Bold moves take great character, and Brit chef Ben Greeno (noma, Restaurant Sat Bains) has it in spades. He recently decamped from Momofuku Seiobo to run the newest addition to the Merivale Group (Mr. Wong, est., Bistrode CBD). The Paddington’s not a pub, it’s not a restaurant — but it fits somewhere really nicely in-between. The menu is all about the rotisserie, with chucks of lamb, whole birds, and even carrots all taking their place on the skewers.

Sydney has been waiting for a kitchen with Analiese Gregory (formerly of Quay, Bras, and Restaurant Numero 7) at the helm, and damn, can this lady cook. Gregory has spent the last year or so in the kitchen of Sydney favorite ACME, and these young guns are now her co-owners. On the menu, expect comte gougère, blooming onion, and a late-night sandwich that could be eaten all day long. Don’t miss the epic wine list, curated by Katrina Birchmeier (recently of NYC’s the Four Horsemen).

Smart and refined cooking is at the forefront of all of Brent Savage and Nick Hildebrandt’s places (which include Monopole and Bentley). Things have taken a turn at Yellow, though, as chef Savage has ditched the meat in favor of a vegetable-focused menu. It’s working like a charm: Dishes like kohlrabi and enoki mushroom, a parsnip pappardelle, or whipped coconut and carrot sorbet show that you won’t even realize you’re missing the meat.

The slick bar operators from Swillhouse Group (the Baxter Inn, Shady Pines Saloon) have pulled out the big guns to recruit star chef Daniel Pepperell (formerly of 10 William Street and Tetsuya’s) to their new eatery. Pepperell’s famous sardine katsu sando may have been retired in this French bistro, but be ready to be consumed by smart reinventions of classic French recipes like chicken fricassee with shiitake or melon en surprise, the dessert of the year. It’s food that likes wine, and sommelier Andy Tyson’s wine list backs it up big time.

This joint has literally just opened its doors — after months of delays — in its heritage-listed site. Nevermind the wait, though, as chef Nathan Sasi (Nomad) has had more time to fine-tune the menu, which feels like you’re ordering from a market in the depths of Spain. It’s a monster of an operation: The kitchen is making all its own cheese, breads, and charcuterie. You’ll want to go again and again to get through the whole menu with appeal like this: barbecue hot chorizo, truffle mortadella, Ortiz anchovy tart.

Former Ma Peche head honcho Paul Carmichael has moved down under to take the reins at David Chang’s Sydney outpost. Chicken skin coated in jerk sauce and dashi cuttlefish with green mango hint not only at Carmichael’s Caribbean roots, but also his inkling for native Australian ingredients that bring a new identity to the casino favorite. It’s fine dining and comes with a price tag to match, but the best value can be found on the walk-ins bar menu.

This is former Momofuku Seiobo and Viajante chef Clayton Wells’s first gig as a chef/owner — and it’s a game changer. His modern food, served on a five-course, frequently changing menu, slides precariously between good and too damn good. You won’t know you needed duck hearts, roasted lettuce, and fermented cabbage until it lands on your plate, and keep wine choices in the hands of sommelier Tim Watkins. Put Automata on your bucket list.

Led by Elvis Abrahanowicz and Sarah Doyle (co-owners of Porteno and Bodega), the team here has delved into the lost art of preserving and are putting everything in tins. Not just the usual canned suspects though like seafood, pears, and peas: With your platter of sliced charcuterie and cheeses, you could also attempt tinned okra, tinned crème caramel with a side of potato chips, or — wait for it — a martini in a tin. Fans of vintage aesthetics are going to flip over the Continental branded tins.