Lattes arrive swirled with delicately sweet ube, banana ketchup jazzes up bacon and egg rolls, and toasties are stuffed with slow-cooked beef pares. And family-recipe adobo and tokwa especial are keeping it traditional.

George St Deli brings a slice of New York's bagel scene to Redfern. Tuck into a classic lox number packed with house-made cream cheese and smoked trout, paired with house-made lemonade. Then follow it up with a giant, chewy, double-choc-fudge cookie.

A cafe, deli and bakery serving up sangas and treats inspired by school canteens, country bakeries and other nostalgic Australian references. There's a big emphasis on native ingredients, plus you can grab pickles, condiments and more to take home.

A juice and salad bar giving new life to “ugly” produce destined for landfill.

A cafe that veers far from the usual script – like serving a croissant stuffed with fried chicken.

Head to this sunny corner cafe for a bacon and egg roll and a milkshake.

How many cafes run free personal training sessions for their customers?

Half classic cafe, half Vietnamese restaurant, with a tongue wedged firmly in cheek.

A slice of the Central Coast in the city.

Seasonal, Japanese-tinged breakfasts by former Bills head chef Kenny Takayama. Come for an exemplary katsu sando, comforting omurice, and sponge cake coated in a secret green tea mix (almost like a matcha lamington). Younger sibling Kentaro is also worth your time.

Sourdough, croissants, pies and more.

Naan sandwiches and brioche French toast in an underground bunker.

A temple of tea, with yum cha to match.

Combines the best of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines, from breakfast through to dinner.

A pleasant spot to while away an hour or two with a Campos coffee.

This breezy cafe is best enjoyed on a warm, sunny afternoon.

For coffee and a simple lunch, this closet-sized cafe hits the spot. You may want to look elsewhere if you're after something more involved.

A busy Redfern fixture with an exhaustive breakfast menu.

There are three styles here: one that’s both criminally crisp and impossibly fluffy, a deep-dish beaut, and one that comes out of Sydney’s only Fazzone oven.

This Mexican rooftop restaurant makes a strong case for hotel dining. Take the lift up for Margs and a gluten-free fare, like pork jowl sweetened with Coca Cola.

Island Radio brings the party to Redfern’s Wunderlich Lane precinct with culinary hits from Southeast Asia, resort-style cocktails and a killer soundtrack.

Olympus is a Greek restaurant fit for the Gods. Come for mountains of meze, plus drinks including Ouzo Coladas and watermelon slushies. The dining room – with its glass oculus ceiling and 50-year-old tree – is an instant classic.

A head-turning wine bar and diner by a team of friends who’ve done stints together at Ragazzi, Fabbrica, Yellow and more. Expect small plates, thick pastas and a big focus on nebbiolo.

A visit to Fontana is like taking a Mediterranean holiday. The menu is a love letter to regional Italian dishes, backed up by a thoughtful curation of natural wines and aperitivo. To find it, ascend the classic red-carpeted staircase between a Mexican diner and a kebab shop.

A two-level diner influenced by the nameless street food stalls that sit under overpasses in India. Visit for the classic pakoras and chai, then come back for the jaffles with potatoes and peanut chutney, and lentil stews.

Don’t let this sleek eatery fool you – it serves honest Mexican street-food including tacos, nachos and burritos stuffed with slow-cooked beef, chipotle or quesabirria with consomme. Pair those with a tart Margarita for the full experience.

A convivial neighbourhood spot for nostalgic French dining. There's no pretension here, just homey Gallic standards backed up by a cracking list of French wines from Burgundy and beyond. Find this gem on a tree-lined inner-city backstreet.

A neighbourhood diner celebrating native produce, while giving equal weight to invasive species such as rabbit and boar. Relaxed, inviting and decked out with Australiana touches, this is an essential Sydney restaurant.

The noodles are made fresh in-house every day and the ramen recipe is top secret.

The don bowls at this minimal diner are sophisticated versions of the classic Japanese comfort dish. But the real signature here is tea, from delicate senchas to tannin-heavy oolongs. Tasting notes and pairing suggestions will guide your palate.

A retro restaurant and bar from the team behind The Glenmore.

Sicilian-style pies made to a secret recipe. Not as thick as a Roman pizza, but not as thin and sloppy as Neapolitan either. La Coppola’s has a crisp base with a satisfyingly puffy and blistered edge. A small joint with big Italian heart.

The all-day diner opens early with pancakes and clarified Mimosas. Then it keeps things hot till midnight with classics like burgers and cacio e pepe. It’s all served under a spectacular artwork by Dinosaur Designs’ Louise Olsen.

Australia’s ascendant independent brewery has landed in the big city. Head over to the Redfern taproom for limited-range beers (and old favourites), hop Negronis, a late-night kebab menu and that old childhood classic, meatloaf.

Australia’s ascendant independent brewery has landed in the big city. Head over to the Redfern taproom for limited-range beers (and old favourites), hop Negronis, a late-night kebab menu and that old childhood classic, meatloaf.

This Australiana fever-dream is much more than a waiting room for downstairs neighbour Island Radio. Come for contemporary takes on retro cocktails and late-night Thai-Australian classics.

One of Sydney’s stalwart pubs has been revamped by an exciting hospo team – now it’s a place with killer cocktails, natty wines on tap and elevated pub-grub classics.

Sydney’s “al pastor king” is serving tacos out of a century-old pub – and we’re stoked about it. Come on Sundays for carne asada in the leafy courtyard, or head upstairs for drinks and disco till late.

This compact all-rounder constantly changes its menus, but its cocktails and Euro-inflected share plates are reliably excellent.

A Viking-themed cocktail bar and carvery joint from the Eau De Vie crew. Yes, it's just as outrageous as it sounds.

A gin bar that covers 200 years of cocktail history.

A small bar with an exhaustive range of rare and inventive beers.

This small bar is part of the community, located on Redfern's fringe.

An eccentric, yet neighbourly, watering hole.

The Beer Baron's scruffy yet inviting watering hole.

The Norfolk is one of Cleveland Street’s most enduring landmarks, serving punters in various guises since 1921. These days, it’s the best version of itself, with boutique accommodation, a bottle shop and a Spanish-inspired wine bar next door.

A colourful home for furniture made to withstand the Australian elements.

At this artisan gelateria on Regent Street, you'll find coffee, Italian cakes and – of course – excellent gelato.

An elegant homewares shop with beautifully crafted items from around the globe. Expect unique pieces for your home in ceramic, wood and glass. They’re made by both small Aussie and Japanese artisans, as well as globally known brands.

A delightful treasure trove of old and new.