Head underground on York Street for lantern-lit lunches, flaming cocktails, and $1 dumplings worth planning your week around.

If you know, you know. And if you don’t, consider this your sign to duck underground and meet Uncle Ming’s, the cult-favourite subterranean bar hidden beneath York Street that feels more like a Shanghai opium den than a Sydney CBD hangout.

By night, this dimly-lit hideout is a whisky-lover’s playground with over 90 bottles behind the bar, but midweek, lunch is where the real magic happens.

Every Tuesday and Wednesday from 12pm to 2pm, Uncle Ming’s is serving up $1 dumplings with the purchase of any alcoholic drink. Yes, really. Choose from chicken, classic pork, veggie or gyoza, mix and match your favourites, and build your own bamboo-basket tower of goodness.

Pair your dumplings with a Japanese highball, a crisp beer, or something stronger if you’re feeling bold. It’s fast, indulgent, and dangerously easy to linger longer than planned.

Quick Bites

• 
  What to Eat: $1 dumplings — chicken, classic pork, veggie, or gyoza
  What to Drink: Shanghai Roller – served on fire and made for instagram
  When to Go: Weekday lunch, 12–2pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays or weekdays between 4-6pm for a very lucky happy hour
  Cost: $1 dumplings with any alcoholic beverage, minimum 10 per person
  Where to Play After: Wander down York Street for a coffee break or check out a nearby laneway bar
  Vibe Check: Dimly lit underground bar with playful, Asian décor and a side of dumpling heaven
  Book It: Reserve your spot at Uncle Ming’s here

Looking for more cheap eats? Check out our guide to Sydney’s best here.