails laced with Vietnamese fruits, sour mango will chilli salt and baby banh mi till 2am.

• It’s always family night at Mami’s Casa Latina , the Bondi eatery where nothing is more than $20. Five different tacos, nachos and $10 quesadillas await – but pop to The Royal Hotel’s bottle-o for a discounted bottle of booze before you head in.

• Now open: Maia Cafe is the royal-blue neighbourhood gem Lewisham needed. Sit at the suburb’s first filter bar for house-roasted seasonal blends and single origins – ideal alongside pastrami-stuffed sandwiches and croque monsieurs smothered in Swiss cheese.

• The team behind Old Mate’s Place have gone for round two, opening a subterranean bar to their rooftop original. Old Love’s is the basement rum den where seasonal fresh fruit Daquiris are crowned champion. There are rums from all over the world, and one super-rare spirit that costs $2100 a shot.

• Hot on the heels of Le Foote, Swillhouse adds The Caterpillar Club to its impressive stable. It’s a jazzy, underground cocktail bar and lounge (in a former strip joint), and we think it’ll be your next favourite.

• Now open: Marani Deli , a nostalgic provisions store in Newtown from an ex-Cafe Paci chef. Bring your own vessel to this homey corner spot to fill with golden Victorian-made olive oil, grab sliced-to-order salumi and house-made rolls – and on select Saturdays, fresh oysters.

• Kirrawee has welcomed Smalls Cellar a boutique bottle-o stocking cult Italian wines and local natties. Here, wines aren’t chosen by a somm, but simply someone who loves a good drop. Swing by on Thursdays and Fridays for a tasting, before nabbing something snazzy.

• Balmain’s 150-year-old boozer The Dry Dock is back and better than ever (read: with an ex-Rockpool chef on the pans and a charming new fit-out). Lounge in a Chesterfield with a prawn cocktail and a Martini, or laze away in the plant-filled dining room with a beer in hand.

• Now open: find leopard-crust pizzas sporting cacio e pepe sauce at The Pizza Bros , the brother duo firing pies atop a party-starting Erskineville pub. Marty McFly and Joey Pepperoni (yes, their legal names) have taken over a shiny gold-tiled woodfire oven on The Imperial Hotel’s rooftop, marking the pair’s first permanent location.

Additional reporting by Dan Cunningham, Jasmine Crittenden, Callum McDermott, Pilar Mitchell and Hollie Wornes.