Where Chefs Eat: Sydney’s Best Snacks, According to 22 Top Chefs

Snack on and snack hard, Sydney – but do so with the help of our top kitchen talents. The following 22 bites are what some of the best in the biz run to when they need a quick bite.

Danielle Alvarez, Sydney Opera House

Oh, yes: Flour and Stone. Nadine [Ingram] is just amazing at having this, like, extreme variety. She makes it so hard to choose. I love it when she does cookies because I can just have one of those with a coffee – it’s a perfect little treat. But I can’t get past her cakes. They’re just heaven. The lemon dream? The one with meringue and lemon? It’s a big doorstop of a piece of cake.

Nik Hill, Porcine

I went to City Oltra the other night, and man they do that fish finger – a slice of the deep pan square tomato, with one white, one dark anchovy on it and a bit of parmesan. That rich red sauce. The dough they make gets lighter every time I eat it. They also do that deep-fried lasagne, which is super naughty.

Trisha Greentree, Fratelli Paradiso

The everything-bagel-sprinkle mochi at Ante. It made me smile first with the chew, then with the connection to the best bagel choice.

O Tama Carey, of now-closed Lankan Filling Station

One of my favourite little sweet snacks are the Emperor’s Puffs that you get in Dixon Street Mall [in Chinatown] from a hole-in-the-wall bakery. I hadn’t had them for ages but recently revisited and they were just as good as always. They are bite sized, scorchingly hot, with a beautiful soft – not overly sweet – dough with hot custard on the inside.

Peter Gilmore

I often go to Only Coffee in Crows Nest and then walk around the corner to Crescent Croissanterie to grab a Nutella and banana Danish.

Khanh Nguyen, King Clarence

I might be biased, but it’s the duck tsukune at King Clarence. Everyone orders (and loves) the fish finger bao, but the duck tsukune is where it’s really at. It starts with soft Japanese milk bread brushed with duck fat and clarified butter. On top sits the tsukune – a duck meatball shaped like a sausage, seasoned with spring onion, garlic and black pepper. Our version has water chestnuts folded through it for a bit of crunch, then it’s brushed with a sweet, sticky hoisin tare as it cooks.

The seasoning is inspired by nem nuong, a Vietnamese grilled pork sausage I grew up eating, so there’s a lot of nostalgia in it for me. It’s finished with a ridiculously addictive sauce made from peanut butter, American mustard, pickled chilli and ketchup, plus some grilled onions for that Bunnings sausage sizzle vibe. To seal the deal, it’s served with an egg yolk in sweet-and-sour soy on the side for dipping.

Toby Wilson, Ricos Tacos

I’m loving the wave of onigiri joints that have been opening up recently. When I was at The Norfolk, Mogu Mogu was just down the road and made for a pretty good pre-service snack.

Brendan Pang

Hotteok from a Korean street stall around Strathfield – they’re chewy, gooey and nostalgic. I also love barbeque skewers (especially cumin lamb or chicken) in Burwood Chinatown in the late afternoon, eaten standing up.

Annita Potter, Viand

Definitely a cheese toastie from Penny’s Cheese Shop up in Potts Point. Let’s be honest, what’s not to love about four cheeses melted together in crispy golden bread?

Paul Farag, ex-Aalia

I recently ate at Cafe Paci again and the beef tongue taco is absolutely rocking. I could smash so many of these little guys. It’s served on a rye tortilla, with smoky beef tongue and sauerkraut.

Andy Hearnden, aka Andy Cooks

I do love a good Portuguese tart, and Tuga Pastries is close to my studio so that has become my favourite treat.

Ozge Kalvo, Olympus

During the lockdown period, I became addicted to AP Bread’s Aleppo pepper and asiago scroll.

Cam Votano, The Bat & Ball

During the renovations at the Bat & Ball, we would stop at Good Ways Deli religiously on our way to Bunnings. That display cabinet of both sweet and savoury breads got us through some of the tougher mornings, that’s for sure. The development of their bread game has always impressed me and the Vegemite scroll is a favourite – especially first thing in the morning when it’s straight out of the oven.

Christine Manfield

You’ll be able to tell where I hang out from all these suggestions I’m giving you. I love the pork and prawn dumplings with crispy chilli oil at TBC by Grape Garden, on Bayswater Road in Kings Cross. The spicy dan dan noodles – a bowl of that is just perfect for dinner for me. If I’m just by myself, I’ll have a plate of dumplings, but it’s great if you can go with a few friends and share. The roast duck’s pretty good.

Neil Perry, Margaret, Cafe Margaret, Gran Torino and Pizzeria Sotto

It’s not really a snack but I love a bowl of ramen at Chaco Ramen on Crown Street. Chicken chilli coriander is my go-to.

Lizzie Hewson, Saturday Night Pasta

The scallop-stuffed potato scallop at Cafe Paci – is it still on there? I don’t know but I dream about it. In fact, all of Pasi’s snacks are so, so tasty. His beef tongue tacos need a mention while we’re here. It’s one of my favourite restaurants in Sydney (along with Firedoor and Ante if you asked). [Editor note: the scallop-stuffed potato scallop regularly comes on and off the menu at Cafe Paci.]

Josh Niland, Saint Peter and Fish Butchery

The potato bread at Ester is a timeless masterpiece.

Lennox Hastie, Firedoor and Gildas

If I’m [at work], Sang by Mabasa. I’ve been there for dinner quite a few times but the lunch is actually a simplified version, really quick and easy as well. Super delicious. Again, really tiny place. Family run: Kenny [Yong Soo Son] and his partner [Youmee Jeon], parents in the kitchen. It’s always fresh, it’s always good.

Alessandro Pavoni, Ormeggio at The Spit, A’Mare, Pizza’Mare, Postino Osteria, Cibaria and Vineria Luisa

Pino’s Dolce Vita in Kogarah. When I stop by to buy things for the restaurants, I love to have a couple of slices of salami or something they are trialling.

Big Sam Young, S’More and Young’s Palace

I would go to Marrickville Pork Roll. My order is the classic pork roll with two extra meatballs (it just makes the whole experience much juicier).

Michaela Johansson, Aplenty

For a low-key snack: North Bondi RSL for post-swim wedges and a Stone & Wood. Or, if we're talking fancy snacks, I love Fontana in Redfern. The baccala crostini is so good – I can’t ever stop at snacks there, and always end up just having a full-blown meal.

Giovanni Pilu, Pilu at Freshwater and Flaminia

Pilu’s carasau bread with pecorino when I’m at work.