Canny New Yorkers may recognize his face from behind the pass at Momofuku Ssam Bar. Chef Daniel Pepperell has a cooking pedigree (Attica, Oscillate Wildly) and is showing his style and versatility to brilliant success at this pumping wine bar owned by the Fratelli Paradiso crew. Think small plates, adventurous Italian food, and a nod to hip natural wines.

After two years away from the pans, well-loved chef Peter Conistis (Omega, Civic Dining) is back delivering vibrant and beautiful Greek village food. There's a nod to all your familiar Greek favorites, including lamb, oregano, feta, octopus, and olives. The dining room comes complete with fishing net-inspired lights, so just close your eyes and imagine yourself on the Greek Islands.

Finnish born chef Pasi Petanen spent eight years as Mark Best's right hand man at Marque. Now he has popped up, literally for one year only, in the old Cafe Pacifico site. Petanen is offering a daily changing set menu that is delivering some of the most exciting and innovative food around town. This is a run-don't-walk kind of place.

An enormous wood-fired oven takes a place of pride in this Chippendale newcomer. Chef Mat Lindsay (Billy Kwong) calls it "The Cathedral" and has a section of the menu dedicated to it. Ester has industrial charm, is run by professionals, and is just how you want your local to be. A hit with the after-work crowd, they can't get enough of the blood sausage sandwich.

This dynamite wine bar is from the clever team who impressed Sydney with Bentley Restaurant and Bar: chef Brent Savage and sommelier Nick Hildebrandt. Though Monopole is a more casual venture in lofty Potts Point, it has already received the accolade of Gourmet Traveller's Wine List of the Year. It has food to enjoy your wine with — and there's plenty to choose from with 500-plus wines on the list.

Rockstar bartenders Max Greco (Eau de Vie) and Luke Ashton (The Roosevelt) have created a rock 'n roll niche at this moody bar, named after '80s Italian rocker Vasco Rossi. "The Playlist" is their roll call of music royalty-inspired cocktails such as Black Betty, Lola, and Eagle Rock. The drinks hit all the right notes, and the vibe is electric. Vasco takes you back to the time where you could party all night long.

Vincent is French, it's sexy, and it already has a signature to-die-for dish, the Comté custard, a divine new offering from the team behind Wine Library and Buzo. Jo Ward (Bloodwood) is in the kitchen delivering wine-friendly food for the Francophile. There's a 100-strong list of French wines, while cheese and butter are made in-house. The queue forms to the right, folks.

Some would say that the team from Monopole (see above) had enough to do, but Sydney is delighted they have found time to open Yellow. This is a nod to the neo-bistros of Paris; think Frenchie, Septime, and Saturne. Chef Brent Savage offers a small bistro menu, heavy in technique and pleasantly seasonal. It's still the early days, but the outlook for this one is more than promising.