The Ones That Got Away: New Bars and Restaurants the Broadsheet Sydney Team Missed in 2023

Thanks to this job, my 2023 dining-out escapades were stronger and more frequent than any other years gone by. There were tight parcels of potato scarpinocc at Palazzo Salato and slurps of cheung fun in Zetland; green, lemon-topped paella by the beach, zippy mandarin seltzers in Marrickville and a summery mochi sorbetto I kept thinking about. But there’s a limit to the eating out and I, honestly, probably reached mine a few months ago.

Alas, there are places to go! And Anglo-Indian joints to hit! A wine bar in the mountains and more than one plate in Byron I’m heading north to. While the dining was far-reaching and very delicious this year, I and the Broadsheet Sydney team didn’t quite make it to all the spots we wanted to – these are those spots. See you in 2024.

Babs, Enmore
Clam Bar, Le Foote and Bar Copains seemed to be the names on everyone’s lips this year. But there was this other restaurant in Enmore I also kept hearing about. A friend had gone with a friend. The service was spectacular. The steak, my god, the steak! The only problem was, literally no one could tell me what it was called. I knew it had to be Babs. I’ve missed every pop-up so far – but I’ll be damned if I miss the next one.
– Dan Cunningham, directory editor

Kwang Jang Pocha, Haymarket
Street dining, soju bombs, sliced pork belly with crispy, spicy chive salad – honestly, you had me at all of the above. Inspired by the street food markets that come alive at night in Seoul, Haymarket’s latest addition looks perfect for a night out with friends – one where you order a heap of dishes and share them all. Due to all the fancy silly-season events, I haven’t been able to visit, but when I do I’ll be taking my partner Niall and best friends Gemma and Elliot – aka my Sydney Eaters crew. We’re hungry for it, and keen!
– Claire Booth, national sales director

Famelia, Newtown
Famelia is my first cab off the rank in 2024. Yes, I want to sip a juicy orange wine in the window seat, but I also really want the snacks: Alvia's egg dip, the pickled mushies and a serve of black-truffle-and-squid-ink salami, please and thank you. It feels like the perfect gateway into a night at The Trocadero Room once the sun sets – another spot to tick off the list next year.
– Alice Jeffery, shopping editor

Le Foote, The Rocks
As a Hubert happy hour regular, a Shady Pines peanut addict and a fangirl of the just-opened Caterpillar Club, I am ashamed to admit that I have not yet set foot in Swillhouse’s Le Foote. I wish I could say that I haven’t been able to secure a booking, or the right occasion just hasn’t popped up. But if I’m being totally honest, it’s because, well, it's located in The Rocks. Case in point: there are the tourists and the fear of being stranded because an Uber won’t drive down a pedestrian-only street. But next year is a new year and I plan to stride through the hustle and bustle for that famed cheese pie.
– Hollie Wornes, social media editor

Joe’s Table, Darlinghurst
When Broadsheet editor Lucy Bell Bird announced that, hands-down, Joe’s Table was her favourite restaurant, I knew I had to try it. It seems almost unbelievable that a Thai restaurant, in the heart of Sydney, is run entirely by one. Front of house, waiter, dishwasher, head chef: it’s just Joe. My dad’s a chef, so I recognise the hard work that goes into running any restaurant, let alone one on your own – so this is top of my list for 2024. I’ll be taking my housemates and we’ll be ordering the Hanoi-style crispy chicken spring rolls with punchy nuoc cham and fragrant fresh herbs, as well as (probably two plates of) the doughy dumplings with garlic and chive filling that come swimming in a chilli, ginger and soy sauce. See you in the new year, Joe!
– Camille Repellin, senior sales and partnerships manager

Derrel's
There’s a lot of dinner envy that wafts around the Brodsheet office, and while my bank account balance and I can make peace with the fact I’m not hitting up Bar Copains, Amorica or Aria every other day, I cannot for the life of me understand why I still haven’t been to Derrel’s. It’s BYO, cheerfully decorated and packed to the brim with approachable Anglo-Indian cuisine served on colourful child-safe plates. And it’s open till 2am – making it hands down the best place for a late-night feed on a stretch of Paramatta Road that previously only offered a sticky kebab shop and a solitary Maccas. Meet you all at Derrel’s in Jan.
– Lucy Bell Bird, national assistant editor

Clam Bar, CBD
Honestly, with so many upscale openings this year, it's hard to be able to afford them all. And also... reservations are tough. But I have to hit the Clam – everyone says it’s one of the best and well worth the hype. I’ll be getting the baked vodka rigatoni.

And because the openings don’t stop, Nomidokoro Indigo from late 2022 is still on my list. It’s just a li’l spot, so if you want to sit inside you need a reservation, otherwise it’s outside seats for walk-ins. Timings haven’t worked out for me to catch it, but with summer here I don't have any excuses.
– Lauren Murray, sales and partnerships manager

Frankie & Mo’s, Blackheath
I love a road trip. I love natty wine. I love small snacky plates. So the fact I haven’t snaked out into the mountains for a fun time at this father-and-son-owned wine bar bums me out. I’ll be grabbing some mates, jumping in the car and making a beeline for a glass of whatever Bob says is best and a bowl of house-made pasta (hopefully this one).
– Grace MacKenzie, Sydney food and drink editor