• First look: Standout Mexican joint Maiz reopens in the old Hartsyard space, bringing a fresh fit-out and five kinds of Margarita. It’s the best and most confident we’ve seen Maiz, and the most corn-heavy menu in Sydney right now.
• First look: Poketto, a new Japanese-inspired cafe from the Kurumac team, is open now in Chippendale. Head in for cod roe toasties and confit-fish-topped shokupan – plus a succinct cocktail menu.
• First look: Tanuki, the shapeshifting Japanese joint from the Matteo team, is open in Double Bay. Will you perch at the raw bar for sake and flame-grill action? Or will you kick back in the courtyard, under a decades-old liquidambar, with a Saketini and a sando? Tough decisions lie ahead.
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SIGN UP• Le Salle Dining is now open, and it’s the spot for a spectacular evening of fine plates and small-batch wines, from a team of just two. The only catch is some planning is required: Le Salle opens by reservation only, at 24 hours’ notice.
• First look: Marrickville has a new brekkie stop – complete with breakfast dogs, Brickfields pastries and a nostalgic milk-bar fit-out. Head to Pelican for a friendly feed overlooking Steel Park.
• Find a pretty line-up of Japan-made cheesecakes at Letao’s first Sydney store. One silky treat – stocked up with rich Hokkaido milk and sent to Australia monthly – sells every 10 seconds in Japan. Now it’s our turn.
• Bei Bar & Bistro, from the team behind Darling Point institution Bei Amici, is the spot to stop in Taylor Square. There’s a hibachi grill, China Doll alums on drinks and a bowl of pasta that’s already adored.
• First look: Gaia Gelato is open in Randwick, and scooping standout pastel-hued flavours like peach and basil. It’s only been open a fortnight but it’s already a hit with locals.
• Now open: Yana heats up Coogee with two storeys of flame-powered dining – expect whole roasted barramundi and one-kilo steaks, and a dessert usually saved for camping. Try your luck for a seat on the tiny upstairs balcony, for a spritz overlooking the buzzy main drag.
• First look: Climb a set of sweet pink steps on Crown Street to Cafe Ellu, the terrace-house cafe with crème brûlée French toast, $10 avo toast and a winning matcha.
• It’s third time around for the West Juliett team, who’ve returned to Marrickville with Agnes. The cafe is stocked full of house-made goods – like tomato galettes and cinnamon scrolls – and there’s a ripper roll call of sandwiches on fresh-baked focaccia. Plus, the famous pink-salt chocolate-chip cookies have also made a comeback.
• Now open: The fine-dining pros from Lumi are firing up the pizza oven at Avoja, the laid-back northern beaches newbie serving Neapolitan pies with double-fermented bases.
• First look: A surfing sumo has barrelled onto King Street, peddling organic matcha, loose-leaf teas and teaware from Japan at Edo Matcha.
• Now open: At Ogni, two Masterchef alums are playing with fire and smoke to deliver “borderline sacrilegious” pan-Asian dishes.
• First look: Head to Darling Square’s latest arrival Kuki – a spin-off from deep-fried ice-cream joint Duo Duo – for soft serve and just-baked cookies.
• First look: Barrel One brings its signature New York-style bagels to Lane Cove – along with its house-roasted coffee. Plus, there are cheese toasties made in collaboration with Melbourne’s Maker & Monger and cinnamon-dipped crumpets.
Additional reporting by Lucy Bell Bird, Lucy Brewer, Aimee Chanthadavong, Dan Cunningham, Jasmine Crittenden, Eish Karageorgiou, Callum McDermott, Pilar Mitchell.