Merivale’s good-times Mexican joint is home to the tacos secreto, where the filling is a surprise until it hits your table. Secreto or not, every taco here is wallet-friendly. But we recommend the DIY platters – they’ll give you even bigger bang for your buck.
A handsome brasserie-style spin-off by the team from Arthur Restaurant. It’s primed for casual afterwork drinks and snacks with a sharing menu focused on zero-waste.
Noisy, spicy and lots of fun – just like the original in Melbourne. Follow the pink-neon bunny to GoGo bar for cocktails, then head to the buzzy dining room proper for Chin Chin classics like kingfish sashimi with lime and coconut, and wok-fired rice noodles with Wagyu.
This slamming Thai institution has all the classics you know. Plus, a hardcore Thai following to rival the corporates and students dropping in for an affordable lunch and dinner.
The Porteño group’s Holt Street eatery pays tribute to the group’s seminal venue Bodega (which used to be right around the corner) of the early noughties, combined with a ’60s-era Italian trattoria. Pull up at one of the mint terrazzo tables for vibrant antipasti, seasonal house-made pastas and a knockout drinks list.
The best of the eternal city inspires this graffiti-covered pasta cave. Enter for classic Roman pastas including carbonara and cacio e pepe. Plus, blistered slabs of Roman pizza recognised by a prestigious Italian food authority.
Enter this iconic Sydney restaurant for Med-inspired dishes spanning inventive charcuterie and charcoal-fired plates. Plus, a wine list highlighting Australian producers great and small.
An ex-Bentley chef is serving a set menu dedicated to snacks at his cosy pan-Asian diner. We loved the quail katsu, styled after Hot Star’s Taiwanese fried chicken.
Partway between a Tuscan wine bar and an American speakeasy, this Italian stallion is all about the Negroni. It serves around 30 versions of the classic drink, and Italian liqueurs so rare they're even hard to find in Italy. The menu spans classic aperitivo snacks and pastas.
Not every pizzeria can say it has an Italian flour technician at the pass. And the proof is well and truly in the dough here (there’s more than one kind depending on what you order). But it’s the genre-bending toppings that truly stand out: past pizzas on the menu have been loaded with anything from pureed pea to smoked turkey.
A garage-style trattoria where you can disappear into prawn ravioli bathing in brown butter and sage sauce, a list of mainly Italian vino, and a lively soundtrack spanning Afrobeat and Italian pop. From the rock star trio behind Potts Point neo-bistro, Bistro 916.
Japanese with a side of jazz? Hit this smooth diner, where legit musos play most nights of the week. Jazzed up ramens and Japanese favourites have been served here for more than 20 years.
The family behind The Fold is taking on Surry Hills with this Sri Lankan wine bar and diner. Get a front-row seat at the hopper bar, and share fragrant curries featuring native Australian ingredients.
The list of Japanese spirits at Fujiyama would put most izakayas under the table – but the food is not an afterthought. Hot, cold and raw dishes are elegant spins on Japanese pub classics, and the best place to try them is at the centrepiece bar.
Nikkei is a Peruvian cuisine that combines Japanese techniques with South American flavours. That’s exactly what you get at this slick restaurant and bar by the Tokyo Bird crew, where the cocktails are just as vibrant as the food.
A renowned izakaya from Tokyo serving Hakata-style skewers grilled over charcoal. The best seats in the house are wrapped around the open kitchen, where you can watch the chefs prepare and serve the house specialty with military precision.
Seafood towers, scampi spaghetti and five types of steak frites are just some of the highlights at this stylish brasserie from the Franca team. Slide into a red leather banquette and admire the capacious dining room – or perhaps that perfect spiral of lemon peel floating in your Martini.
An ironbark-fuelled hearth works magic at this buzzing, subterranean wine bar and restaurant from the same crew behind Ester. Expect a long wine list of both classics and genre-busting naturals, plus an innovative, ever-changing snack menu focused on woodfire flavours and eating with your hands.
At this bright community kitchen, ingredients rescued by Ozharvest are transformed into gourmet lunches for those experiencing food insecurity. It’s an Australian-first collaboration between acclaimed Italian chef Massimo Bottura and Ozharvest founder Ronni Kahn.
Pass between two heritage buildings to reach this dramatic space with a 10-metre-tall glass ceiling. Inspired by the marketplaces of the Middle East, it’s a romantic spot to enjoy shawarma, velvety burrata and pita pockets.
Inspired by Tuscany’s dining scene, this female-led diner is all about fresh pasta (including a squid-ink fettucine with crab), al fresco dining and flamboyant weekly specials.
This Mexican diner's menu is entirely plant-based, and it's all the better for it. If you're a veg-lover and a fan of Mexican flavours, this is the spot for you. When your tortilla's loaded with pastor-style mushrooms, pico de gallo and pineapple; you won't even notice the meat's gone.
At every turn, chef Dylan Cashman’s smart 20-seater is guided by provenance and zero waste. Whole beasts are used from nose to tail; fresh produce comes from the garden out back; and local winemakers are placed front and centre. Ask for the “secret” drinks menu – it’s got super rare French drops and cocktail specials.
Vacanza embodies the Italian “less is more” approach to pizza. There’s a neat list of pies, a calzone for good measure, plus a dedicated mozzarella bar brimming with imported Italian cheeses. Need we say more?
The pizza bases here are proved for four days so they’re light and easy to digest, then topped with only a couple of ingredients, including buffalo mozzarella imported from Italy.
This takeaway-only sibling to AP House serves all the classics – like Aleppo scrolls and cheese-topped focaccia slabs. But you’ll also find got exclusive baked goods (like Japanese-inspired cream puffs) and roasted-croissant soft-serve.
Choose from 12 ready-to-go flavours – including nanko-ume plum with shiso or marinated onsen egg – at this specialist onigiri shop. Luxe made-to-order options like flame-grilled M9 wagyu add a touch of drama to the diminutive space.
A tiny sandwich spot turning out well-made, grab-and-go lunches that don’t cost the earth. If you’re here for brekkie, grab a BAE roll with chilli jam, or a yoghurt and granola cup for the win.
There are seven ripper sandwiches and a breakfast brisket roll at this Central Asian deli. Plus Coffee Supreme coffee, homemade cookies, and Turkish smallgoods to take home.
Whether they’re baking bread or butchering steaks, the Porteno team does not muck around. Its humble little bakery nearly broke the internet with a gorgeous finger bun. But it’s no slouch in the sandwich department either.
Housed inside a breezy terrace, this cosy cafe serves single-origin coffees roasted in-house. The menu flaunts classics like buttermilk pancakes, and a za'taar brekkie flatbread that's become a crowd fave.
The Surry Hills sequel to the popular Botany bakery serves classic Turkish breakfasts like you'd find in Istanbul. Roll up for simit bagels stuffed with egg and sucuk (spicy sausage), classic Turkish breakfast plates and daily-baked sweets.
A Cali-inspired rooftop bakery from the teams behind Ester, Reuben Hills and Paramount House Hotel. Ascend for sourdough bread made with old-world wheat, hefty pies and pastries we can’t stop thinking about.
These days Bourke Street Bakery has outposts by the baker’s dozen. But this much-loved corner site is where it all started. Tip-top sourdough, award-winning pies and value-packed sandwiches are the main attractions.
A polished pastry shop that puts a fine-dining twist on classic bakery items. Think Wagyu and mushroom pies, and yuzu curd croissants. The star item – the Crown on 487 – is so labour-intensive only 15 are made each day.
Killer coffee from a pioneer in the city’s third wave coffee movement. The main event is where you can get a seasonal feed and all the details about your brew in one sitting. Hit the sideshow for a theatrical display of coffee gadgetry.
Set within the Paramount Building, this destination cafe has a menu to match the sophistication of its surroundings. Asian influences are woven throughout, and coffees from international guests are brewing at the filter bar.
Central and South American flavours power the menu at this cool cafe by one of the city's most respected names in coffee. The bonus of doing brunch here? Your coffee was roasted right upstairs by the best in the business.
A casual cafe spinoff of Korean favourite Soul Dining. Not only does it serve traditional dishes and cafe classics with a Korean twist, it’s also selling homewares and clothes by local Korean designers. Plus house-made tofu, Korean pickles and sauces to take home.
Kentaro is Oratnek spelled backwards – a nod to its sister venue in Redfern. You can get Oratnek’s signature katsu sando here (“worth the 15 minute wait”), but there’s also hard-to-find Japanese classics such as omurice. It’s restaurant-quality fare, set within an industrial fit-out.
A tiny vegan wholefood kitchen and bakery by a former Jamie's Italian chef. Rock up to the takeaway window for baked goods free from gluten and refined sugar – including avo toast on slices of sprouted quinoa loaf, bliss balls, banana bread and more.
Ask anyone about the best spots for a drink in Surry Hills, and Forrester’s would have to be in the conversation. This 100-year-old pub is split into multiple distinct spaces – do afternoon pints in The Public Bar, a bottomless rosé lunch in the dining room, or trivia in the light-filled functions space upstairs.
A good-times bar devoted to tequila, mezcal and the Margarita. Don’t let the laid-back energy fool you – some of Sydney’s best bartenders cut their teeth here. Otherwise, the popcorn is free, the music is loud and the Margies are strong and smooth.
After a big revamp, the Crown Street landmark now flaunts a modern Australian restaurant and a leafy rooftop bar. Plus, a food and drink offering led by some of the best in the game.
The sister venue to Lennox Hastie’s Firedoor is a celebration of the vibrant pintxos bars of northern Spain. The menu offers Australian ingredients with Basque-inspired touches, a taste of Spain via imported jamon iberico, and a drinks list that’ll change the way you feel about sherry.
A sublime underground theatrette showing classic and new release films. Hit the bar for pre-cinema snacks, cocktails and live music by emerging Sydney acts on Friday and Saturday nights.
Bar Copains is one of the best places in Sydney to drink wine at. At this romantic corner bar, two of the country’s best chefs are sharing "unicorns" from their own personal cellars, and elegant snacks to try them with.
This petite, 20-person wine bar embraces life’s simple pleasures: good company, sleek design and great wine. There’s a focus on lo-fi drops, Salt and Vinegar Martinis, charcuterie and excellent fried chicken.
This moody double-decker spot has long been one of the best places to drink cocktails in Surry Hills. But it’s also one of the best places to dine – with a refined bistro menu spanning European classics and a cult Sydney burger.
The Crix inspires devotion, and plenty of its hardcore followers would call it the very best pub in Sydney, no contest. The public bar and grungy little courtyard downstairs are classic, while Chez Crix upstairs dials in the French bistro vibe. Pool comps and jazz quartet jams by the fireplace are regular features here.
Inside a former storage space used by St Mary’s Cathedral is Sydney’s best (and only) dedicated rum distillery. Settle in for a tasting flight, and South American-inspired eats like tacos and croquetas.
This Crown Street classic feels like a wine bar and a pub had a lovechild. It has all the energy of a good neighbourhood boozer, but with a menu that’s leagues ahead of the average bistro.
Good times are guaranteed at this fun izakaya. Studio Ghibli films are projected on the wall, the staff are cool, and the bites are booze-friendly. Sit at the bar with a whisky highball and some chicken-thigh skewers for the win.
Opened by a legendary publican and former cabaret star, this iconic corner pub is a Sydney institution. The dimly-lit front bar – with its swirling mirror ball, comfy booths and Hollywood memorabilia – is one of the best spots around to chew your friend's ear off on a Saturday night.
This Crown Street gin hub has a still making small-batch spirits just for Sydney, and a shop selling gin and gin-related goods. To find Eileen’s Bar, look out for the discreet doorway and ascend the staircase.
This huge two-storey pub – with a popular wraparound verandah and interior courtyard – is one of Surry Hill's original boozers. And after 150 years, you still can't do the Crown Street crawl without a trip to The Clock.
This design-forward bathhouse was inspired by bathing experiences across the world, from the onsens of Japan to the hammams of Moroccan. Sweat in out in the hot-stone sauna or steam room; soak in the heated magnesium bath; then refresh in the two-person cold plunge.
Try on a hoodie by Perfect White Tee, a leather jacket by Austin’s Understated Leather, or a bohemian dress by Malibu’s Jen’s Pirate Booty in this beautifully renovated terrace.
Part bookshop, part record store. It’s a must-visit for any music lover with enough books to rival their record collection. It’s a favourite among international touring artists too, with the odd legend sifting through the artfully curated shelves of books, DVDs and vinyl. Now with a second location in Barangaroo.
This charming book nook is all about quality over quantity. Sip wine and mull over the latest page-turner at one of its intimate, monthly book club meetings.
This alluring and mysterious emporium trades in antique books and curiosities from Australia’s pre-federation history. Its treasures span the entire second floor of a converted Surry Hills warehouse, and – if you’ve got an appointment – you can sit in its grand reading room and pore over immaculate books that predate the city itself.
