Simple Pleasures: How To Dine Out To Dine In Better

I am a chronic host-er. The bliss of no booking restrictions, always Bringing Your Own and the sweet chaos of too many people in my apartment – heaven.

“Where should we go for dinner tonight? Should I just come to yours?” is more frequent than not in my messages. And it’s one of my favourites to receive. So you’re happy to catch up and I don’t have to leave the house? You’re going to bring some wine, and maybe a dessert, and all I need to do is cook pasta and open a bag of chips? I would have done that without you here, so consider it a deal.

In saying this, I also love dining out. A lot. There’s no washing up, no prep work, no “is it cooked?” drama. My favourite haunts have the right playlists, can’t-miss specials and endless Campari sodas on hand (without the need to wrangle an unreasonably difficult silicone ice mould). So whenever I’m hosting, I think of the places I love to dine out and how I can lasso that vibe and re-create it at home.

March takes the edge off the sun’s heat, without losing golden afternoons. There’s no time to waste, so ditch anything complicated: nothing ruins the vibe like a frantic, frazzled host (who leaves their guests side-eyeing each other, raising eyebrows over awkwardly sipped drinks).

Take the laid-back virtuosos at Cafe Freda’s : the music is vibe-y and fun, and the staff equally so. And that buzzy crowd feels much the same as neighbourhood street drinks – with better beverage options. This kind of simplicity is key to keeping your cool at home. Pre-batched just-add-soda Americanos in some late afternoon Sydney sun is all you need for a good time; you, and the Freda’s crew, know it.

Even if your own home doesn’t legally require you to serve food with alcohol, it’s always a good idea (for reasons my memory has tried to erase). Take another lesson in simplicity from the ones that know: the team at Enmore’s intergalactic space bar, Bar Planet. Toss together a big bowl of your own secret-spiced popcorn, liberally seasoned with Chinese chicken bouillon powder and cracked black pepper. Heard of a bag of chips? This works too (hello, Chappy’s habanero mango). Keep drinks breezy with pre-batched pours of the bar’s own signature Martini , or pull out your noughties milkshake maker and whizz up a Sgroppino.

Simplicity is the secret, evidenced in sun-soaked happy-hour Negronis on a Darlinghurst corner and paper bags plump with a spiced snack next to starry cocktails.

Gemma Plunkett is a Sydney-based dinner party tragic. She works as a food writer, recipe rambler, producer and content strategist. Find her (but mostly food) in pictures or fortnightly in your inbox via her newsletter Ding!