September has arrived and Sydney is buzzing with a fresh wave of one-off supperclubs, unique tasting menus, and brand-new openings.

This month we’re celebrating a guest chef takeover at Dear Sainte Éloise, indulging in the elevated 40RES Degustation Experience, raising a glass to Chablis Week with exclusive wine offers across select venues—and getting a first look at a highly anticipated new opening. Read on for all the flavour-packed ways to eat, drink and play this Spring.

Jez Wick Joins Dear Sainte Éloise’s Guest Chef Series

Dear Sainte Éloise’s Guest Chef Series is back this September with Jez Wick (Refettorio) stepping into the Potts Point kitchen for one night only. On Wednesday, 17th September, Wick will serve a $90 vegetarian set menu inspired by her zero-waste ethos and love of fermentation. Expect bold, seasonal dishes like a Hokkaido butty with Szechuan rosti and a whipped chai cheesecake with spiced buckwheat crisp. Optional wine pairings available. Bookings can be made here.

Spring into the Boathouse with $5 Crab Toast and $12 Whispering Angel Rosé

This September, The Boathouse Group is serving up the ultimate taste of spring with a waterside pairing made for long lunches and golden afternoons. Indulge in their signature Crab Toast—buttery brioche topped with creamy crab, fresh chives, and Yarra Valley roe—for just $5, perfectly complemented by a $12 glass of Whispering Angel Rosé (150ml). Bottles are also available from $60, with magnums at select venues. Available across a host of Boathouse locations from Manly Pavilion and Shelly Beach to Barrenjoey House and The Mona Social, this seasonal offer runs for the whole month of September.

40Res Launches HI-RES: A Monthly Degustation Series

Surry Hills’ newest neighbourhood wine bar, 40Res, is dialing things up with the launch of HI-RES—a refined monthly degustation series led by former Tetsuya’s Executive Chef Josh Raine. Known for its relaxed, snack-led menu and boutique wines, the bar is shifting gears for one Tuesday evening each month to spotlight Raine’s fine dining pedigree, honed over two decades in Michelin-starred kitchens worldwide. Expect a seasonal, multi-course menu that’s both elevated and approachable, with the option of boutique wine pairings curated by the in-house sommelier. Bookings can be made here.

Recharge and Reset at NIMBUS Live

Step into a full-day wellness immersion at NIMBUS Live on Sunday, 28th September at 3Danks, Waterloo. From 10am to 5.30pm, the retreat brings together movement, mindfulness, and meaningful connection, with an inspiring lineup of keynote talks, expert panels, and hands-on wellness practices. Guests can explore everything from breathwork and ice bathing to yoga, meditation, pilates, sound healing, and ancestral journalling, while enjoying exclusive goodie bags, taster sessions with Nimbus practitioners, and a first-ever wellness market on-site. Speakers include global meditation teacher Tom Cronin, TV presenter Barry Du Bois, pilates founder Tori Clapham, and Bondi Rescue personality Dean Gladstone, ensuring a day packed with insight, inspiration, and soul-nourishing experiences. Bookings can be made here.

Fast Food, Reimagined: NEL Restaurant’s New Menu

From September 3rd to November 14th, Sydney’s NEL Restaurant is flipping the script on casual dining with the launch of the world’s first Fine Fast Food degustation. Visionary chef Nelly Robinson and his team have taken beloved fast food classics—think burgers, pizzas, tacos, and doughnuts—and transformed them into elevated, multi-course creations that combine playfulness with haute cuisine precision. Highlights include the TACO, a house-made blue corn tortilla with albacore tuna, chipotle salsa, and pineapple jalapeño dressing, and NEL’s buttermilk fried chicken breast dusted with Australian wildfire spice.

Three Blue Ducks Celebrate 15 Years with $15 Specials

This September, Three Blue Ducks are marking 15 years with a month-long lineup of specials, collabs and limited-edition drops across all venues. Guests can tuck into $15 highlights including half-dozen oysters, Bay Lobster rolls, Taittinger Champagne by the glass and cocktails. The celebrations extend beyond the menu. Long-time partner Single O has created a special Ethiopian coffee from Keffa, available in-venue and as 250g bags to take home, while Byron Bay artist Anjuna Hartlieb has designed a limited-edition merch range of hats, totes and kids’ tees that capture the Ducks’ ethos of people, produce and planet. Both will be available in Byron, Rosebery, Melbourne and online throughout September.

Copyright Olivier Truyman BIVB

Raise a Glass: Chablis Week Returns to Sydney

From September 29th to October 13th Sydney’s dining scene will be sparkling with the return of Chablis Week, a two-week celebration of France’s iconic white wine region, brought to life in partnership with Merivale. Across 16 of the city’s top venues—from Mimi’s in Coogee to Mr Wong in the CBD and The Surf Deck at Collaroy—guests can enjoy carefully curated Chablis tastings paired with complimentary oysters ($90–$110), showcasing wines from Petit Chablis, Chablis, and Chablis Premier Cru appellations.

Love Tilly Group Serves Up Connection with Charity Dinner for R U OK?

On Tuesday, September 9th, Love Tilly Group is turning its subterranean CBD restaurant and wine bar Letra House into a hub for good, hosting an all-star charity dinner in support of national suicide prevention charity R U OK?. Group Executive Chef Scott McComas-Williams will lead the line-up of chefs from across the group, crafting a set menu of signature dishes—from Ragazzi’s pasta and Palazzo Salato’s prime cuts to Fabbrica Bread Shop’s hand-held sweet treats. Guests will enjoy part of the experience standing in Letra House’s new cobblestoned courtyard, encouraging mingling and connection, while additional courses are served throughout the restaurant’s intimate booths and tables.

Heinz x Gami Chicken Serve Up the Ultimate Fried Chicken Party

On Friday, September 12th, Gami’s Market Street store will transform into a Korean nightlife-inspired hotspot for one night only, celebrating the launch of Heinz Fried Chicken Sauce. Expect live K-pop DJs, giveaways, and a brand-new limited-edition menu item featuring the sauce—free to the first 100 customers. The bold, creamy, sweet-and-spicy condiment is the star of a month-long Heinz x Gami collab, with all Gami venues nationally serving up a special $18 feast of boneless fried chicken, chips and the new sauce.

Negroni Month Set to Take Over YCK Laneways

This September, Sydney’s nightlife hub YCK Laneways is turning red for Negroni Month—a precinct-wide celebration of one of the world’s most iconic cocktails. Partnering with Campari, the event will see more than 20 small bars and restaurants across York, Clarence and Kent Streets pouring their own spin on the classic all month long. Each participating venue will serve up the timeless Negroni alongside two bespoke twists, with a few select spots also offering a non-alcoholic version. Beyond the glass, the precinct will come alive with live music, burlesque, masterclasses, roving performers and immersive tours, making it the ultimate playground for Negroni lovers.

Hugos Chocolate Launches Milk Chocolate Pistachio Bombs

The viral Dubai-style pistachio chocolate craze has officially landed in Australia with Hugos’ new Milk Chocolate Pistachio Bombs. Available now at Coles stores nationwide, these bite-sized treats are crafted from premium milk chocolate with a creamy pistachio centre (made with 20% pure pistachio paste) and a crunchy knafeh core. Already making waves online, the Pistachio Bombs are being hailed as “Australia’s answer to the viral pistachio trend” and we’re here for it.

Taste of Japan Takes Over Barangaroo House This September

Barangaroo House is bringing the flavours, fun, and flair of Japan to Sydney with Taste of Japan, running from 5th–28th September across all three levels of the waterfront venue. From rooftop Smoke with Papi Katsu’s izakaya-style bites and inventive Nikka cocktails, to Rekōdo’s Ramen & Records pop-up complete with live jazz, and a playful Tokyo 7/11-inspired experience at House Bar serving Tamago Egg Sandos, Yakisoba-pan, and Tuna Onigiri, there’s a Japanese-inspired treat on every floor. Whisky aficionados can also savour ultra-rare Nikka Decades, one of only 100 bottles in Australia, poured tableside every Friday.

For those taking a road trip this month, here is what to do outside of Sydney

Azuma Den Brings Fire and Fusion to Canberra

Bisa Hospitality is turning up the heat in Kingston with the opening of Azuma Den, a bold new East Asian dining destination celebrating Japanese and Korean cuisine. At the heart of the menu is the hibachi grill, where chefs Junho ‘Luffy’ Koh and Jun Kim merge their unique culinary journeys to create dishes that are as visually captivating as they are flavour-packed. From Koh’s Italian-trained precision fused with his passion for Korean home cooking, to Kim’s disciplined army kitchen roots and mastery of Japanese technique, the duo crafts food that balances simplicity, elegance, and bold flavours. Guests can expect the drama and aroma of fire-infused cooking alongside signature dishes like sous-vide pork belly Ssam wraps and coconut meringue with miso yuzu caramel, all served in a space designed by Kelly Ross that reflects the layering, warmth, and vibrancy of East Asian traditions. Bookings can be made here.

Check Out Never Never Distilling with the ‘Ring for Gin’ Experience

Never Never Distilling, 2024’s Best Distillery Bar, is turning its McLaren Vale cellar door into a springtime playground with its new Step Into Spring experiences. Central to the lineup is the Premium Gin Masterclass + Italian Street Food Feast, where guests can savour South Australian oysters, the cult-favourite “Shellie” Oyster Shell Gin, and a decadent Italian feast, all while learning the secrets behind Never Never’s award-winning gins. For something more interactive, the ‘Ring for Gin’ domes let you book a private igloo-style space and summon cocktails at the press of a button, blending hands-on education, indulgent flavours, and effortless fun for friends and gin lovers alike. Bookings can be made here.

Meet the Makers: Karu Distillery Dinner Lands at Thomas St Kitchen & Bar

Thomas St Kitchen & Bar is launching its brand-new Meet the Maker Series, and they’re kicking things off in style with an intimate collaboration with award-winning Karu Distillery. Held at the Sydney Central Hotel on Friday 5th September, this one-night-only event brings together inventive cuisine by Executive Chef Aman Prasad and handcrafted cocktails made with Karu’s native-driven spirits. Bookings can be made here.