Sydney’s always been a great place to eat the food of the Eastern Mediterranean – delicious shared feasts of dips, salads, flatbread and charcoal-grilled meat – less expensive and healthier than a lot of other offerings and mainly along Cleveland Street in the city and in the south-western suburbs. But there are also a band of chefs using the flavours of Lebanon, Turkey, Israel and surrounds to create fun modern spaces that, while still offering great value, also show a lighter touch, more diversity of flavour and interesting drinks lists. Here are four of my favourite mod Middle Eastern spots and my go-to old-school classic.
Anason Barangaroo
Somer Sivrioglu brings the casual bars of Istanbul’s Bosphorus shore to Sydney’s Barangaroo. From traditional simit (sesame-studded rings of chewy bread) and juicy lahmacun (minced beef ‘pizza’) to duck sujuk (sausage) and veal tongue in steamed ‘pita’, there’s the familiar and the innovative, with a great list of Turkish wine.
Kepos Street Kitchen Redfern
This cute corner café with a display cabinet full of the most tempting cakes is also home to Israeli-born Michael Rantissi’s menu of classics (best falafel ever served with a killer green tahini sauce!) and café-style dishes studded with Middle Eastern flavours (pomegranate molasses, wonderful hazelnut dukkah, and Michael’s own harissa). It’s all so fresh and tasty!
Nour Surry Hills
Lebanese classics deconstructed and reimagined is the best way to describe the playful menu served at this comfortable space by chefs who bring the best of Levantine tradition and Ingredients together. For me it’s always all about the mezze, including chicken bits shawarma with tarator, pickled cabbage and yoghurt bread; basturma with date and vine leaf salad; and stunning octopus with muhammara, fried potato and whipped roe. Need I say more?
Stanbuli Enmore – CLOSED
Look beyond the street front 1950s ‘Marie Louise Hair Stylist’ signage to Turkish tiles and paisley swirled wallpaper. At the downstairs marble bar or upstairs tables, feast on fabulous sheep’s cheese-filled zucchini flowers, tender charcoal-grilled octopus with tarama and crunchy fresh salads, alongside an impressive raki list.
Jasmins Lakemba
You only survive for over 25 years in a city full of such bright new kids by doing something right – and this long time favourite proves the point with closely packed, laminate tables covered in some of the silkiest hummus, smokiest baba ghanoush, crispest falafel, pickles, kebabs and super fresh Lebanese bread 7 days a week.
Updated 27 Feb 2023
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