Cafe Paci

A vibrant Newtown heavyweight where creative, European-leaning plates collide with a standout natural wine list. Chef-owner Pasi Petänen engineers unexpected flavour pairings inside a relaxed, retro-industrial bar-bistro. Sydney’s dining crowd treats the daily mirror specials as mandatory reading—routinely packing the comfy banquettes for boundary-pushing Modern Australian fare. Start with the molasses-glazed rye bread. Add devilled eggs with trout roe and the fermented carrot spiked with nduja. Adventurous eaters consistently point to the ox-tongue rye taco as a non-negotiable order, alongside flawless snapper crudo and scallop triangoli swimming in brown butter and sage. The signature potato dumplings with XO trout? Essential. Confident, technique-driven cooking where even a simple chicken jus is executed flawlessly. Drop in for snacks and glasses on King Street, or stay for the full ride. Just save room for the quirky carrot-yoghurt sorbet dusted with liquorice. Pure, unadulterated fun on a plate.