13 To Book: December Restaurant, Bar and Cafe Openings Finish the Year Hot

• Happy Shop might just be Sydney’s happiest opening of the year. Definitely of December. The bright, charming space is fighting those corner-bending Happyfield queues with sugar-dusted beignets, chopped cheese sangas and new brekkie muffins.

• Northern beaches favourite Winona Wine crossed the bridge, setting up shop in Rozelle. Head in for lo-fi wines, craft beers and boutique spirits, plus snacks, glassware and more nice things for your home, and weekly tastings on the house.

• Stanley Street’s new wine bar opens with $15 pours, pig’s head croquettes, a dish that nods to an old Bar Vinny fave – and big Bordeaux energy.

• I cannot imagine the battery shop to bakery pipeline is particularly strong. But that all changes with Ard, which just added choc-topped baklava and Lebanese-leaning sweets to a Stanmore corner. It’s closed till the new year, but will be worth the wait.

• Huh, there’s a secret soft-serve joint behind Tokyo Lamington?

• Penelope is a teeny beachside micro-bakery – with big cinnamon scrolls. Plus, a 72-hour-fermented bread program, house-roasted coffee and thousands of buns going to one of Sydney’s top burger spots.

• At Watermans, the Bentley duo are keeping things “light, clean, delicious”.  Together with the Barzaari chef, they’re dressing up dishes from the eastern Med, like Cypriot lountza, tight-wrapped dolma and golden fried musakhan chicken.

• At the bigger, better Yeodongsik, there’s more space for hangover soup, perilla noodles and a bibimbap you’ve likely never seen before.

• The “world’s best pizza chain” arrives in Sydney. The 155-year-old Naples pizzeria was made famous by Eat, Pray, Love. Now it’s the newest contender in Sydney’s pizza scene. Is it love?

• AP Bakery gets straight to the point in the old Small’s Deli space with cream puffs, bread, muffulettas and an excellent veggie sanga that’s big on Al Green vibes. We love to see it.

• Lode arrives in Rozelle with dine-in brekkie plates, bread and its beloved pastry program.

• An AP Bakery x Cicerone collab resurrects an iconic Sydney corner with king-size New Haven-inspired slices. Plus, frozen Spicy Margs, swirls of soft-serve and a dipping sauce first seen at Ester.

• With Flaminia, the Pilu team anchors in Circular Quay with harbour views, an exceptionally tasty mozzarella in carrozza, a crudo bar and fried custard cream.

Additional reporting by Ben Hansen, Alice Jeffery and Lee Tran Lam.