Mercado

Mercado is a handsome, subterranean restaurant in Sydney’s Angel Place precinct with an admirable commitment to doing things in house. Like a market in Spain or Latin America, the kitchen butchers its own meat, makes its own charcuterie and bakes its own bread using house-milled grains, among other delicious things.

To start, it’s all about tapas including anchovies with whipped parmesan butter and Manchego, jamon from the Iberian peninsula that’s sliced to order, and skewers of barbequed octopus and housemade txistorra sausage with confit potato and chimichurri. A wood-fired oven and a rotisserie provide the big-ticket menu items. These might include whole-roasted spatchcock, premium steaks dry-aged in house, and daily market fish.

No visit to Mercado is complete with an order of cheese – but it won’t be delivered on a cutting board or a platter. Like the fanciest and most exciting yum cha services, it comes to your table via trolley, and is served with classic accompaniments. Likewise, a sherry from the formidable selection of mainly Spanish wines is mandatory ordering, and a perfect way to finish.