Jordi Kretchmer

From specialty Sichuan spots to hot Cantonese kitchens, Sydney has some seriously great Chinese restaurants. Time Out Sydney's critics, including Food & Drink Editor Avril Treasure, have eaten their way around town to bring you this curated and up-to-date list. So whether you want to go all out and explore regional cuisines, sit down for yum cha, grab some takeaway barbecue duck or hand-thrown noodles, you'll find your spot here. These are the best Chinese restaurants Sydney has to offer – we're hungry just thinking about them.  Recommended: Here are the tastiest cheap eats in Sydney right now Check out the best Italian joints in Sydneytown

If you find yourself hungry and thirsty in Surry Hills, never fear – you're in one of the best places in all of Sydney to get your coffee and brekky fix. From silky scrambled eggs at Bills, to a killer breakfast plate at A.P. Bakery, on-point coffee at Single O and a picture-perfect blueberry tart at Lode, we've compiled a bumper list of all the excellent Surry Hills cafés. Lace up, grab a mate, and eat and drink your way around the tree-lined streets. RECOMMENDED READS: Want the best of the brunch? Check out our guide to the best breakfasts in Sydney. Keen for lunch of dinner? Here are the best restaurants in Surry Hills. After a dining hit list? Brush up on our guide to the best restaurants in Sydney. 

No two ways about it, Sydney's wine bar scene is flourishing. Full to the brim. Spilling over. A decade ago, there were only a handful of wine bars. Now? They're all over town. And we're here to happily drink them up. What's more, these slick haunts are also some of the best spots in Sydney to grab a nice dinner with friends.  It makes no difference whether you're a novice or an expert, fancy something natural or classic, old world or new, or whether you want to spend moderately or extravagantly, Time Out Sydney's critics, including Food & Drink Editor Avril Treasure, have curated this list for every palate, at every price point. Bottoms up. Can't get enough of that boozy stuff? Check out the absolute best bars in Sydney here.

There’s no doubt about it, Sydneysiders can’t get enough of Italian food. And who can blame us? There’s something about a bowl of perfectly al dente pasta paired with a luscious, rich ragu that just hits the spot. And white Italian cuisine differs throughout the 20 incredible regions – broadly speaking the northern regions eat more rice and polenta, and down south they feast more on seafood – Italians share a love of beautiful, seasonal produce, choosing simplicity rather than overcomplicating dishes, and cooking food with soul. No wonder we love it so much. Luckily, there are a wealth of excellent options to choose from when it comes to Italian dining in Sydney. Time Out’s editors and critics, including our Food & Drink Editor Avril Treasure, have picked our favourite eateries covering all bases – from casual red-sauce joints and classic pizzerias to fine dining restaurants – so no matter what mood you're in, there's something here for you. Not in the mood for pasta? Here are our picks of the best spots for Greek and French food in Sydney.

Ramen, more than any other soup, will divide people. Are you after an opaque tonkotsu or a brighter chicken shoyu broth? Firm hand-cut noodles or soft squiggly noodles? Do you add in some intense black garlic or keep it simple? Would you like your chasu extra fatty or thinly sliced and lean? Each ramen house will have its own distinctive broth, but toppings (mushrooms, eggs, seaweed, bamboo and corn) and seasonings (soy, miso, salt) let you cater to your own tastes. Need a winter challenge? Find your favourite ramen in Sydney the old fashioned way – try them all. We did, and regret nothing except that we now need to buy bigger jeans. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, straight to your inbox. RECOMMENDED READS: Still hungry? These are the best restaurants in Sydney right now. Want more? Check out our guide to the best Japanese restaurants in town.

The Emerald City is peppered with a whole host of stellar hotels that each individually carry their own little sparkly slice of je ne sais quoi. Whether you’re in town for one night, want a longer stay, are flitting through for business, or are travelling to Sydney for the very first time and want to make sure you’re in the best possible spot to properly explore the city, we have you covered. Having earned our stripes reviewing hotels across the country, our team of writers (including Lifestyle Writer Winnie Stubbs and our Travel and News Editor Melissa Woodley) have shared their top picks – along with top tips on how to make the most of your stay. From five-star luxury to boutique boltholes, this list is our edit of the best hotels in Sydney (in no particular order). Warning: it'll be hard for you to choose just one to stay at! Sorry, not sorry. Rather stay under canvas? Find the best glamping sites in NSW or the best camping near Sydney. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, click here.

Autumn 2024 update: Breathe in the fresh autumn air and start your morning on the right note with a cracking brekkie and coffee at one of Sydney’s best cafés below. How many have you checked out? Sydneysiders are café people. We're constantly on the hunt for the city's best coffee, we won't bat an eyelid over shelling out $30+ a head for brunch, and we love nothing more than donning our finest sport-luxe activewear and catching up with mates on a weekend morning over eggs, fritters and crusty artisan sourdough. So, whether it's a reward for tackling one of Sydney's most beautiful walks, a quick caffeinated catch-up, an indulgent hangover fix after a night at one of the city's best bars, or a workday coffee stop, these are the best Sydney cafés, according to our in-the-know Time Out Sydney critics, including Food & Drink Editor Avril Treasure. We'll have one B&E roll, please.  Is it lunch time? Check out our guide to Sydney's best restaurants right now.

Autumn 2024 update: Cozzie livs is hurting us all, but that doesn’t mean you need to stay home this autumn and survive on tuna and rice, thanks to our city’s incredible cheap eats. The best bit? Often they rival any dishes you would find in any fancy fine diner. We’ve rounded up our favourite places with prices that won’t burn a hole in your wallet. Because life’s too short to eat bad food. Going out for a meal is sometimes a big occasion, worth the splurge. But it doesn't have to be that way. From banh mi to tonkotsu ramen, biang biang noodles to vegan burgers, and pretty much everything else in between, some of Sydney's greatest culinary hits are the cheapest. Time Out Sydney critics, including Food & Drink Editor Avril Treasure, have eaten their way around town to bring you this list, and while cheap isn't what it used to be, there are still lots of excellent affordable venues to check out. These are the ones well worth their salt. Want to spend less at the big-ticket players? Check out our cheap fine-dining hacks. Looking for a café to sit down at for coffee and brunch? Here's our guide to the best cafés in Sydney.

Leafy and buzzing Surry Hills might just be the neighbourhood with the very best of what this city has to offer in terms of eating and drinking. Whether it’s homestyle, hole-in-the-wall Indonesian or an all-out chef’s menu from a kitchen with nothing but open flames, each and every price point and palate is catered to on these streets, from the fringe of the city down to the bottom of Crown. Time Out Sydney's editors and critics, including Food & Drink Editor Avril Treasure, have chosen their favourite picks from the 2010 postcode (and the home of Time Out Sydney HQ!). Go forth and eat well.  After a bargain? Check out Sydney’s best cheap eats

Located on a sparkling harbour and fringed by idyllic beaches, Sydney is a true seafood city. We love our fish and chips, we've got one of the biggest seafood markets in the country and a bunch of incredible waterfront restaurants. So where are the best restaurants for eating the ocean's gifts? Whether you want to enjoy a perfect piece of fish served simply with lemon and olive oil at Margaret, dig into a ripping fish pie at The Rover, get around a whole mud crab at Mr Wong or try fish offal at Saint Peter, Time Out Sydney's critics, including Food & Drink Editor Avril Treasure, have eaten their way around the city's fresh spots – and these are the best seafood restaurants in Sydney.  Want more? Check out our guide to the best Sydney restaurants.

We're all about a secret underground dive bar or two – but in a city as beautiful as Sydney, it seems like a damn shame to retreat into the depths for every tipple. From a sundowner by the harbour to a sunny rooftop in the Inner West, our town is awash with sky-high watering holes. So we've rounded up the best spots in the city to sip a cold one under a gorgeous open sky. But drinkers beware: Sydney's rooftop bars play host to some of the most contested seats in the city, so get in early for a spot in the sun.  For more al fresco drinking try one of Sydney's best beer gardens. Looking for another top-notch watering hole? Check out the best bars in Sydney.

It's common knowledge that Manly locals are reluctant to leave the 'insular peninsula’ on which they live. One day spent there – swimming in the clear blue waters, kayaking to nearby coves, strolling over to Shelly Beach and surfing the waves – and you’ll see why. But it’s not just the beautiful beaches that Manly has going for it. Over the last decade, the seaside suburb has welcomed excellent restaurants – from kitsch Italian joints to luxe Cantonese restaurants and fresh salad bars – a boon for Manly locals and visitors. Catch the ferry over to check them out for yourself. Here’s our guide to the best places to eat in Manly, curated by Time Out Sydney's critics, including Food & Drink Editor Avril Treasure (who is a proud born-and-raised northern beaches gal). RECOMMENDED READS: These are Sydney's best beaches for sun, sea and surf. Check out our guide to the best waterfront restaurants in Sydney. Have a look at our list of the best easy day hikes near Sydney.

Emphasis should be placed on ‘escape’ here – the dirt road from the centre of Mudgee means it's a bit out of the way – but the journey is a small tradeoff for its secluded location. Wildlife around the camp is abundant: small green tree frogs hop along gravel roads, crimson rosellas perch in the trees just metres away from the tents, kangaroos bounce over fences and sheep, and llamas and cows graze in neighbouring paddocks and fields. Add in stringy bark gums, swampy marshes, dry rolling hills and an abundance of bush flowers, and it’s a little bush world away from Sydney. Since opening in 2017 with Mudgee's first glamping tent, the remote idyll has evolved from a one tent set-up to a multi award-winning retreat, now home to five luxury glamping tents, a swimming pool formed from a reclaimed shipping container and a sprawling outdoor yoga deck.The most recent addition to the Sierra Escape offering is a spectacular tiny house complete with floor to ceiling windows, designer kitchen and an outdoor bathtub perfectly positioned for a sunset soak. Days at Sierra Escape can be spent exploring the nearby town of Mudgee, but once you’ve settled in, we suspect you’ll find it difficult to leave. Keen to get out of the city but don't have time for a weekender? Check out our best day trips from Sydney.

September 2023 update: South Dowling Sandwiches – AKA the GOAT of the sanga world – has been crowned Australia's favourite sandwich shop and BRB we’re off to get the Hugo (chicken schnitzel, SDS herb mayo, lettuce and tasty cheese, for those playing along at home.) The Wotif Uniquely Aussie Awards has announced all the winners from their annual community-voted awards, and the Darlinghurst institution has come out on top. Not that we’re surprised – Sydneysiders have been lining up for SDS ginormous and flawless sangas and rainbow salads for more than 15 years. If you’re yet to get your hands on one of these bad boys, we’ll paint a picture. Think two slices of thick, fresh bread, loaded with fresh veg – anything from avo to beetroot and cucumber – plus your protein of choice (we love the chicken schnitzel) and a creamy or punchy mayo to finish. It’s heaven in one big bite. Owner Avi Labi says they make everything in house, including those famous caramelised carrots, and all sangas are made fresh to order. And if you can’t get to the Darlinghurst shop, you’ll find SDS in Alexandria and Millers Point, too. Wotif said: “Made with fresh ingredients and prepared right in front of you, the sangas are overloaded with fillings at the generous starting price of $11 – making them fan favourites.” Well deserved, team. You can check out the full list of winners here. - Avril Treasure ***** Read on for our original write-up of SDS from 2018. There’s a good reason for the daily queue that sn

There are very few venues in Sydney that are truly beachfront – sure, you’ve got ones that teeter on the edge of our coastline overlooking the beach, others a couple of streets back with levelled-up sandy views, and the harbour is lined with bars and snack stops that make the most of watery vistas, but beachfront is rare. North Bondi Fish is as close in proximity to Bondi Beach as the grassy knoll. As you walk in there’s sand on the doorstep – this isn’t decorative, it’s just what happens when you’re 12 metres away from one of the world’s most popular shorelines. Given it’s prime NoBo position, this bright and breezy seafood palace has been the spot for many long lunches since it was opened back in 2013 by Matt Moran. Now, you’ll find Steve Jacomos presiding over the kitchen, and he’s continued the surf-spot-meets-holiday-haven vibes the venue has pumped out since day dot. There have also been some fun frills added in recent times – for summer 2023, they're serving up a Summer of Margs, so you can soak in the season with a cocktail from NBF’s revamped Margarita menu, made in collaboration with Patrón Tequila. They've also got Sunset Sessions every Sunday, so patrons can enjoy acoustic sets overlooking the ocean from 4-7pm while tasting their way through the menu. Speaking of the menu, it reads like the Bubba Gump guide on 'how to cook seafood' – it comes barbecued, raw, ceviche, shucked, steamed, curried, baked, battered and fried. Oysters are the requisite first port of call

These North Sydney markets stake the claim for being Sydney’s longest continuously running produce market (we can’t verify it, but we won’t disagree) and the quality and range of the vendors makes this evident. Snaking through the seemingly small parklet on the northern CBD’s fringe, this bimonthly produce fair brings stallholders peddling orbs of creamy burrata, blood sausages, double-fist-sized heirloom tomatoes, salted caramel meringues, fresh egg pasta, free range eggs and soda bread. A seeming theme here is that many of the stallholders are also chefs, like Luca Ciano, whose jarred pasta sauces and Italian olive oil dressings are excellent Italian treats; or Martin Teplitzky, who will fry you up a golden croque madame, with Iggy’s bread and ham off the bone. This is a market where you go to invest in the good stuff – you’re paying a bit extra for the handcrafted goods, but a quick chat with the passionate stallholders (or better yet taste testers) will have you sold and walking out with a canvas bag packed full with produce and snacks for the week.  

Are you one of those folk who let the dust settle on their dancing shoes? Maybe the only time you’ve cut the rug since 2014 was when you were a little loose at a wedding reception, or in your mate’s lounge room to the beat of a blaring UE Boom. We’re not here to admonish you, but instead introduce you to the perfect party-transition bar to warm you up. Enter the Prince of York, in all its dancing glory. Calling it nothing more than a ‘party bar’ would be to overlook the slick plates they’re slinging, the extensive natural wine list, the solid service and the talented team behind it all: Paul Schulte (former Keystone Group creative director), Ed Loveday and Andy Emerson (of ACME and Bar Brosé) and chef James Elliott among them. Get past the headset-sporting hostess at the door, and you’ll find yourself in a sprawling, low-lit warehouse of a space with metres of exposed brick and geometric prints that at first might seem a little disorienting. Take a lap, and you’ll figure out that upstairs is geared for eating and drinking, while the downstairs cellar and Pamela’s (more on that later) are engineered for late-night hijinks. One look at the inclusive mod oz menu lets you know this isn’t simply bar food. Start with a precursor for the long haul and order the Vanella Dairy burrata, where the perfectly gooey soft cheese is juxtaposed with fresh fig and black pepper.  While there’s lots of serviceable charcuterie, cheese and snackable seafood as well, we’re here for the spaghetti in

Venue openings in Coogee are pretty few and far between, so when a slick Mediterranean-leaning wine bar and restaurant opens, heads turn – and in this case, for good reason. Coogee Wine Room boasts talent both in the kitchen and on the floor, helmed by head chef Sandro Di Marino from Bondi favourite A Tavola, and venue manager Brooke Adey (formerly of Bea, Yellow and Chiswick).  The 400-strong label wine list navigates much of Europe and Australia, and the seaside location just up from the beach on Coogee Bay Road means you can drop in for a bone-dry rosé or an elegant nebbiolo with sand between your toes before the sun goes down. Approachability is what they're going for here with around 25 offerings by the glass and carafe, and almost half the impressive list sits under the $100 mark. You can keep it classic with cheese and charcuterie if you're down for simple snacking in the front bar, or go hard and follow some freshly shucked rock oysters with pork cheek and cavolo nero sliders. Those keen for something a bit more substantial should head upstairs for an intimate date-night dinner from the menu of share plates that might include the likes of kingfish crudo or grilled octopus, or heftier dishes like ricotta ravioli, market fish with gazpacho or a hearty lamb rump. If you’re feeling indecisive, they’ll take the guesswork out and sling you five courses for $45 with the option to add on matched wine for $45 more. From ideas to conception, CWR's been about ten years in the ma

Plant-based eateries continue to pop up faster than wild parsley in a lush herb garden, and there are no complaints about that, especially in Bondi. Given the sunny 'burb’s health-conscious lifestyle, it makes sense that another wholly vegan eatery has appeared on its shores. Brought to life by Bondi locals – plant-eating podcaster Simon Hill, Conscious Feast founder Tanya Smart and head chef Claudia Pantoja (ex-Alibi) – the 80-seat restaurant specialises in a mix of produce-packed salads, bowls and bento boxes, as well as more playful renditions of popular snacks (popcorn cauliflower, salt-and-pepper “squyd”), fast-food favourites (burgers, hot dogs) and a line-up of dairy-free pizzas with housemade bases. The interior design brief is big on pale pink, tropical prints and plants in a retro, Beverly Hills Hotel kind of way, but grab a seat outside and you’ll find yourself in a courtyard strewn with fairy lights and giant white umbrellas. It’s a perfect spot, in other words, for a glass from the compact vegan-friendly wine list or one of the cocktails that combine organic booze with juices, housemade sodas, herbs and plenty of fruit.

After conquering Rhodes with an ambitious brekky menu, Auvers Café now has an outpost in Haymarket. The day-to-night café offers French-inspired brekky fare with Japanese flavour profiles – think eggs benedict with ponzu hollandaise; smoked pulled pork, onsen eggs, pork floss and a toasted croissant; or a traditional omelette, with crab meat and bonito mayo. They're all about the sweet and savoury combos – French toast comes served with honey ricotta, caramelised bacon, yuzu grape jelly, pork floss and vanilla ice cream. Matcha enthusiasts can get their green tea hit via matcha glazed pancakes with raspberry sorbet, hojicha tea or matcha lattes. Inside you'll find a striking Gillie and Marc mural (the pair behind those dog's head/man's body bronze sculptures you'll have spotted across Sydney and the world), and the art-edged theme continues with cocktails named after Van Gogh. Bending the elbow isn't time sensitive here, with tipples being served from 10am into the evening. After dark, the café switches to restaurant mode, plating up the likes of Japanese-style steak tartare served with soy cured egg yolks, confit duck with potato dauphine and a yuzu purée, and escargots with edamame, bonito and caviar. 

‘Crème brûlée’, ‘aerated goat’s cheese’ and ‘terrine’ are not words you’d typically expect to find on a breakfast menu – but why not add some culinary pizzazz to your morning? Chef Max Bean (formerly of Est and the Bridge Room) figures there's no reason not to, and to that end has opened Calla, jutting off the courtyard of John Street Square. It’s a welcome addition to Pyrmont’s relatively sparse café scene, which up until now has been serviced mostly by Bar Zini and Clementine’s.  Inside, it feels low-key and easygoing, but still a little luxe. Morning light streams through the windows, and Winston Surfshirt provides the soundtrack. You’ll catch Bean in crisp chef whites in the open kitchen, channeling his fine-dining days, but the espresso machine, a hopper stuffed with Mecca beans and the tempting offer of caramelised white chocolate cookies will remind you that you are, in fact, in a café. Interesting brekkies often set you back more than you’d want to shell out before 10am, but plates here cap at $23; it’s pedigree without the exxy price tag, which is a real win for locals. The humble zucchini slice gets a schmick makeover, with a garlicky crumble and sliced Swiss brown mushrooms atop, a swipe of avocado below and aerated goat’s cheese that really elevates it from lunchbox mainstay to something a little fancy. The effort is there, but it’s denser and more cakey than you might expect, and somehow the whole feels like less than the sum of the parts.  Opt for the salmon ter

This deli's got a Portuguese and Brazilian focus (which makes sense given Petersham’s expat community). To that end, you’ll find Brazo acai smoothie packs, maizena corn starch and Delicia pre-made cheese bread and chicken coxinhas – a killer croquette-like street food snack. There's Portuguese cheese, plenty of different hot sauces and piri piri oils, imported sardines, and striking stacks of bacalhau (whole salted and dried cod). And, like all good delis should, Charlie's lets you take your pick of meat and cheese and stuff it in a roll for a few bucks. Winning. 

Strictly speaking, this is less of a deli and more of a showroom for fine imported perishables – aka fancy, delicious things you don’t come across often in Sydney. Truffles and caviar are specialties, but it’s not just these boujee goods that makes this providore special. Browse and sample Piedmontese hazelnuts (a variety with a super fragrant, nutty-sweet flavour different from the ones you’ll find in Oz), Sicilian pistachio nut creams and herb-dusted almonds. You can drop $70 on a bottle of French olive oil or $97.50 on a jar of baby artichokes. There’s also a whole table devoted to Calabrian peppers, two long shelves to tinned fish, and a stellar selection of regional charcuterie from around the world. Cheese-wise, French varieties dominate, from Pavé d’Affinois to Crottin de Chavignol. The French theme continues with foie gras and fresh, wild (and very rare) chanterelle mushrooms. On Saturdays you can head in for fresh pasta making demos, which you can buy to take home, including truffle pasta in season. They follow truffle season around the world – June-August locally, imported white Italian truffles from September to November, and French black truffles for the remainder of the year. This black gold ends up on some of the plates of Sydney’s best restaurants, including Aria, Mr Wong, Ormeggio at the Spit and many more.

Serving the Haberfield community and beyond for just shy of 20 years, this small but mighty gourmet grocer is a celebration of the downright delicious. Manager Dorothy’s passion for quality foods is infectious. "Everything you see here we’ve tried and can 100 per cent back and say it’s excellent," she tells us. "We know and meet the producers and eat this food at home ourselves." Rather than endless aisles of chock-full shelves, it’s a tightly curated affair here. There is fresh pasta from Pasta Gallery (a longtime pasta maker based in Hornsby), a range of pasta sauces by chef Luca Ciano, stuffed olives from Marrickville and exceptional puff pastry by Carême (“It’s the only pre-made pastry that’s on par with making it yourself – they use real butter, not pastry butter,” Dorothy explains). You may recognise the range of vacuum-sealed deli meats up the back – it’s Paesenella’s own offshoot food service brand, which started here, and is now stocked in Harris Farm and other independent grocers. While the olives, oils, meats and everything in between are excellent, cheese here is the drawcard. Paesenella’s main factory is just over in Marrickville, where they make all their own cow and buffalo milk cheese. "Whatever they make at the factory in the morning, we get here in the afternoon," Dorothy says. Think still-warm ricotta, ultra creamy orbs of burrata and just-sweet mascarpone. If that's not a selling point, we're not sure what is. 

With winter comes the best possible excuse for comfort food, and Swissôtel Sydney in the CBD is here to warm the cockles of the city with the launch of their annual fondue experience that fulfils all of your melted cheese dreams. For $34 per person, you and a mate can get around a hot bowl of melted gruyere and Emmental (that's the holey cheese), served with bites of crusty bread, pickles, and cos salad with bacon, herb croutons and creamy parmesan dressing.  If you're feeling extra peckish you can add extras like meatballs, roast potatoes, steak, salami, vegetables or beer battered chips. You can also pimp your pot with extra fourme d’Ambert blue cheese, gorgonzola, or truffle. If you've got more of a sweet tooth, opt for the chocolate fondue, which is $25 per person. You'll get a whole pot of melted milk chocolate, served with marshmallows, pound cake, strawberries, pineapple, kiwi, crushed peanuts and almond flakes.  Both fondue sets are available from May 30 until September 28 for groups of two or more, Thursday to Saturday from 6-9pm. This is definitely one that you need to book in advance. Want more warming meals? Here's our guide to the best dishes to eat this winter.

Orange peels and cocktail stirrers at the ready, because Negroni Week is just around the corner. The global celebration of the stirred down apéritif takes place from June 24-30, but a whole bunch of bars are getting a run-up to the week and offering cocktails celebrations already.  Want to know where to where you can get involved in the action? Right now over at the Rocks' Rosetta you can get around cut-price $10 Negronis from 4-7pm every weekday, and try rum, tequila, and bourbon variations. For extra good karma they're donating a dollar from each cocktail to OzHarvest. The QT Hotel's revamped Parlour Cucina will stir you down a Negroni for just 10 bones from 5-7pm every night, plus there's live music and complimentary antipasti. It's also right next door to the State Theatre, making it an ideal spot for a pre-Sydney Film Festival tipple Tuscan steak traditionalists Bistecca will host local artists, designers and illustrators doing live paintings inspired by the famous bitter-sweet cocktail from Jun 12-15. In Surry Hills, the Clock will serve a dedicated menu of Negronis and from Wednesday June 26 to Sunday June 30 – they'll transform the Whisky Room into a Negroni Room, pouring barrel-aged cocktails. Finally, Fratelli Fresh venues will have $10 Negronis for $7 during Negroni Week. Keep your eyes peeled for more bars slinging specials all throughout Negroni Week. Want more? Here's our guide to 39 cool things to do this winter. After more drinks? Here's our list of the 50 bes

Mortadella: it's a divisive sandwich meat for some, and for others it's a delicious, savoury snack that shines brightest stuffed into good bread, possibly with tomato sauce (don't @ us). The tasty cold cut now has its own pop-up sandwich bar on the deli arcade side of Prahran Market, by the folks from Q Le Baker. They are slicing and stuffing their own sourdough ciabatta with Gary’s Quality Meats mortadella, Pepe Saya butter and Q homemade pickles. Each sandwich is made on the spot for $12.  You'll find the sub-specific pop-up at Prahran Market on every weekend in May.  Photograph: Supplied Want more? Check out our guide to the 50 best restaurants in Melbourne or learn how to do Queen Victoria Market like a pro. 

It’s been over 20 years since Death Cab formed and around 12 years since they rose to the forefront of pop culture’s conscience by soundtracking some of the mid-’00’s biggest TV shows and movies. Luckily for fans, much of their back catalogue is still as emotive as the day it was released, and the Seattle band proved it across a 22-song setlist at the Opera House on Monday evening. While singer-songwriter Ben Gibbard impressed upon fans that this was a rock concert and we could stand, the Concert Hall’s seats made for the optimal spot to relax and take in moodier songs like ‘I Will Possess Your Heart’ and ‘We Looked Like Giants’. Other tracks, like ‘Title and Registration’, slapped harder when they blasted into your bedroom post break-up than it did on stage – but new tracks like ‘Gold Rush’ and ‘Northern Lights’ translated beautifully live, replete with slide guitars, vocal harmonies and high piano chords. Brighter songs ‘Cath’ and ‘Crooked Teeth’ reminded us that even though Death Cab may get lumped in the indie-emo genre, they can make you smile too. A set highlight was a stirring rendition of ‘What Sarah Said’. When the song was released in 2005, a fair whack of the then-teenage audience probably hadn’t experienced the loss of many loved ones, but 12 years on and the song has new layer of meaning for many in the crowd. The restrained and emotional piece let Gibbard’s songwriting shine – detail-riddled, hyper-personal and narratively-driven, yet somehow universal. Americ

A huge down pour didn’t dampen spirits at ANZ Stadium on Friday November 2 with 70,000 odd fans filling out the (soon to be demolished) stadium for Taylor Swift’s huge Reputation tour. Here are seven memorable moments from the show... 1. Swift sung up a storm in a stormWhile there were giant animatronic snakes, lasers and billowing fire cannons, a huge summer storm made the already epic production even more dramatic. Some smudged mascara (she even ripped off her false lashes while singing) and a mop of wet hair didn’t stop Swift giving it her all, and if anything nature’s own show added to the evening. 2. The show’s own staging was pop production at its most epicThere was a grand water fountain, a tilting stage, glowing arm bands, a travelling snake-bone hoisted stage (really), Michael Jackson-inspired costume changes and mini intermission films. The cavalcade of extra bells and whistles added to Swift’s performance in every dimension. Photograph: Supplied 3. Taylor’s dancers are a force in their own rightSwift wasn’t quite blessed with the natural grooves of the pop princesses before her (à la Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera), but flanked by a 20-strong crew of energetic, talented dancers, she held her own. 4. There was a good mix of old and new material As the tour name says, this show was about her most recent album Reputation, but there were also excellent throwbacks chucked in for good measure. With an ever-growing back catalogue spanning her 15 year career, it

Summer is beginning to tease us with longer days, fragrant jasmine permeating the air and plenty of sunshine, and to welcome its arrival a Neutral Bay bar will be upsizing its summer drinking options. Firefly Bar and Dining is set to pour bottomless watermelon-infused Sangria so your weekends can be filled with endless glasses of fruity wine cocktail. All you need to do is book ahead for Firefly's five-course banquet, which will be accompanied by a two-hour Sangria-fuelled beverage package, all for $59. The banquet menu includes Firefly's zucchini fries; drunken chicken pancakes with coriander, bean sprouts, hoisin sauce and kewpie mayo; juniper cured ocean trout; baked pumpkin with salsa verde; and sous vide pork loin. You'll need to lock in a time on Friday, Saturday or Sunday between noon and 4pm, and you can have parties as small a two people, or as big as 122 people, making it a very well priced group outing. Also vegans and veggos can be catered for, making it a very inclusive affair.  Want more summer drinking spots? Check out our guide to the best rooftop bars in Sydney and the best waterfront bars in Sydney.   

After the success of June's Bottom's Up promotion – which saw all Merivale bars slash 49 per cent off drinks from 5-7pm – the group will be reintroducing the deal at the latest venue to undergo a (mini) Merivale makeover. The Royal Bondi will be slashing the cost of all of drinks from 5-7pm throughout the month of October. The Bondi Road corner pub was recently acquired by the hospitality juggernaut, but rather than gutting and re-doing it entirely, they've kept some of the venue's scuzzy charm that's kept locals rolling in since 1907. To this end there's retro maroon patterned carpets, communal pool tables and band posters splayed across the walls.  Photograph: Supplied The Merivale edge comes into effect via the drinks – the list has been refreshed, complete with Daiquiris, Boilermakers, bottled Negronis and Espresso Martinis on tap. There's even a vending machine packed with cold tins. Wine wise, they are focusing on Australian producers doing rosés and low intervention wines. All these drinks will be 49 per cent off from 5-7pm every day throughout October, making it the perfect place to pop in after a long day at the beach, or stop off to avoid the sunset squeeze on the buses leaving the beachside burb. Want more well priced drinks? Check out our guide to the best happy hours in Sydney.  

Your food choices shouldn't really be dictated by aesthetics alone, but sometimes photogenic and delicious go hand in hand. We've weeded out the average glazed donuts, OTT stacked burgers and monster Franken-foods to devise this list of the best dishes that'll have your 'gramming game up to scratch, without forgoing taste. 1. Hot pots at Spice WorldWhile you’d think a pastel coloured acai bowl would take out the top spot, it’s this truly quirky but ultimately delicious Haymarket hot pot spot that has us furiously snapping. A meat dressed Barbie! Hello Kitty stock cubes! Robot waiters! A sauce buffet! The story inspiration is endless here. Photograph: Anna Kucera 2. The Muffaletta Sandwich at A1 CanteenEver seen the cross section of a sandwich look so damn good it deserves its own annotated diagram? That’s how they do this dense deli meat stuffed sanga at Clayton Wells’ day-to-night eatery in Chippo. Photograph: Anna Kucera 3. Soufflé pancakes at Edition HaymarketWhipped to within an inch of their life, risen in the oven like a phoenix and served with a vanilla and white chocolate ganache and strawberries; this outrageously wobbling dessert channels Tokyo vibes in the centre of Haymarket. Photograph: Anna Kucera 4. Croissants from Rollers BakehouseBehind the pastel pink wall on Rialto Lane you'll find a selection of flaky pastries that are destined for the ‘gram. From 'sushi' croissants (that's seaweed imbued pastry with salmon in the centre, topped with black and white

Indomie mie goreng – the noodles that got you through university, from pay day to pay day, and through your worst hangovers – are doing a special mini menu collaboration with the Devon Cafés. All Devon sites (Barangaroo, North Sydney and the OG in Surry Hills) will be launching this instant noodle-inspired menu for one month.  This means that for the month of October you can get an Indo Sando, which takes white, crustless bread and loads it with Indomie noodles, turmeric fried chicken, sambal, a fried egg, provolone cheese, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, ABC hot sauce, fried onions and a sweet soy glaze. How will two simple slices of high GI hold so much flavour? It's anyone's guess. If you're after something sweet, we dare you to try the banana split, replete with crunchy fried noodles, banana fritters, coconut ice cream, glutinous rice, crushed peanuts and palm seeds, which is then topped with a sweet strawberry coulis, gula jawa (that's palm sugar) and a pandan lime syrup.  You can get your noodle fix throughout October from Devon Café in North Sydney, Surry Hills and Barangaroo. After more bargain snacks? Check out our guide to the best cheap eats or the best fried chicken in Sydney. 

Surry Hills' Butter sets Sydney into a frenzy when they introduce fried chicken ramen to the menu during the colder months. Now vegetarians can get in on the hot soupy action, with the restaurant flipping their ramen offering to a plant-based bowl for just one more week. The thick paitan-style ramen takes six hours to cook, using a kombu stock and infusing it with charred veggies and chickpeas. It is then seasoned with cashews, shio koji, fermented bean curd and preserved mustard. It also incorporates tare, a soup seasoning made from caramelises diced leek, carrot, onion, garlic, ginger and sweet green apple, with help from everyone's favourite flavour pals, soy, mirin and sake. To complement the soup base there's a fried field mushroom on top (which would fool any fried chicken fan on first glance), plus enoki mushrooms and a half marinated egg. Executive chef Julian Cincotta claimed 'It's as good as the fried chicken ramen', and we can verify that claim – it's excellent. The soup is super dense in flavour – but not too unctuous like a typical ramen broth – and there is a surprising hum of salty umami-ness that we can only liken to a roast chook. The noodles are dense and springy, and the fried mushroom could easily be mistaken for a strip of fried chicken (although we ended up ordering a box of that too – it's an indulgent but excellent combo).  Butter's vegetarian ramen is available until Sunday September 2 at both the Surry Hills and Parramatta kitchens, so get in before

Currently Australia is enduring one of the harshest droughts of the decade, with 2018 being the fourth-driest winter since the Bureau of Meteorology started taking records. The entirety of NSW is now officially listed as being in drought, and considering the state produces about 25 per cent of Australia's agricultural output, the drought's effects have reverberated across communities, and many farmers are struggling to feed their livestock. Here in Victoria, our northwestern regions are now in their 15th month of below-average rainfall.   So how can you help out? The good news is you can help while also feeding yourself. The Parma for a Farmer initiative cropped up in Melbourne and has spread right across the country, with venues donating a portion or all profits from the classic counter meal to the Buy a Bale initiative. Throughout August, a bunch of venues will be donating a $1 from every chicken parmigiana sold – so you can head into the likes of Auburn Hotel, the Provincial, College Lawn Hotel and the Crafty Squire for a feel-good feed. The Retail Savvy Group (which includes venues like Father’s Office, the Shaw Davey Slum and Asian Beer Café) will also be giving $1 towards farmer assistance for every parma sold. Over at the Flying Duck Hotel in Prahran you can try one of Time Out's best Melbourne parmas while also helping farmers, with $1 from every parma going towards drought relief efforts. In the north, Brunswick beer garden-cum-nightclub the Penny Black will be dona

One of the best ways to spend a Saturday morning in Sydney is by heading down to Carriageworks to check out an exhibition and then follow it up with a bite to eat (or take home) at the farmers' markets. Now the warehouse-dwelling fresh food and snack party will be upping the stakes with the addition of the Fish Butchery, starting from Saturday August 11.  The stall comes by the way of young gun Josh Niland, who's behind both the Paddington-based seafood monger and the excellent Saint Peter. Much like the Paddo-based shop, the market stall will sell fresh, sustainable seafood, take-home dinner packs and saucy condiments. Fill your basket with fillets of blue-eye trevalla from Shoalhaven; vacuum-sealed Mooloolaba albacore fish meatballs in a rich tomato sauce; or house made Yamba sardine fish sauce on any given Saturday. If you're hungry on-the-spot, you'll also find a rotating bevvy of hot snacks, including pink ling pies, fish sausage rolls and trout terrine. Niland's Fish Butchery joins the already excellent and ever-changing line-up at the markets, which includes Bar Pho, Single O, Billy Kwong and Two Good. Want more fresh food adventures? Check out our guide to the best markets in Sydney or Josh Niland's guide to buying seafood.