Redfern

A visit to Fontana is like taking a Mediterranean holiday. The menu is a love letter to regional Italian dishes, backed up by a thoughtful curation of natural wines and aperitivo. To find it, ascend the classic red-carpeted staircase between a Mexican diner and a kebab shop.

A two-level diner influenced by the nameless street food stalls that sit under overpasses in India. Visit for the classic pakoras and chai, then come back for the jaffles with potatoes and peanut chutney, and lentil stews.

Rosa Cienfuegos makes some of Sydney's best Mexican food. At this colourful and casual all-day Mexican eatery and deli, she's serving home-style dishes: huevos divorciados, tacos, garnachas and more. Plus, there are hard-to-find Mexican pantry goods to buy.

A convivial neighbourhood spot for nostalgic French dining. There's no pretension here, just homey Gallic standards backed up by a cracking list of French wines from Burgundy and beyond. Find this gem on a tree-lined inner-city backstreet.

Sicilian-style pies made to a secret recipe. Not as thick as a Roman pizza, but not as thin and sloppy as Neapolitan either. La Coppola’s has a crisp base with a satisfyingly puffy and blistered edge. A small joint with big Italian heart.

Sourdough, croissants, pies and more.

Visit for Japanese-tinged breakfasts by former Bills head chef Kenny Takayama. Its younger sibling Kentaro is also worth your time.

A formidable sandwich shop meets-deli-and-bakery. And this isn’t your average sanga store – think kangaroo mortadella with fermented chilli, and chicken sandwiches with plenty of crunch, thanks to walnuts and apple, plus lamingtons, fancy Vegemite scrolls and house-made jams and pickles to take home.

For coffee and a simple lunch, this closet-sized cafe hits the spot. You may want to look elsewhere if you're after something more involved.

A slice of the Central Coast in the city.

Head to this sunny corner cafe for a bacon and egg roll and a milkshake.

Inside the Norfolk Hotel’s former sports bar is a vibrant wine nook inspired by the Barcelona suburb it’s named after. Expect a range of vermouths, plus mussels and chips, crackers topped with Cantabrian anchovies, and skewers cooked over a flat grill. From the team behind Love, Tilly Devine.

A small bar with an exhaustive range of rare and inventive beers.

In the old Redfern Continental space, find a breezy front bar serving casual day-to-night bites and an intimate back room with a fancy-yet-accessible diner. The kitchen follows a minimum-waste ethos, and you can get Australiana cocktails and cheap three-course meals.

At this one-of-a-kind craft brewery dedicated to hop-heavy beers and wild one-off brews, there are beers poured straight from the tanks; an ex-Longrain chef doing banh-mi-style croissants and barbequed chook; plus breakfast and Mecca coffee in the mornings. The head brewer here is using a reverse-osmosis beer to ensure that these New South Welsh brews taste just like their siblings over in WA.

This small bar is part of the community, located on Redfern's fringe.

This compact all-rounder constantly changes its menus, but its cocktails and Euro-inflected share plates are reliably excellent.

At this artisan gelateria on Regent Street, you'll find coffee, Italian cakes and – of course – excellent gelato.

Beautifully crafted homewares from all over the globe.

A delightful treasure trove of old and new.

A colourful home for furniture made to withstand the Australian elements.

Small-batch Asian-inspired doughnuts that got their start at markets across Sydney.