Snack Bar: Happyfield’s Marrickville Takeover and More Local Food News This Week

What’s on around town

• Lennox Hastie is collaborating with Scottish home cook and author Ali Stoner – aka Roving Haggis – at his Basque wine bar Gildas on Tuesday October 13. The five-course meal takes inspiration from the recipes of Stoner’s new cookbook Scran, so expect a cheffy touch given to tattie scones, porridge focaccia and rumbledethumps, plus a black pudding “grillda”, lamb shoulder and more. Bookings essential, $135 per person.

• Butterboy is opening two new Sydney stores in spring. First up is Macquarie Centre on September 26, before a kiosk pops up in Westfield Miranda from early October till summer’s out. Plus, expect new Frosty Flakes to join its cereal range. 

• Local roaster Single O has revamped its Parachutes range. The drip bags (which are ace to keep in your desk drawer) now have a faster brewing time while retaining the same depth of flavour) and are now available in a four-part line-up: two blends, two single origins. The team has also added Collider, ideal for milky coffees, to the range, as well as an ever-changing pair of single origins. Nab the Multichute box to try a mix.

• The World’s Best Wine Lists Awards were announced this week, with Aussies taking out four places. The Grill at The International won the mid-sized wine lists category, and sibling venue Shell House placed in the best organic wine list category. By the harbour, Bennelong was the runner-up in Best Local Wine List. 

• There is just over one week left of Suntory’s takeover of CBD basement bar Sakura House. Head in between now and October 3 for bespoke cocktails, konbini-inspired snacks and a stocked vending machine.

• There are excellent Bloody Marys around Sydney, but not many garnished with a spice bag. You’ll find that hangover-kicker at The Gopher in Manly, where the house Bloody Mary can be spiked with spice bag sauce – and then garnished with fried chicken and chips.

• Cantina OK launched its latest cocktail menu, a three-parter titled Potion. Scoot down the laneway to slurp things like the Shindig OK, a tequila-fuelled fizzy pour with cherry and coconut.

• Happyfield is taking over Messina’s Marrickville car park next month, bringing short stacks of pancakes, fried chicken, burgers and the “ribwich”. The limited edition sanga special sees a white roll stuffed with braised pork, smoky barbeque sauce, pickles and sweet cipollini onions. Plus, diner-style sundaes made in collaboration with Messina. RSVP for more updates. October 9 & 10, from midday till late.

• First Cook: Gemma Plunkett returns with a simple, excellent trio of recipes from Byron-based home cook Carter Were’s new book. Find a few tricks for next-level steak and lemony roast potatoes. 

• New harbourside all-dayer Winnie’s, next door to Opera Bar, has just added Cherry Moon’s baked goods to its line-up. The Annandale bakery’s outstanding cinnamon scrolls, honey cake (made with honey harvested on-site at the Opera House) and choc-chip cookies are now served with harbour views.

• Hit Surry Hills brewery Yulli’s on Wednesday September 30 for the final Turkish menu takeover, in collaboration with chef Ayse Moonen. The set menu is $48, and Oncum Yilmaz will be DJing. Bookings encouraged for sittings at 6pm and 8pm.

• Top destination diner Zin Food & Wine House calls final service. But there’s still time to dine at the kitchen-garden restaurant, and the bakery will live on. 

What we covered this week

• Bar Lira, Stanmore. The Sixpenny team is opening a Euro wine bar, just 140 metres up the road from one of Australia’s finest dining rooms.

• Burek Brothers, Rockdale. The beloved burek shop is bigger than ever – now with room for Macedonian doughnuts. Go early, they sell out.

• Ursula’s chef Phil Wood has joined a major hospitality group, led by a restaurateur who’s “prepared to invest seriously in hospitality”. The news comes just four months after he closed his cherished Paddington restaurant.

• A Moment For: a new Sydney wine bar opens with a cheesy short rib sandwich, and plenty of rare Italian bottles.

• Bistro Baptiste, Redfern. The old Bar Julius site will soon become the Apollo team’s new bistro where you’ll find “light-touch” French cooking, house-baked baguettes and French fries as thin as matchsticks. 

• Where Chefs Eat: 12 top chefs share their go-to noodle spots (and what they order). 

• Mishy’s, Surry Hills. This little restaurant has been quietly doing its own thing for three years. It’s adored by tight-knit locals and tourists alike, despite flying under the radar for many Sydney diners.

You might’ve missed

• Four new Sydney cafes. Spring is here and so is a flash little coffee van, a sibling for a Petersham favourite, a Marrickville outpost for a local roaster, and a new kid with pineapple buns.

• Razzie’s, CBD. This newcomer is powered by memories of In-N-Out Burger and LA-style chilli dogs. Visit for surprisingly juicy smash burgers and proper chilli con carne.

• Eggette, Haymarket. This new spot is for extra-crisp Hong Kong egg waffles filled with choc chips, red bean and classic Hong Kong flavours like Ovaltine, Milo and Horlicks.