By David McGuinness and Paul Allam · Food / Recipes
It’s easy to replicate the bakery’s pork and fennel sausage rolls – a bestseller since its first store opened in 2004. --- SaveYou have reached your maximum number of saved items. --- Remove items from your saved list to add more. --- ShareAAALiving through a bakery golden age that we are makes it difficult to comprehend that when Sydney’s Bourke Street Bakery opened in 2004 on the Surry Hills street that gave it its name, quality sourdough wasn’t available in every Melbourne and Sydney suburb. --- It was also a challenge to find high-grade pies and sausages rolls, so when people heard both were available at the tiny inner-east corner shop, they drove from everywhere to buy the goods. --- Paul Allam on the left and David McGuinness in their Bourke Street Bakery in 2004. Marco Del GrandeIn fact, years after, people were still making the trek. “Rain, hail or shine, the queue outside Bourke Street Bakery never abates,” Good Food wrote in 2013. --- “Early risers line the pavement for dense almond croissants, while the sausage rolls – pork and fennel, or perhaps lamb, harissa and almond – have their own cultish following. And let’s not even talk about the queues on Sundays.” --- Fast-forward to 2026 and founders David McGuinness and Paul Allam have 13 Sydney stores and two in New York. The first international shop opened in 2019 in Manhattan’s midtown. --- The best recipes from Australia's leading chefs straight to your inbox. --- “When I take a moment and think back to Surry Hills, it’s amazing, it feels a bit weird being here,” Allam told The Sydney Morning Herald in 2018 from the construction site in New York. --- Even after dark there are lines. Alan BensonThis year the bakery celebrates 21 years – an impressive milestone in Australia’s fickle hospitality scene. Also this year came the release of the 14th printing of its 2007-launched cookbook Bourke Street Bakery, which has sold more than 150,000 copies worldwide and been translated into Danish, Swedish, German and Russian. --- In the first line in the original book’s foreword, McGuinness and Allam describe the bakery as “small, rustic, homely and timeless”. While the small part isn’t true any more, they reckon the other ideas “have held their own”. ---
By Emily Holgate · Food / Tips & advice
Through her new recipe column, The Foundations, Nat hopes to instil the confidence to cook any type of food – and to stop you being so hard on yourself. --- SaveYou have reached your maximum number of saved items. --- Remove items from your saved list to add more. --- ShareAAAEver tried your hand at making a curry from scratch, only for it go disastrously wrong? Maybe it’s too salty, or too sweet, perhaps the sauce splits, or turns out weak, watery or unbalanced. For cooking novices, it can often feel easier to just order a takeaway than labour over a new skill. --- But Good Food’s new recipe columnist Nat Thaipun insists that imperfection is an integral step in mastering the art of home cooking. --- Good Food’s columnist Nat Thaipun with her first Foundations recipe: Panang curry butter sauce.Dion Georgopoulos“I want to give people the confidence to cook not just Thai food but any kind of food, and not be hard on themselves” says the former MasterChef Australia winner and cookbook author. “Often I find people not wanting to cook because they feel like they’re doing the wrong thing.” --- Adapting and allowing room for error are all part of the process, as explored in Thaipun’s new Good Food column, The Foundations. Whether you’re a rookie in the kitchen or know your way around a pan, she will demonstrate a new technique to help build your confidence and form the building blocks necessary to get creative with cooking. By next Christmas, you’ll have a whole new toolkit of skills at your disposal. --- Thaipun’s inaugural recipe demonstrates how to make her versatile Panang curry butter sauce – rich and buttery with a heady kick, you can drizzle it over your favourite veggies or use it as a base for fusion dishes. While the sauce itself is relatively quick to whip up, it requires a keen eye to ensure the coconut cream and cold butter emulsify without splitting. But don’t fret if you’ve never tried this at home before; Thaipun will hold your hand each step of the way. --- The best recipes from Australia's leading chefs straight to your inbox. --- Balancing flavours and adjusting sauces to identify what could be missing is another key aspect of Thai cooking – and cooking in general – that she’ll explore throughout her recipe columns. Each skill and nugget of wisdom will build on each other to help you understand the basics of experimenting in the kitchen. --- Nat gets busy in the kitchen.Dion Georgopoulos“There are so many different ways to cook,” Thaipun says. “You should be allowed to have the freedom to experiment because you never know what you’re going to come up with. Adaptability is a big one.” --- Before you know it, you’ll be scouring the fridge and pantry and whipping up a delicious meal on a whim – no exact recipe or measurements required. For now, try your hand at making this fragrant (and absolutely addictive) curry butter sauce – and stay tuned for the next summery instalment of The Foundations. ---
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SubscribeLoginSubscribeLoginSubscribeLogin{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Article","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.broadsheet.com.au/sydney/food-and-drink/article/bar-lira-sixpenny-stanmore-coming-soon"},"headline":"Coming Soon: The Sixpenny Team’s New “Neighbourhood Hangout” Is Almost Ready","description":"Bar Lira will open with a loose Euro wine bar menu and plenty of special bottles, just 140 metres up the road from one of Australia’s finest dining rooms.","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","width":860,"height":600,"author":{"name":"Grace Mackenzie"},"url":"https://cdn.broadsheet.com.au/images/2026/07/02/Sixpenny_Stanmore_DeclanBlackall3-bb6a879d07.webp","caption":"Sixpenny"},{"@type":"ImageObject","width":860,"height":600,"author":{"name":"Grace Mackenzie"},"url":"","caption":""}],"datePublished":"2026-09-21T15:33:00.000Z","dateModified":"2026-09-21T05:33:44.931Z","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Grace Mackenzie","url":"https://www.broadsheet.com.au/author/grace-mackenzie"},"articleBody":"This year is shaping up to be one dotted with wine bar spin-offs from some of our most celebrated restaurants. Mat Lindsay’s 12-seater Pig Mary will be here imminently, on the very same block as Ester. Aalia’s wine room recently opened in the glassy-walled space just next door. And soon fine-diner Sixpenny will have Bar Lira, just 140 metres up the road. “It’s a casual sister to Sixpenny,” says general manager George Papaioannou, who’s been with the team for close to a decade. “We want to see people more regularly and really be there for our community. Our tagline is ‘your neighbourhood hangout’. We really just want to be for the people that live around us so they can drop in for a glass of wine on their way home from work.” With Sixpenny’s owner-chef Dan Puskas (Corner 75) and head chef Tony Schifilliti leading the food, you’ll want to stay longer than a drop-in drink. The team’s laser focus on the food, drinks and atmosphere is a spectacular score for Stanmore, a sleepier inner west suburb. Here we’re in wine bar territory, but with enough heft for a substantial dinner: snacks, small plates and rotating mains, rounded out with gelato for dessert. And while Sixpenny’s ferments will add complexity to Bar Lira’s dishes and the same team will oversee both dining rooms, the venues will stand alone. “It’s more European at Bar Lira, and more contemporary Australian at Sixpenny. They stand apart,” says Papaioannou. “You could say the level of detail is the same, but they both have their own unique perspectives on food.” The wine list goes big on carafes for more flexibility; plus special drops available by the half-bottle, for less of a commitment. The currency-themed names mark the pair as siblings, with the lira’s use across Europe – especially Italy, where it was the currency until 2002 – referencing the new venue’s offering and look. “One of the key words we were working on with the interior designer was ‘timeless’. So we’ve taken cues from old European wine bars and developed a colour palette and feeling that feels like it’s been there and has history,” says Papaioannou. The kitchen is in and the cabinetmaker is at work on Lira’s wooden surfaces. The finishing touches on the warm 28-seat space are close, too. The team hopes to be in and pouring in the coming weeks. Bar Lira is set to open at 124 Percival Road, Stanmore, in October 2026. @barlira_au","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Broadsheet","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://broadsheet.com.au/assets/image/logo-full-white.png","width":520,"height":53}},"inLanguage":"en-AU"}(self.__next_s=self.__next_s||[]).push([0,{"children":"\n const fusetag = window.fusetag || (window.fusetag = { que: [] });\n window.__fuseInitPath = window.location.pathname;\n fusetag.que.push(function() {\n fusetag.pageInit({\n blockingFuseIds: [\"96225910\"],\n pageTargets: [{\"key\":\"sessionalcohol\",\"value\":[\"any\"]},{\"key\":\"sessionautomotive\",\"value\":[\"any\"]},{\"key\":\"sessionfinance\",\"value\":[\"any\"]},{\"key\":\"sessiontechnology\",\"value\":[\"any\"]},{\"key\":\"sessiontravel\",\"value\":[\"any\"]},{\"key\":\"pagetype\",\"value\":[\"article\"]},{\"key\":\"campaign\",\"value\":\"\"},{\"key\":\"sponsor\",\"value\":\"\"},{\"key\":\"sponsorcategory\",\"value\":\"\"},{\"key\":\"sponsorname\",\"value\":\"\"},{\"key\":\"tags\",\"value\":[]},{\"key\":\"suburb\",\"value\":\"stanmore\"},{\"key\":\"vertical\",\"value\":\"Food & Drink\"},{\"key\":\"city\",\"value\":\"sydney\"}]\n });\n });\n ","id":"load-publift"}]){"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@type":"Thing","name":"Sydney","@id":"https://www.broadsheet.com.au/sydney"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@type":"Thing","name":"Food & Drink","@id":"https://www.broadsheet.com.au/sydney/food-and-drink"}}]}SydneyFood & DrinkComing Soon: The Sixpenny Team’s New “Neighbourhood Hangout” Is Almost ReadySixpenny·Photo: Declan BlackallBar Lira will open with a loose Euro wine bar menu and plenty of special bottles, just 140 metres up the road from one of Australia’s finest dining rooms.Words by Grace Mackenzie · Published on 21 Sep 2026 --- Read laterThis year is shaping up to be one dotted with wine bar spin-offs from some of our most celebrated restaurants. Mat Lindsay’s 12-seater Pig Mary will be here imminently, on the very same block as Ester. Aalia’s wine room recently opened in the glassy-walled space just next door. And soon fine-diner Sixpenny will have Bar Lira, just 140 metres up the road. --- “It’s a casual sister to Sixpenny,” says general manager George Papaioannou, who’s been with the team for close to a decade. “We want to see people more regularly and really be there for our community. Our tagline is ‘your neighbourhood hangout’. We really just want to be for the people that live around us so they can drop in for a glass of wine on their way home from work.” --- With Sixpenny’s owner-chef Dan Puskas (Corner 75) and head chef Tony Schifilliti leading the food, you’ll want to stay longer than a drop-in drink. The team’s laser focus on the food, drinks and atmosphere is a spectacular score for Stanmore, a sleepier inner west suburb. --- Here we’re in wine bar territory, but with enough heft for a substantial dinner: snacks, small plates and rotating mains, rounded out with gelato for dessert. And while Sixpenny’s ferments will add complexity to Bar Lira’s dishes and the same team will oversee both dining rooms, the venues will stand alone. --- “It’s more European at Bar Lira, and more contemporary Australian at Sixpenny. They stand apart,” says Papaioannou. “You could say the level of detail is the same, but they both have their own unique perspectives on food.” --- The wine list goes big on carafes for more flexibility; plus special drops available by the half-bottle, for less of a commitment. --- The currency-themed names mark the pair as siblings, with the lira’s use across Europe – especially Italy, where it was the currency until 2002 – referencing the new venue’s offering and look. “One of the key words we were working on with the interior designer was ‘timeless’. So we’ve taken cues from old European wine bars and developed a colour palette and feeling that feels like it’s been there and has history,” says Papaioannou. --- The kitchen is in and the cabinetmaker is at work on Lira’s wooden surfaces. The finishing touches on the warm 28-seat space are close, too. The team hopes to be in and pouring in the coming weeks. --- Bar Lira is set to open at 124 Percival Road, Stanmore, in October 2026. --- Grace MacKenzie is Broadsheet Sydney’s food and drink editor. ---
SubscribeLoginSubscribeLoginSubscribeLogin{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Article","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.broadsheet.com.au/sydney/food-and-drink/article/burek-brothers-rockdale-go-big"},"headline":"Rockdale’s Beloved Burek Shop Is Bigger Than Ever, Now With Room for Macedonian Doughnuts","description":"After eight years as a tiny takeaway joint, the family team has expanded with a dining room that makes them think of home. Plus, find new family recipes on the menu.","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","width":860,"height":600,"author":{"name":"Howard Chen"},"url":"https://cdn.broadsheet.com.au/images/2026/09/22/Borek_Yusuke_Oba_Sep_2026_Low_011-90037475fe.webp","caption":""},{"@type":"ImageObject","width":860,"height":600,"author":{"name":"Howard Chen"},"url":"https://cdn.broadsheet.com.au/images/2026/09/22/Borek_Yusuke_Oba_Sep_2026_Low_006-0dcb07feed.webp","caption":""},{"@type":"ImageObject","width":860,"height":600,"author":{"name":"Howard Chen"},"url":"https://cdn.broadsheet.com.au/images/2026/09/22/Borek_Yusuke_Oba_Sep_2026_Low_004-6f1e9ff706.webp","caption":""},{"@type":"ImageObject","width":860,"height":600,"author":{"name":"Howard Chen"},"url":"https://cdn.broadsheet.com.au/images/2026/09/22/Borek_Yusuke_Oba_Sep_2026_Low_023-8be4cf1e7f.webp","caption":""},{"@type":"ImageObject","width":860,"height":600,"author":{"name":"Howard Chen"},"url":"https://cdn.broadsheet.com.au/images/2026/09/22/Borek_Yusuke_Oba_Sep_2026_Low_015-dd8df80dbb.webp","caption":""},{"@type":"ImageObject","width":860,"height":600,"author":{"name":"Howard Chen"},"url":"https://cdn.broadsheet.com.au/images/2026/09/22/Borek_Yusuke_Oba_Sep_2026_Low_018-9faf88762f.webp","caption":""},{"@type":"ImageObject","width":860,"height":600,"author":{"name":"Howard Chen"},"url":"https://cdn.broadsheet.com.au/images/2026/09/22/Borek_Yusuke_Oba_Sep_2026_Low_009-2b40c500dc.webp","caption":""},{"@type":"ImageObject","width":860,"height":600,"author":{"name":"Howard Chen"},"url":"https://cdn.broadsheet.com.au/images/2026/09/22/Borek_Yusuke_Oba_Sep_2026_Low_024-15e8b7954e.webp","caption":""},{"@type":"ImageObject","width":860,"height":600,"author":{"name":"Howard Chen"},"url":"https://cdn.broadsheet.com.au/images/2026/09/22/Borek_Yusuke_Oba_Sep_2026_Low_025-45bcd6b4a1.webp","caption":""},{"@type":"ImageObject","width":860,"height":600,"author":{"name":"Howard Chen"},"url":"https://cdn.broadsheet.com.au/images/2026/09/22/Borek_Yusuke_Oba_Sep_2026_Low_008-0c59f914d3.webp","caption":""},{"@type":"ImageObject","width":860,"height":600,"author":{"name":"Howard Chen"},"url":"https://cdn.broadsheet.com.au/images/2026/09/22/Borek_Yusuke_Oba_Sep_2026_Low_010-f0db31e120.webp","caption":""},{"@type":"ImageObject","width":860,"height":600,"author":{"name":"Howard Chen"},"url":"https://cdn.broadsheet.com.au/images/2026/09/22/Borek_Yusuke_Oba_Sep_2026_Low_007-f2fc9782e7.webp","caption":""},{"@type":"ImageObject","width":860,"height":600,"author":{"name":"Howard Chen"},"url":"https://cdn.broadsheet.com.au/images/2026/09/22/Borek_Yusuke_Oba_Sep_2026_Low_022-35e4a4de62.webp","caption":""},{"@type":"ImageObject","width":860,"height":600,"author":{"name":"Howard Chen"},"url":"https://cdn.broadsheet.com.au/images/2026/09/22/Borek_Yusuke_Oba_Sep_2026_Low_012-f7fda5b433.webp","caption":""},{"@type":"ImageObject","width":860,"height":600,"author":{"name":"Howard Chen"},"url":"https://cdn.broadsheet.com.au/images/2026/09/22/Borek_Yusuke_Oba_Sep_2026_Low_013-f69423f53e.webp","caption":""}],"datePublished":"2026-09-22T16:44:00.000Z","dateModified":"2026-09-23T01:30:07.866Z","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Howard Chen","url":"https://www.broadsheet.com.au/author/howard-chen"},"articleBody":"At around 4.15am every day, Jovan and Nikola Radevski arrive at The Burek Brothers and start making burek. Each batch of dough requires two hours of kneading, oiling and resting. By around 6am, the first trays of the pastry – hand-stretched and filled – are going into the oven. “Generally three dough balls go into one burek,” Jovan says. “A typical week, you're looking at anywhere between 2500 and 3500 dough balls.” Their father Risto Radevski ran Pella Burek in Rockdale from 2003 to 2011. Jovan was 14 when he first started making burek there, while Nikola was nine and helped prep everything else. Years later – after a stint living in Macedonia, and studying commerce and aeronautical engineering respectively – the brothers returned to Rockdale and opened The Burek Brothers. For Jovan, it was unfinished business. “We just had to do it again,” he says. “No one younger is making burek, everyone doing it is sort of a dying generation.” The brothers wanted to bring Macedonian food to a wider Sydney audience, without losing the techniques their father had taught them. And it’s safe to say Sydney was into it. Their bureks arrive hot and deeply golden, the hand-stretched pastry forming thin, crisp layers. When it first opened, The Burek Brothers menu had just three savoury flavours: cheese, spinach and cheese, and beef (which quickly became the bestseller). They now run more than 20 varieties – the meat and potato, closer to a maznik, is my favourite, especially dipped into the brothers’ ajvar – with daily specials and vegan options alongside the traditional fillings. But now the team is going bigger, expanding into the space next door. That means a larger kitchen, around 60 seats across a new dining room and outdoor area, and more menu items from their childhood. Inspired by a traditional Macedonian house, the new dining room has timber beams across the ceiling, rendered walls and Macedonian music playing. Where the original shop was primarily a takeaway spot with only a handful of seats, the new space gives customers room to settle in. They continue to use meat from the nearby Butcher Boys and locally made cheese from Vannella, and source vegetables from Flemington. The fillings are mixed and prepared in-house, then stuffed into the hand-stretched dough. The technique was passed down from their great-grandfather to their father, then to Jovan and Nikola. For months during childhood, their father had Jovan practice with a wet tea towel, stretching and throwing it repeatedly until he could form a circle without it folding over itself. Once he could nail it 15 times in a row, he was finally allowed to touch the dough. You’ll also find a house-made maštejnca, the tart, lightly salty fermented yoghurt drink made to the same recipe their mum would make litres of weekly. Now, she’s in the shop on weekends, making her mekici. The Macedonian doughnuts are sweet and pillowy, landing between a fluffy doughnut and flatbread. Go early, they sell out before 11am. For Jovan and Nikola, the goal has always been to share the magic of burek. They hold childhood memories of waking up to the smell of burek being made at home. It was the ultimate breakfast, “better than cereal, better than eggs and bacon,” Jovan says. Eight years after first opening The Burek Brothers, the brothers have room for everyone else to sit down and share it. The Burek Brothers 162 Bay St, Rockdale Hours: Mon to Sat 6am–3pm Sun 7am–2pm burekbrothers.com.au @theburekbrothers","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Broadsheet","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://broadsheet.com.au/assets/image/logo-full-white.png","width":520,"height":53}},"inLanguage":"en-AU"}(self.__next_s=self.__next_s||[]).push([0,{"children":"\n const fusetag = window.fusetag || (window.fusetag = { que: [] });\n window.__fuseInitPath = window.location.pathname;\n fusetag.que.push(function() {\n fusetag.pageInit({\n blockingFuseIds: [\"96225910\"],\n pageTargets: [{\"key\":\"sessionalcohol\",\"value\":[\"any\"]},{\"key\":\"sessionautomotive\",\"value\":[\"any\"]},{\"key\":\"sessionfinance\",\"value\":[\"any\"]},{\"key\":\"sessiontechnology\",\"value\":[\"any\"]},{\"key\":\"sessiontravel\",\"value\":[\"any\"]},{\"key\":\"pagetype\",\"value\":[\"article\"]},{\"key\":\"campaign\",\"value\":\"\"},{\"key\":\"sponsor\",\"value\":\"\"},{\"key\":\"sponsorcategory\",\"value\":\"\"},{\"key\":\"sponsorname\",\"value\":\"\"},{\"key\":\"tags\",\"value\":[]},{\"key\":\"suburb\",\"value\":\"rockdale\"},{\"key\":\"vertical\",\"value\":\"Food & Drink\"},{\"key\":\"city\",\"value\":\"sydney\"}]\n });\n });\n ","id":"load-publift"}]){"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@type":"Thing","name":"Sydney","@id":"https://www.broadsheet.com.au/sydney"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@type":"Thing","name":"Food & Drink","@id":"https://www.broadsheet.com.au/sydney/food-and-drink"}}]}SydneyFood & DrinkRockdale’s Beloved Burek Shop Is Bigger Than Ever, Now With Room for Macedonian DoughnutsPhoto: Yusuke ObaAfter eight years as a tiny takeaway joint, the family team has expanded with a dining room that makes them think of home. Plus, find new family recipes on the menu.Words by Howard Chen · Updated on 23 Sep 2026 · Published on 22 Sep 2026 --- Read laterAt around 4.15am every day, Jovan and Nikola Radevski arrive at The Burek Brothers and start making burek. Each batch of dough requires two hours of kneading, oiling and resting. By around 6am, the first trays of the pastry – hand-stretched and filled – are going into the oven. --- “Generally three dough balls go into one burek,” Jovan says. “A typical week, you're looking at anywhere between 2500 and 3500 dough balls.” --- Their father Risto Radevski ran Pella Burek in Rockdale from 2003 to 2011. Jovan was 14 when he first started making burek there, while Nikola was nine and helped prep everything else. Years later – after a stint living in Macedonia, and studying commerce and aeronautical engineering respectively – the brothers returned to Rockdale and opened The Burek Brothers. For Jovan, it was unfinished business. --- “We just had to do it again,” he says. “No one younger is making burek, everyone doing it is sort of a dying generation.” --- The brothers wanted to bring Macedonian food to a wider Sydney audience, without losing the techniques their father had taught them. And it’s safe to say Sydney was into it. --- Their bureks arrive hot and deeply golden, the hand-stretched pastry forming thin, crisp layers. When it first opened, The Burek Brothers menu had just three savoury flavours: cheese, spinach and cheese, and beef (which quickly became the bestseller). They now run more than 20 varieties – the meat and potato, closer to a maznik, is my favourite, especially dipped into the brothers’ ajvar – with daily specials and vegan options alongside the traditional fillings. --- But now the team is going bigger, expanding into the space next door. That means a larger kitchen, around 60 seats across a new dining room and outdoor area, and more menu items from their childhood. --- Inspired by a traditional Macedonian house, the new dining room has timber beams across the ceiling, rendered walls and Macedonian music playing. Where the original shop was primarily a takeaway spot with only a handful of seats, the new space gives customers room to settle in. --- They continue to use meat from the nearby Butcher Boys and locally made cheese from Vannella, and source vegetables from Flemington. The fillings are mixed and prepared in-house, then stuffed into the hand-stretched dough. The technique was passed down from their great-grandfather to their father, then to Jovan and Nikola. --- For months during childhood, their father had Jovan practice with a wet tea towel, stretching and throwing it repeatedly until he could form a circle without it folding over itself. Once he could nail it 15 times in a row, he was finally allowed to touch the dough. --- You’ll also find a house-made maštejnca, the tart, lightly salty fermented yoghurt drink made to the same recipe their mum would make litres of weekly. Now, she’s in the shop on weekends, making her mekici. The Macedonian doughnuts are sweet and pillowy, landing between a fluffy doughnut and flatbread. Go early, they sell out before 11am. ---
SubscribeLoginSubscribeLoginSubscribeLogin{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Article","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.broadsheet.com.au/melbourne/food-and-drink/article/tiny-bar-brunswick-east-closing"},"headline":"Brunswick East’s Tiny Bar To Close Next Month","description":"“It’s like you’re in his living room,” Zareh head chef Josh Fry recently said of the 18-month-old space.","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","width":860,"height":600,"author":{"name":"Nick Connellan"},"url":"https://cdn.broadsheet.com.au/images/2025/12/16/Tiny Bar_Michael Gardenia_01 of 22-5616ac4814.webp","caption":""},{"@type":"ImageObject","width":860,"height":600,"author":{"name":"Nick Connellan"},"url":"https://cdn.broadsheet.com.au/images/2025/12/16/Tiny Bar_Michael Gardenia_10 of 22-03891422db.webp","caption":""},{"@type":"ImageObject","width":860,"height":600,"author":{"name":"Nick Connellan"},"url":"https://cdn.broadsheet.com.au/images/2025/12/16/Tiny Bar_Michael Gardenia_11 of 22-4ef54f2525.webp","caption":""},{"@type":"ImageObject","width":860,"height":600,"author":{"name":"Nick Connellan"},"url":"https://cdn.broadsheet.com.au/images/2025/12/16/Tiny Bar_Michael Gardenia_22 of 22-77f1d6017c.webp","caption":""}],"datePublished":"2026-09-21T04:31:37.000Z","dateModified":"2026-09-21T05:48:20.191Z","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Nick Connellan","url":"https://www.broadsheet.com.au/author/nick-connellan"},"articleBody":"Melbourne’s favourite five-square-metre bar has called last drinks. Couple Jamila Fontana and Zac Shearer (formerly a chef at The Lincoln and French Saloon) took over a Brunswick East bagel shop in early 2025 and reopened it as Tiny Bar, a space where the delineation between kitchen and dining room is basically non-existent. At the end of the year we named it one of 2025’s 11 best new bars, owing partly to the sheer range of snacks and larger plates Shearer manages in the cramped galley kitchen, and partly to that rare sense of intimacy with customers. In a recent edition of Where Chefs Eat, Zareh’s Josh Fry told us he’d visited Tiny Bar more than anywhere else in Melbourne and summed up the appeal: “Zac is cooking some great dishes out of a truly tiny kitchen. It’s like you’re in his living room – good chats and great hospitality.” Shearer announced the bar’s impending closure this morning, stating: “Tiny was never meant to become an empire. It was about proving that a small, independent restaurant could be ambitious without being big. “With our lease coming to an end, we had to decide if it kept striking the balance we originally intended and as many of you know, there’s no easy way to run a small business. “Right now feels like the right moment to finish the story rather than sign up for another chapter. “So that’s what we’re doing.” Tiny Bar will close on October 9. Zac Shearer was contacted for comment. Tiny Bar 221D Blyth Street, Brunswick East No phone Hours: Thu to Sat 5pm–11pm @tinybar_melbourne","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Broadsheet","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://broadsheet.com.au/assets/image/logo-full-white.png","width":520,"height":53}},"inLanguage":"en-AU"}(self.__next_s=self.__next_s||[]).push([0,{"children":"\n const fusetag = window.fusetag || (window.fusetag = { que: [] });\n window.__fuseInitPath = window.location.pathname;\n fusetag.que.push(function() {\n fusetag.pageInit({\n blockingFuseIds: [\"96225910\"],\n pageTargets: [{\"key\":\"sessionalcohol\",\"value\":[\"any\"]},{\"key\":\"sessionautomotive\",\"value\":[\"any\"]},{\"key\":\"sessionfinance\",\"value\":[\"any\"]},{\"key\":\"sessiontechnology\",\"value\":[\"any\"]},{\"key\":\"sessiontravel\",\"value\":[\"any\"]},{\"key\":\"pagetype\",\"value\":[\"article\"]},{\"key\":\"campaign\",\"value\":\"\"},{\"key\":\"sponsor\",\"value\":\"\"},{\"key\":\"sponsorcategory\",\"value\":\"\"},{\"key\":\"sponsorname\",\"value\":\"\"},{\"key\":\"tags\",\"value\":[]},{\"key\":\"suburb\",\"value\":\"brunswick east\"},{\"key\":\"vertical\",\"value\":\"Food & Drink\"},{\"key\":\"city\",\"value\":\"melbourne\"}]\n });\n });\n ","id":"load-publift"}]){"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@type":"Thing","name":"Melbourne","@id":"https://www.broadsheet.com.au/melbourne"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@type":"Thing","name":"Food & Drink","@id":"https://www.broadsheet.com.au/melbourne/food-and-drink"}}]}MelbourneFood & DrinkBrunswick East’s Tiny Bar To Close Next MonthTiny Bar·Photo: Michael Gardenia“It’s like you’re in his living room,” Zareh head chef Josh Fry recently said of the 18-month-old space.Words by Nick Connellan · Published on 21 Sep 2026 --- Read laterMelbourne’s favourite five-square-metre bar has called last drinks. Couple Jamila Fontana and Zac Shearer (formerly a chef at The Lincoln and French Saloon) took over a Brunswick East bagel shop in early 2025 and reopened it as Tiny Bar, a space where the delineation between kitchen and dining room is basically non-existent. --- At the end of the year we named it one of 2025’s 11 best new bars, owing partly to the sheer range of snacks and larger plates Shearer manages in the cramped galley kitchen, and partly to that rare sense of intimacy with customers. --- In a recent edition of Where Chefs Eat, Zareh’s Josh Fry told us he’d visited Tiny Bar more than anywhere else in Melbourne and summed up the appeal: “Zac is cooking some great dishes out of a truly tiny kitchen. It’s like you’re in his living room – good chats and great hospitality.” --- Shearer announced the bar’s impending closure this morning, stating: “Tiny was never meant to become an empire. It was about proving that a small, independent restaurant could be ambitious without being big. --- “With our lease coming to an end, we had to decide if it kept striking the balance we originally intended and as many of you know, there’s no easy way to run a small business. --- “Right now feels like the right moment to finish the story rather than sign up for another chapter. --- Zac Shearer was contacted for comment.Tiny Bar221D Blyth Street, Brunswick EastNo phone --- Nick Connellan is Broadsheet’s Australia editor and oversees all stories produced across the country. He’s been with the company since 2015. ---
Sydney’s outdoor dining scene is about to get a little more permanent – and easier for hospitality venues to navigate --- ShareCopy LinkFacebookTwitterPinterestEmailWhatsAppPhotograph: Supplied | City of Sydney | Jess Lyndsay | outdoor dining in SydneyAdvertising window.rawSlots = window.rawSlots || []; window.rawSlots.push('{"adSlotId":"/5185/body1/post","adContainerId":"ad-body-1-2530","isOutOfPage":false,"isRegistered":false,"adSizes":[{"viewport":[992,50],"slotSize":[]},{"viewport":[320,50],"slotSize":[[1,1],[320,100],[320,50],[300,600],[300,250],[300,100],[300,50]]},{"viewport":[0,0],"slotSize":[]}],"prebidSizes":[{"minViewPort":[800,0],"sizes":[[728,90]]},{"minViewPort":[320,50],"sizes":[[320,100],[320,50],[300,600],[300,250],[300,100],[300,50]]},{"minViewPort":[320,0],"sizes":[[320,100],[320,50],[300,250],[300,100],[300,50]]},{"minViewPort":[0,0],"sizes":[]}],"adTags":[{"key":"type","value":"body1"},{"key":"ad_slot_number","value":"ad-body-1"}],"adSenseTags":[],"adSlotGroup":"body","breakpoints":["xs","sm"],"loadsAutomatically":true}'); It’s been a while in the works, but thanks to an update from the City of Sydney, we’ve got reason to believe that the Harbour City’s alfresco eating game is about to seriously step up. The City of Sydney has just approved a new set of outdoor dining guidelines that will come into effect on October 1, 2026, changing how restaurants, cafés and bars can use public footpaths and kerbside space. Here’s what that means for your happy hour. --- For starters, businesses will have more flexibility over where they can put tables and chairs. Venues will be able to apply to use space outside adjacent properties, rather than being restricted to the space directly outside their own premises. They can also set up dining on both sides of the pedestrian path – against the building and the kerb – where there is enough room. --- The application process for venues is also being streamlined, with the City reducing notification requirements and removing duplicate processes. Some existing rules around outdoor dining furniture, food, toilets and heaters are also being removed. According to the City of Sydney, there will be more scope for greenery, too, with businesses given greater flexibility to install planter boxes and large pots. And there's a longer-term incentive for businesses: new permanent footpath extensions can receive five-year approvals where possible, giving operators more certainty. --- The council is keen to stress that the changes don't mean restaurants can simply spread tables across the pavement. The new guidelines retain requirements for a clear, continuous path of travel for pedestrians, including people using wheelchairs and those pushing prams. Dining on both sides of the path will only be permitted where there is sufficient space to maintain that access. The City says its compliance approach will initially focus on communication and education, rather than penalties, until February 1, 2027, except where enforcement is required for significant public safety issues. --- And what about those concrete barriers? This is where things get considerably more permanent. The City is planning to convert around 150 temporary on-street dining areas into permanent footpath extensions, replacing the concrete barriers that currently separate diners from traffic. The works are expected to begin in early 2027 and roll out progressively across the city over the next eight years. --- Construction will be carried out progressively, with around 20 to 30 sites expected to be tackled each year during the first three years. Businesses won't be charged for the works, although they will need to renew their outdoor dining permits once their new space is ready. --- The changes build on a program that began during the pandemic, when the City started allowing businesses to use footpath and road space for outdoor dining. Since 2020, more than 2,600 applications have been approved, creating an estimated 16,000 square metres of additional space and supporting more than 1,000 businesses. --- In short: more room and fewer hoops for outdoor dining, but clearer rules about keeping those of us not lucky enough to be settling in for an open-air session moving. Roll on a supper-outside summer. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, travel inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox. --- Been there, done that? Think again, my friend. --- By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. --- Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon! ---
From a Blue Mountains gem to a hand-built Byron Bay retreat hiding in the hills, these special NSW hotels have joined the Michelin Key hotel guide for 2026 --- ShareCopy LinkFacebookTwitterPinterestEmailWhatsAppPhotograph: Supplied | Blackbird Byron | Blackbird ByronAdvertising window.rawSlots = window.rawSlots || []; window.rawSlots.push('{"adSlotId":"/5185/body1/post","adContainerId":"ad-body-1-1466","isOutOfPage":false,"isRegistered":false,"adSizes":[{"viewport":[992,50],"slotSize":[]},{"viewport":[320,50],"slotSize":[[1,1],[320,100],[320,50],[300,600],[300,250],[300,100],[300,50]]},{"viewport":[0,0],"slotSize":[]}],"prebidSizes":[{"minViewPort":[800,0],"sizes":[[728,90]]},{"minViewPort":[320,50],"sizes":[[320,100],[320,50],[300,600],[300,250],[300,100],[300,50]]},{"minViewPort":[320,0],"sizes":[[320,100],[320,50],[300,250],[300,100],[300,50]]},{"minViewPort":[0,0],"sizes":[]}],"adTags":[{"key":"type","value":"body1"},{"key":"ad_slot_number","value":"ad-body-1"}],"adSenseTags":[],"adSlotGroup":"body","breakpoints":["xs","sm"],"loadsAutomatically":true}'); When you’re planning a next-level getaway, it’s natural to immediately look overseas – to the ornate hotels of Italy and the charming chateaus of the French countryside. But let's be honest: there’s a whole new level of luxury to an immaculate hotel getaway within driving distance of home. Thankfully, our sunny state is home to a very impressive line-up of genuinely world-class hotels, and you don’t need to just take our word for it. The Michelin Guide – essentially the gold standard for the good life – has just unveiled its 2026 hotel selection, with 22 new hotels across Australia awarded Michelin Keys, and ten new additions to the NSW round-up. --- In 2025, NSW’s Michelin Key hotels included two-Key stays Spicers Sangoma Retreat in Bowen Mountain and Lord Howe Island’s Capella Lodge, alongside one-Key properties including Osborn House in Bundanoon, Basq House in Byron Bay, Wildlife Retreat at Taronga, Crystalbrook Albion, Four Seasons Hotel Sydney, Park Hyatt Sydney, QT Sydney, The Eve Hotel Sydney, The Langham Sydney and the dreamy Med-inspired Il Delfino Seaside Inn (in the picture-perfect coastal town of Yamba). --- This year, the list has gained 10 new additions, with a particularly strong showing from regional NSW. --- For context, we should explain what a Michelin Key actually is. Introduced in 2024, the distinction is essentially the hotel-world counterpart to the Michelin Star. Michelin Guide inspectors visit hotels anonymously and independently, assessing the overall experience rather than simply looking at luxury or price. There are three levels: One Key is awarded for a ‘very special stay’, Two Keys for an ‘exceptional stay’ and Three Keys for an ‘extraordinary stay’. Globally, the 2026 selection includes 2,832 Key hotels, including 155 Three-Key, 657 Two-Key and 2,020 One-Key properties. Australia now has 54 Key hotels in total. So, who made the NSW cut? --- Chalets at Blackheath, Blackheath – One Key --- In a magical corner of the Blue Mountains, Chalets at Blackheath has been recognised with its first Key – and as huge fans of this thoughtful eco-retreat ourselves, we’re very much in support. --- Pretty Beach House, Bouddi Peninsula – One Key --- This secluded boutique retreat on the NSW Central Coast is another new one-Key addition, giving city-dwellers another reason to point the car north. --- Ardour Milton Park, Bowral – One Key --- The Southern Highlands' newly reborn Ardour Milton Park has also joined the guide, recognised in the guide for its timeless design. --- Gaia Retreat and Spa, Brooklet – One Key ---