Ultimate guide to the best winter warmer dishes in Sydney
From comforting hot pots to rich ramen, steaming soups and hearty goulash, if you need a dose of comfort food on a cold winter night, these 14 dishes won’t disappoint.
Sydney Taste
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No matter how many layers you wear, sometimes warmth and contentment can only come from a hearty meal that will warm you from the inside out.
With six more weeks of winter, here is a guide to the city’s best dishes to get fired up about.
1. Soup – A1
They may be best known for their gourmet selection of sandwiches, but A1 Canteen has also been serving up mouth-watering, heartwarming soups over winter that are a little different to the norm. Most recently the Chippendale eatery had Borscht on the menu, a vibrant beetroot soup native to Ukraine.
2. Hot Pot – The Dolar Shop
What could be heartier than rich meats cooked in a pot of hot, tasty broth – the name says it all. The Dolar Shop has a great reputation for fresh, flavoursome meat including their premium wagyu selection.
3. Slow roasted beef short rib – Bart Jr
This Redfern favourite serves nothing but hearty favourites, but their new addition may take the cake. The team recently added the slow roasted beef short rib with smoked potato and celeriac and green olive gremolata. Slow cooked and winter warmers go hand-in-hand.
4. Curry – Chatkazz Harris Park
Whether it’s the temperature or the spice level, a fiery hot curry is certain to heat things up. Regularly touted as the best authentic Indian in Sydney, with dishes from all parts of India, the curry menu is extensive and with more than 200 menu items, you’re sure to find something delicious to warm from the inside.
5. Ramen – Mappen Noodel Restaurant CBD
From the moment a bowl of ramen is placed before you, the warm-up begins – cradling the bowl as it billows with steam, slurping hot, flavoursome noodles from the rich, hearty broth and finally, drinking in all that remains. Mappen Noodel has a cult following for exactly this. Try the ramen red with ghost chilli oil if you dare.
6. Roast – The Old Fitzroy
Hearty classics and The Old Fitzroy go together like Yorkshire pudding and gravy – which is, coincidentally, one of their best combinations. The Sunday Roast Beef with Yorkshire pudding, gravy, horseradish and all the trimmings has been a massive hit as a takeaway box during COVID.
7. Goulash – Corner 75 Hungarian Randwick
Traditional Hungarian restaurant Corner 75 has the antidote for chilly weather with their veal goulash served with nokedli – a type of Hungarian sticky dumpling. Traditionally cooked, the goulash stars tender meat and a rich paprika sauce with those more-ish house made dumplings.
8. Lasagne – Fratelli Paradiso
Fratelli Paradiso has earned a reputation as one of the best Italian restaurants in Sydney, so you better believe their lasagne is good for the soul. Their rich, authentic lasagne is made with beef and veal, creamy bechamel, spinach infused pasta sheets and parmigiana and best washed down with a bottle of dolcetta.
9. Chocolate Fondant – Meat and Wine Co
Seeing gooey chocolate ooze out of a perfectly made fondant is enough to warm the heart and that’s what Meat and Wine Co offer every time. Their classic chocolate fondant comes with white chocolate centre, mascarpone ice cream and hazelnut praline.
10. Porridge – Platform 82
Keeping concord happy and warm in the morning, Platform 82 has added a porridge to the menu along with a few other treats. The crowd favourite so far has been the pear and cinnamon porridge with star anise.
11. Toastie – Dutch Smuggler
For a hot treat on the go Dutch Smuggler are the (unofficial) world leaders in toasties. These guys shot to fame with their Mie Goreng toastie, which remains a crowd favourite, as well as their classic Reuben and flavour packed Mexican beef with beans, cheddar and jalapeños.
12. Pho – Pho Tau Bay Cabramatta
Touted as the best and original for pho, Pho Tau Bay is a must for the hot, hearty Vietnamese favourite. As pho lovers know, the secret to pho is in a balanced but rich broth and Pho Tau Bay nails the heartiness without the saltiness. Plus the restaurant itself is cosy and familiar.
13. Shakshuka – Grumpy Baker
The Grumpy Baker, aka Israel born Michael Cthurmer, has seen his home country’s dish become a cafe favourite and for good reason. The baked-egg dish is made by setting eggs in a rich tomato-based, spiced sauce and baking. The Grumpy Baker serves it straight out of the cast iron pan with fresh, crusty bread to mop up the yummy leftover sauce.
14. Meat Pie – P.J. O’Brien’s
If there’s two things the Irish know it’s how to beat the cold and what to do with Guinness. Every Friday the classic Irish pub does a chef’s pie of the week with a pint of Guinness and if that doesn’t warm you up the atmosphere will.