One of my favourite parts of town I've explored in Sydney is Newtown, a colourful area decorated by…read morestreet art and proliferated by dozens of drool-inducing restaurants with lots of patio space for enjoying amazing Sydney weather. I recently stumbled upon Urban Bites, a friendly restaurant with a neighbourhood feel that has attentive staff and a menu serving tasty eats in generous portions. The spot serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, desserts, and coffee, with a full alcohol bar. The dessert case is absolutely amazing, featuring everything from cakes and tarts, to pastries. Definitely save room for a tasty treat. I was there for dinner and opted for a delicious grilled haloumi burger with rocket and olive tapenade on Turkish toast ($17.90 AUD). It was served with thickly cut chips and was so huge, I had to take half of it home. The bread was perfectly crispy, there was a ton of haloumi, and the veggies were plentiful. The fish and chips burger with sweet potato fries was equally massive. Though all the cheesecake and tiramisu made my mouth water, I gave something I've never tried a taste, pavlova. I had no idea the dessert was born in the Australia/New Zealand region, which is awesome, but it just looked so gosh darned pretty, I felt it would be a dream to eat. It's a meringue-based cake that was topped with cream. I'm not the hugest meringue fan, but it was sweet and light, and the cream was amazing. I'm sure it was a great version of the dessert, and its elegance evokes the beauty of the Russian ballerina the dessert was named after. From start to finish, the meal at Urban Bites was fantastic. I loved that my meal was enough to take half of it home, the servers were courteous, and the whole atmosphere is fun and laid-back.

We've dined at Urban Bites for breakfast (mostly), lunch and dinner for many years. Since…read moresimplifying their menu and employing a chef, their food is back to being simple, healthy and delicious. They've also made headways into renovating the venue; inside is done and the outdoor dining area will get a makeover soon enough. We normally eat only at venues that accept the Entertainment Book coupons, but we're happy to pay full price at Urban Bites (although they also accept the aforementioned coupon). Tip: go early on Saturday and Sunday mornings and stay under an hour to get free parking directly outside on the street.

This would be a solid 4 stars if it wasn't for the terrible waitress we had, because the food is…read morereally good. Three Queens On King is a new cafe by the people running St. Jude in Redfern. It's a pretty clean fit out here, and while you can get some standard brunch food here there are different specials everyday that do things with a twist. Don't expect them to reinvent the wheel here, but you can expect good, hearty food or tasty healthy food depending on your mood. They opened pretty recently and we came on a Sunday around noon. The wait wasn't too bad, as we were seated within 5 minutes. The Queens running the show are friendly and know their stuff, it's just too bad the waitress we had was pretty horrid. I think she assumed we were foreign exchange students that can't speak English or something because when she asked for our order and we gave it, she gave a condescending "Did you want to order food?" Umm..were you not listening to the food we just ordered? Then I asked for a side of streaky bacon, and she said "Did you mean crispy bacon?" Uh, no I meant streaky bacon...and I pointed it out to her where it said "Streaky Bacon" on their menu. Why are you trying to correct me when you don't even know your own menu? I probably speak and write English way better than you. To top it off we ordered a coffee and a tea, and she completely forgot to bring the tea, it was sitting there for 10 minutes and one of the purveyors brought it over after we flagged her down. Our food was brought out by someone else (probably because our waitress forgot altogether) I ordered the Soft Shell Crab Salad and my partner ordered the cured salmon w' baby beets salad. She loved hers. I really enjoyed mine. Mine wasn't so much a salad but more so a soft shell crab burger with buns on the side. The spicy tomato mayo & cucumber & spanish onion salsa worked great with the crab. I just wish the crab portion was a little larger, but nonetheless it was very tasty. The bacon wasn't exactly the kind of streaky bacon I was expecting, but it was tasty nonetheless. Definitely willing to come back if the service improves.

There is honestly nothing more I like better than a beautiful surprise and the Three Queens on King…read morewere the Jack in the box on that occasion - pardon the pun. Out of nowhere, an original set of salads and hot dishes that combine nuts, seeds, raw vegetables, seafood meet and fruit into delightfully interesting savours. New vantage points to food you know are the key to the pleasure of an edamame, fennel, radish and parmeggiano salad. Crunchy, fresh, savoury and light: perfect for a summer day lunch! The cherry lemonade was made of real cherries and that was the cherry on top of the cake ... Too easy? Ok I take it back but it was a beautiful drink. I don't often recommend a place who doesn't understand duck fat is at the heart of cuisine, even society, even our humanity ... But I warmly recommend to let these queens share their friendly and happy food!

Stumbled on this lovely little spot and glad we did. Clearly…read morebusy with locals, prams about and lots of mums and kids, but wow what a great looking menu. I could not resist the sausage roll, and it was spectacular! She had the quiche, which was also excellent. The accompanying salad was amazing, I think it had candied dried tomatoes or something in it - awesome!! Coffee, also most excellent. A winner!!

The quintessential inner west weekend brunch spot. Pig and the Pastry has been a recent discovery…read morefor me and I keep coming back for more. It's a fairly decent sized space with some seating outside, being right next to a public park is good and bad for parking. The service is always friendly and accommodating depending on your group size, probably best to call ahead of time for large groups as its big enough to be a cafe but not large enough to be classified a restaurant in Sydney. All the produce used in the food is fresh and most likely of organic origins (which I'm guessing on the decor and vibe). Simple and clear menu has some classics like a Chicken Schnitzel but done with a humble salad and chipotle that transports your tastebuds. Breakfast has some healthy-ish options but these are taken in consideration with the core component of the meal. Take the Bacon and Egg Roll, it's served as a burger and the barbecue sauce commands the dish. Cakes and pastry is sold as eat-in and take away items (which change every so often), coffee and milkshakes as well. The gingerbread is a favourite of mine - super refreshing for the sinus. At the end of the day, this is a humble little place that 's rustic feel and pastel interiors make it feel homely and the food cements this feeling. A place to return for sure.

We were strolling around Barangaroo and wanted a coffee. Great coffee and delicious savory pies and…read moresausage rolls!

We were in town for a few days and wanted to sample some meet pies. This place was recommended for…read morethe area so we decided to give it a try. The restaurant itself is on a corner and is really set up for takeout orders. We chose to eat there and were able to snag one of the few tables outside. The restaurant is very busy so it's best to know what you want when getting to the order counter. We tried the Classic Beef pie and one that had beer, beef and mash. Both were actually quite tasty. We tried them with and without sauce (sauce is on the side). I liked the sauce - not a ketchup (or tomato sauce as the Aussies call it) but close to it - my wife did not. The pies were quite flavorful and tasty and we were pleased both the the quality and the speed of service.

I was invited tonight as a plus one to join the yelp event for brassie bread and it truly was a…read morecelebration of food and it's origins! They had lamb on the spit, pizzas made with single origin wheat, Brasserie's famous single origin bread, and Australian wine, beer and cider. During the night they presented speeches telling us where the wheat comes from and why it tastes so good and why this bread is better for you than most! It comes from a single source grain that can be traced back to the farmer and the region where it was grown. Overall the night was amazing! The food was plentiful and flavorsome, the staff were kind and friendly, the bread truly was the hero of each dish. To top it off, there served an organic cordial served with real fruit (pear and blueberry was the favourite)! Tasty tasty tasty!

Every superhero has one thing in common a single origin story be it Spider-Man bitten by a…read moreradioactive spider , Superman coming of age and earth atmosphere activating his superpowers or Batman suffering great injustice and spending the rest of his life seeking vengeance. Brasserie Bread's superpower is owed to its single origin. The sourdough bread only requires three ingredients - Flour, water and salt. But any of these ingredients isn't good enough for the bread specialist. It needs to be the absolute best and they want to know exactly where it's grown to the very field. The source of this flour comes from Southern Flinders Ranges in South Australia. The bread was served up as sliders with Lamb and two kinds of different coleslaw. Both were equally delicious but credit to Brasserie Bread for making sure the Bread was the Batman of the mix, sorry Lamb your the Robin. The bread was like eating a cloud, so soft and sweet like a brioche bun. The bread was also served in cheese which was equally as scrumptious. The idea of serving cheese with honey never occurred to me. Killer combination that worked so well together. Brasserie Bread created a special pizza using only their single origin dough again. This was amazing and something I would definitely order as takeout if they considered it as an option as currently they don't do it. They kept the pizza basic with potato option as well as a cheesy one. Brasserie Bread also offer a wide range of drinks and cordials which were something different and special that would be nice for a picnic. The building is quite impressive and you can watch what happens from the very begging of the bread making process as its right here they make the bread and supply it to many cafes around NSW. It's a warehouse feel to the place but very beautiful and open. Brasserie Bread does indeed have the super power of making some of the damn beat bread I have ever tasted period.

Best. Bakery. Evah! There I said it....as an American living…read morehere, I have tried many bakeries and patisseries and usually disappointing. But not here!!! The owner makes my favourite dessert but needs to ordered ahead. St Honeré, which if you are not familiar with, please believe me when I say it is heaven on earth! That said, I have never been disappointed with one item I've bought from this patisserie. Fresh whipped cream, flaky pastries, buttery croissants ....I could go on & on but I'm sure you get the idea. Cookies, buttery treats.... You are welcome! You can thank me later!! Parking in Plumer Road is busy but I always find a space.

This little bakery has charm and always smells delicious. They stock everything you would expect of…read morea bakery/patisserie store. Bread, pastries, cakes, quiches, hot food and cronuts are all visible from the window display wall overlooking Plumer Road. I am massive fan of their ham, and cheese croissant. While it is not as cheap as picking up the food from other stores, this is a place where you can grab a quick something for the weekend or the much needed pastries to get you through your work day. Parking along this strip is hit and miss - head onto Balfour if you don't mind a stroll around the leafy neighborhood.

I visited this establishment on a food tour a few weeks ago and wished I could have stayed longer…read moreor tried other things. The cases were full of things I really wanted to try. That said, the tour provided us ginger brûlée tart, which reminded me of pastel de nata. It was ok, not my style. Despite this, I could tell the treat was well prepared.

The vegan eggplant, chickpea & mint roll was savory, flavorful, and hearty. The dough was nice and…read moreflaky and soft. The eggplant, chickpea and mint blended nicely. I did use the tomato sauce which added a nice flavor. Friendly service, lovely neighborhood. Definitely recommend.

Although I almost habitually manage to get to Norton Street Grocer as it's closing, the days when I…read moremanage to get there on time mean that for a week (or at least a couple of days) I'll be eating like a king. Nortons has a great selection of olives (my picks: the manchego stuffed, anchovy stuffed, Sicilian and chilli stuffed) and cheeses, plus I'm sure they've got a good range of deli meats as well - I should say that as a non-meateater I didn't really pay this much attention. Aside from the antipasto ingredients, Nortons has fantastic selection of fresh fruit and vegetables, which is fantastic when the Coles upstairs disappoints. Not only is everything stacked and presented immaculately, but the grocers are more than willing to help you choose the right produce, selecting the one that's just ripe enough for whenever you may need it. They have a great selection of fresh and dry pastas, passatas and various other Italian ingredients, and come Christmas and Easter times their shelves are loaded with dozens of panettone varieties - my boyfriend's Italian mum (not a Sydney-sider) has us source on from Nortons every holidays. Given all it's good points, and the fact that Norton Street Grocer is open 'til 7pm almost every night, I have no excuse for missing it. Perhaps its just to ensure I don't eat that well all the time.

The fresh produce here is so fresh! They also stock some of the more exotic fruits like Tamarillo…read moreand achacha. They also had mirabelle plums which you don't see often. Slightly more expensive but the fruit lasts longer due to freshness.