Rosa Cienfuegos' Tamaleria & Mexican Deli sits on Marrickville Road in the heart of Dulwich Hill village, next to a classic patisserie, a Turkish community centre and a Moroccan homewares shop. In this multicultural little pocket people queue happily, even in the heat, to get their hands on a taste of Mexico City. Specifically, they are here for tamales.
For devotees of genuine Mexican fare, it's a great relief that Sydney is no longer only served by the tacky Tex-Mex, stand-and-stuff, burrito-centric eateries there were once the sole expression of the cuisine readily available here. There's now an exciting new wave of Mexican diners sweeping Sydney, with nary a pinata, sombrero or lucha libre mask in sight.
We're not saying there isn't a time and a place for a bowl of liquid queso and a dorito or two - there really is - but with a culture and cuisine that spans thousands of years and dozens of regions, it's a crime to assume that Old El Paso and a cartoonishly large frozen Margarita is anything close to 'authentic'.
Prime your palate for the true flavours of Mexico with our guide to the best Mexican eateries in Sydney, curated by Time Out Sydney's Food & Drink Writer Avril, and fellow critics.