Where Chefs Eat: Mister Grotto’s Head Chef Says These Are Sydney’s Best Mango Pancakes

Mister Grotto – the slick, detail-oriented spot by the Paisano and Daughters crew – is a rare thing: a seafood restaurant where the stakes are high but the vibe is casual, with an approachable pricepoint to match. Head chef Måns Engberg is one of Sydney’s leading proponents of sustainable seafood cookery, focusing on nose-to-tail techniques and leveraging connections from his four years at Saint Peter to source directly from local fishermen. Highlights from his evolving menu include shishito peppers stuffed with yellowfin bloodline sausage, and line-caught albacore tuna wrapped in nori and served with sudachi ponzu, lovage and shiso leaf.

Raised in the lakeside town of Leksand in central Sweden, Engberg developed his sustainable, whole-animal approach at Parisian neo-bistro Au Passage before moving to Australia, where he worked closely with Josh Niland, then joined the Ace Hotel’s seafood- and veg-focused Kiln. After that, Engberg told us the move to the “flexible” and ambitious kitchen at Mister Grotto was “a no-brainer”. Alongside Elvis Abrahanowicz, the Swedish chef also leads the kitchen at the New York-style Joe’s Tavern.

Go-to takeaway spot
“I don’t really get much takeaway, but either Bella Brutta or Westwood is probably the most visited by me – two very different types of pizza, but always spot on.”

For lunch on the go
“Lately, I’ve been getting the banh mi from Booth Street Bakery in Annandale. It’s so good!”

Favourite snack
“A dozen Sydney rock oysters at the bar in Mister Grotto!”

Date-night spot
“Cafe Paci. Great atmosphere and the menu changes frequently, which makes it exciting to come back to often.”

For sushi
“A casual but really good one is Sushi-Mori in Surry Hills. They have a great and extensive tuna selection.”

Special-occasion dining
“My all-time favourite restaurant in Sydney, Sean’s in Bondi. It is perfect for dinner or lunch, in my opinion, seasonal and extremely delicious cooking. It’s also BYO if you have a special bottle of wine to take with you.”

Go-to coffee spot
“Gumption Coffee in the Strand Arcade, but I rarely venture into the CBD these days. Artificer is probably most visited by me – it’s equally good.”

For a burger
“Can I be biased and say Joe’s Tavern? It really is that good. After that, I would say the Wagyu cheeseburger at 20 Chapel in Marrickville. They don’t always have it available, so you might need to ask nicely at the bar.”

Best noodles
“Flat egg noodle laksa from Happy Chef in Haymarket. Very soothing and comforting, many different ways to go about it. I usually just get the puffed tofu and vegetable combination.”

Favourite yum cha
“Palace Chinese on Castlereagh Street is great. They have the best mango pancakes, in my opinion.”

Go-to pub
“It will have to be a tie between Lord Wolseley in Ultimo and Shakespeare Hotel in Surry Hills. They are both proper pubs with no frills – plus, they are dog-friendly.”

For a drink and a snack
“I have to mention 20 Chapel again. I go there by myself and have a Negroni followed by a burger and a beer. It’s the perfect quick countertop meal.”

Best spot for a long lunch
“Fratelli Paradiso in Potts Point is beautiful for a long Sunday lunch. Fried calamari, all of the pastas of the day, and steak with sides.”

For a meal with a big group
“I recently visited Golden Oceans Chinese in Beverly Hills. It has a very good live seafood offering, including local longfin eel that we got cooked two ways: fried and then hotpot-style.”

For something sweet
“I’m a sucker for ice-cream. The chocolate sorbet, pistachio gelato and whatever special they have from Mapo on King Street is my go-to.”

Grocery shopping
“I get fruit and vegetables from Galuzzo in Glebe, a small, independent shop with seasonable produce. For day-to-day groceries, it’s the closest Harris Farm to me, in Marrickville.”

Most underrated restaurant in Sydney
“Sang in Surry Hills is incredible. Kenny and his family are probably the most generous restaurateurs in Sydney. You always leave so happy … I wish I could eat their food every day.”

Bucket-list restaurant
“The one that I’m most obsessed with at the moment is Mi Compa Chava in Mexico. I just know I would have the best time there eating different kinds of seafood and drinking Micheladas.”