Three To Try: The Best Mexican Restaurants on The Hot List Now

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Sydney’s Mexican restaurant scene is a testament to the cuisine’s versatility. Mexican fare in this city has found its place in rollicking bars, hole-in-the-wall takeaway joints and polished rooftop restaurants. And it feels at home in all these settings. Right now, there are dozens of venues dishing up excellent Mexican. These three Hot Listed restaurants are among our current favourites.

Olotl, Newtown

Opened initially as a weekend-only taqueria above Campos Newtown, Olotl moved into its permanent home in 2025. Now, people come here for the signature mole verde taco – featuring a 31-ingredient mole of nuts, chillies and veggies – as well as birria beef tacos and braised shiitake mushroom quesadillas.

Olotl is the Aztec word for the “heart” of the corn, it refers to the concept of a soul or driving force that animates living beings. For the family-run team here, that driving force is the passing of knowledge and sharing of food and culture – and you can taste it in each of the 600 masa tortillas that are rolled here every weekend.

There are also very limited quantities of tamales on Saturday and Sunday mornings – but book in advance, these sell out almost immediately.

Lottie, Redfern

Dining at Lottie makes you feel like you’re on holiday. The Mexican restaurant (which sits on top of The Eve Hotel) might have inner-city views, but the polished fit-out and lush plants scream vacay. The courtyard restaurant is dusted pink, with a giant marble bar for walk-ins, and travertine walls.

The setting says linen shirt, the bar menu says tequila and agave – with dozens of options. The Lottie Margarita with tromba blanco tequila, espadin mezcal, Cointreau and lime is a staple here – and just $15 at happy hour.

Lottie’s food menu is share-friendly and offers plenty of gluten-free dishes. Standouts include roast chicken in Sinaloa marinade and goat barbacoa. Tortillas are available to order individually to scoop up remaining sauces, and they arrive in a heat- and moisture-retaining leather sleeve.

El Primo Sanchez, Surry Hills

El Primo is your friend who is always up for a good time. The one who is responsible for both your Friday morning headache at the office and some of your favourite memories. The popular Paddington venue moved to its new Crown Street home in 2025, and it’s even more of a fiesta than before.

The food menu is short and snacky – think tostadas and cheeseburger tacos – as well as chicken empanadas if you’re in the mood for something larger. But the point here is the drinks list. There’s a significant selection of house cocktails and highballs, as well as some Mexican twists on classics.

If spirits are more your thing, there’s a 20-page menu dedicated to tequila. Once you’ve had enough of that, booking the four-person karaoke room sounds like a great idea – and it is – just don’t forget your “tequila passport”, El Primo’s personal logbook for, and travel guide to, your favourite drops.

The Hot List is proudly sponsored by Square. 

Additional reporting by Callum McDermott, Monique Foy, Grace Mackenzie and Howard Chen