The Mexican city of Oaxaca has strong Indigenous roots, but also wears its undeniable Spanish-Christian influences. Santa Catarina expresses the city’s duality by way of grand interiors, a fine dining-style menu, and the group’s signature sense of fun.

Oaxaca is also known for its definitive types of mole, and executive chef Manuel Diaz’s signature coloradito (red) mole takes five hours to make and has more than 50 ingredients. His entire menu achieves those Oaxacan flavours with Australian ingredients, across possible dishes such as chargrilled octopus tacos, market fish ceviche, and Blue Swimmer crab sopes.

Mezcal and tequila are at the heart of all Milpa Collective’s venues, but the the collection behind the rollicking bar is so extensive it’s housed in bookcases tall enough to warrant their own library ladder. You can choose to have a flight after dinner, or match your mezcal with your meal.

Milpa Collective’s Liber Osorio Pablo and Galindo Vargas have opened eight restaurants together in Sydney: La Palma, Calita, Carbon, Taqiza, Sonora, Casa Merida and Londres 126, as well as an eatery in the Mexico City neighbourhood Colonia Roma.