Newtown is getting a serious Mexican restaurant that’s anything but typical.
Arre brings modern fire-driven cooking to Australia Street and led by chef Roy McVeigh whose resume includes Attica, Bennelong, and Quay. The real showstopper? Australia’s first vertical al pastor spit, anchoring the dining room and staying true to Mexico City taquero tradition.
The menu draws inspiration from Baja California’s coastal cooking but translates it through Australian produce. Berkshire Black pig from Byron Bay gets slow-cooked for eighteen hours until it yields with quiet ease, while Murray River cod from South Australian waters brings unexpected complexity.
Vegetables come straight from McVeigh’s own garden, and playful touches like pumpkin tetelas with house-grown chillies showcase the kitchen’s creative edge.
The drinks match the ambition with a mandarin margarita leading the charge, alongside a softer white negroni. It’s bold cooking that gives Mexican cuisine the craft and attention it deserves.
Quick Bites
- What to Eat: Eighteen-hour Berkshire Black pig from Byron Bay, Murray River cod, pumpkin tetelas with house-grown chillies, and dishes from Australia’s first vertical al pastor spit
- What to Drink: Mandarin margarita, white negroni, Pacifico
- When to Go: Open Thu 5-9pm, Fri-Sat 12-4:30pm & 5-9pm, Sun 12-5pm
- Where: 182-184 Australia St, Newtown NSW 2042
- Vibe Check: Bold, modern Mexican with fire-driven cooking led by an Attica/Bennelong/Quay alum. Considered but never complicated, with Australia’s first vertical al pastor spit as the dining room centerpiece
- Book it: Make a reservation here.
