Tokyo, Hong Kong, Brooklyn. Merivale’s fun basement diner takes cues from all three cities. As for the menu, it’s a no-rules affair by Totti’s executive chef Mike Eggert, powered by woks and woodfire.

The chef behind two of acclaimed Melbourne restaurants is bringing his produce-driven approach to the GPO building in Martin Place. At Morena, he's showcasing the best of Latin American cuisine, and Australia's largest collection of wines from the region.

The Nakano Darling Team’s ramen shop is unlike anything in Sydney – but exactly like one you’d find in Japan. Punch your order into the ticket machine, hit the tatami dining room and hoover your soup at a low table. Tokyo dreams are made of this.

A family-friendly, group-ready 120-seater from the team behind two of Surry Hills' favourite venues has antipasti aplenty. Plus, house-made pastas and a roaming cart scooping out house-made gelato tableside.

This 80-seat spot serves all the Fabbrica favourites, from spaghetti cacio e pepe to cotoletta alla Milanese served with the bone. As ever, the wine list goes big on Italian and Australian drops from the minimal-intervention realm.

With just eight seats, Matkim is one of the smallest chef's table experiences in Sydney. But this tiny counter by the Tokki team is also a leader in the city’s Korean fine-dining revolution, and serves an 18-course spectacle you won’t soon forget.

An iconic inner-west corner is now home to a fire-powered Argentinian diner by the Tequila Mockingbird team. Come for the theatrical open kitchen, courtyard barbeques and one of the suburb’s strongest cocktail lists.

Meet the elegant restaurant making a strong case for hotel dining in Sydney. Ascend the grand stairway for a fire-powered open kitchen, a wine list celebrating Australian makers and leafy views of Hyde Park.

Go to infinita and beyond at this north shore hotspot, which is serving up good wine, steaks and house-made pasta. Just don’t expect any pizza to come out of that woodfire pizza oven.

The duo behind a cult Sydney food truck have opened a full-service restaurant for their flame-grilled lamb and Wagyu skewers. What else is new? Try an eight-seat chef’s table, and a curated list of wines and high-end French ciders.

Bug rolls with red curry pesto and Tom Yum-inspired spaghettini are on the menu at this slick diner inside the old Café Perons site. Visit for a mashup of Aussie produce and the chef’s Malaysian heritage.

Will you perch at the raw bar for sake and flame-grill action? Or will you kick back in the courtyard with a Saketini and a sando, under a decades-old liquidambar? Tough decisions lie ahead at this sleek Japanese diner from the Matteo team.

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.

Nikkei fare stars at this 104-seat harbourside diner, where a nine-part crudo line-up is joined by a tight list of mains cooked on an open parrilla grill.