Where to eat in Sydney (and beyond) right now

From hot jaffles to strange attractions, tiny cocktails and brand new bistros, here's everything you need to know about what's hot in the Sydney restaurant scene. Book now, and make your week a delicious one.

Big flavour in small brown boxes

Australia Street regulars have known about this little pizzeria, set inside an old milk bar without much in the way of adornment, for a little while now. But now the rest of Sydney is catching on to Westwood Pizza. The only real decoration is the wood-fired oven and the blackboard menu dashing off a few pizza specials such as honey, garlic and mozzarella or potato, smoked eel and rosemary. In the drinks cabinet you'll find water or softies and at the counter there's a bottle opener and plastic cups, if you've BYO-d. On a sunny night, do as the locals do, and take your margherita down to Camperdown Park along with a bottle of wine.

245 Australia Street, Newtown, 0466 181266

Happy aperitivo hour

Maybe Sammy, classic cocktail bar to the stars, has given birth to Sammy Junior– a city espresso bar by day and aperitivo bar by night, designed by architect George Livissianis. In true Italian style, they're serving three-sip cocktails such as coffee negroni, ideal if you're hedging your bets between going out or having one for the road. There's also craft beer from Nomad brewing on tap – pair it with a basil, prosciutto, mozzarella and tomato panino during a quick lunchtime stop.

Charles Plaza, 66 King Street, Sydney, maybesammyjunior.com

New-school French bistro vibes

Just when you thought it was safe to go out in Paddington clutching your Marlborough sauvignon blanc, along comes natural wine store P&V Wine + Liquor and its accompanying restaurant, Porcine. Downstairs is a world of tiny snacks to nibble while you peruse shelves filled with local wines made with minimal intervention but plenty of soul. Upstairs, discover a menu executed by Nicholas Hill (ex-The Old Fitz) and Henry Levy (ex-Don Peppino's). And out the back, a courtyard geared towards al fresco tastings. The attitude, as with all things attached to a wine store run by writer Mike Bennie and business partner Lou Dowling, is utterly inclusive and just a little bit dangerous.

268 Oxford Street, Paddington, pnvmerchants.com

Art on the plate

Chiswick at the Gallery may have closed (dammit, COVID) but in its place comes a new offering with the same Matt Moran swagger. Open for lunch only with gallery-goers in mind, Crafted by Matt Moran is as much a spot for tea and buttermilk scones as it is for grilled swordfish and sauteed Italian greens. The restaurant launched on March 26, coinciding with the opening of The National 2021: New Australian Art, a celebration of contemporary Australian art (open until September 5).

Art Gallery of New South Wales, Art Gallery Road, The Domain, Sydney, craftedbymattmoran.com.au

Ramen and tacos, united at last

​Imagine a place where you could enjoy a bowl of delicious ramen noodles made in-house from organic grains from Gunnedah, and topped with house-made ferments, banana prawn wontons topped and charcoal chicken. Now imagine that same place, only you're holding a taco filled with beef cooked over coals. All this can be a delicious reality at Yang's Tacos and Ramen in Castlecrag, where ex-China Doll chef Alex Wong is guided by the motto "comfort food, not fast food'.

79 Edinburgh Road, Castlecrag, yangsramenandtacos.com.au

A love letter to morning tea

Put down that lardy vanilla slice and don't even think about touching that rubbery custard tart. Humble Bakery, from chefs Elvis Abrahanowicz and Ben Milgate (they of Bastardo, Wyno, Bodega and Porteno fame), are busting out the kind of finger bun that makes you curse every sweaty, plastic-wrapped tuckshop bun you ever ingested. Fist-sized, brightly iced and filled with a generous slab of butter, it's a worthy contender for Iced Bun Heavyweight Champion of the World. That's a thing, right?

50 Holt Street, Surry Hills

High water mark

Sydneysiders busting to leave the city have a good excuse to make the six-hour drive down the south coast with the arrival of seafood-focused Valentina, set atop an old pizza place in Merimbula. Carved banquettes and sculptured walls get you as close to the Spanish coast as you're likely to get this year while the menu, designed by Bistrot 916's Dan Pepperell, is purely Australian. Split prawns, the brightest, freshest oysters, and lobsters straight off the boat. And since you've travelled this far, make a weekend of it and visit sister venue Dulcie's Cottage, where the Margaritas are poured wild and free, and one of the best burgers this side of the border is being served from a dinky 1950s caravan out the back.

Level 1, 2 Market Street, Merimbula, valentinarestaurant.com

Jaffle attraction

We wonder what other names were in the hat when the owners came up with Super Okay by Okay Coffee. Brilliantly Fine? Happily Average? Excitedly 'Meh'? Whatever. If the result is a parmesan-showered bolognese jaffle made with Berkelo sourdough, they could call their cafe Please Leave and Never Come Back and we'd still be waiting by the door for another. That, or the jaffle crammed with smoked ham, cheese and bourbon relish.

11 Mitchell Road, Brookvale, okaycoffee.com.au

New moves in Newtown

More joy for King Street with the arrival of this sweet bar and deli, which offers wine-friendly snacks such as chicken and leek terrine, baked tomato and burrata tart, grilled sardines and, everyone's favourite bread of 2020, fougasse. Wines veer to the natural side of things, and if you visit at weekends they offer a Choose Your Own Adventure brunch plate. Fun.

601 King Street, Newtown, pistou.com.au