If you're ever in the Chippendale/Ultimo stretch of Sydney and are craving a quick and delicious feed, one of your best options is Hongdae Pocha — the new KBBQ joint from the Vuza Hospitality team, who are the same team behind South Korean bakery and cafe Buttered. Housed in a heritage-listed former brewery, exposed brick, concrete walls, steel supports and plaques reflect the history of the space, which boasts enough seating for 172 diners on any day. The menu, crafted by Head Chef Haeseung Choi (Firedoor, Jueun), champions the informal and social dining experience of pocha, offering a mix of street-style South Korean eats designed to be shared. "Pocha is a big part of Korean nightlife — it's where food and drink come together in a relaxed, social setting. It's not formal dining, it's about unwinding with drinks and enjoying bold flavours with good company. With Hongdae Pocha, we wanted to capture that same energy for Sydney — approachable, vibrant, and true to the way we eat and socialise back home," said Choi. Highlights on the menu include the umami-laden yukhoe, a Korean beef tartare mixed in chilli paste and served atop a crispy hash brown, and the yetnal tongdak, a whole chicken deep fried and topped half-and-half — one half with a mustard soy glaze and green onion, and the other with a spicy sweet-and-sour blend. The rest of the food menu is filled with street food classics, plates of grill-it-yourself pork and beef with toppings aplenty, seafood pancakes, and ice cream topped with a mix of treats we dare not spoil. Images: Trent Van Der Jagt for Stanley House Studios
