Maiz Has Moved Its Vibrant Mexican Eats and Bottomless Brunch to a Sleek New Enmore Road Space
Maiz 2.0 brings weekend brunch with loaded tortas, an affordable set menu and a special Yulli's corn cerveza to the old Hartsyard digs.
"It's a city vibe, full of grounded and hard-working people, full of diversity and incredibly artsy. The buzz you get in this part of Sydney is the closest buzz we get in the streets of Mexico. Opening up a street-food concept could only make sense in this environment." That's what Maiz Owner Juan Carlos Negrete told Concrete Playground when the restaurant opened in 2021. After two years in its historic Newtown digs, the beloved venue has moved one street over, looking to broaden the ambitions that the team laid the foundation for on King Street.
Under a neon-pink sign, you'll find the sparkling new outpost for beloved Inner West Mexican diner. Taking over the former home of Hartsyard terrace on Enmore Road, the Sydney favourite has brought a sprinkling of fine-dining and a heap more fun to the sophomore edition of the restaurant.
With pristine white walls and a sizeable bar, the atmosphere is a little different at the new outpost — designed with the help of GURU Projects, who have worked on other local stunner after Longshore, Londres 126, Maydanoz, Shaffa and Ezra. But, the same city-best Mexican food is still here in spades, with an affordable set menu, playful drinks list, and enticing brunch (including the return of a former Maiz favourite) all adding a little something to the offerings.
The dinner menu features some returning faves and some new additions. There's a greater focus on share plates this time around, meaning you can drop in for a drink from the expanded beverage menu and a snack before heading to a show at Enmore Theatre. Maiz has even teamed up with Yulli's to celebrate the opening with a special corn cerveza, available on tap.
Kick off your night with slow-cooked beef tongue, a cheesy quesadilla frita, hibiscus flower al pastor, and totopos paired with guacamole and topped with grilled onions, charred jalapeños, chilli oil and optional crispy tripe crackling.
Confit duck with your choice of mole and beef cheek barbacoa lead the mains, alongside a adobo-, Oaxaca cheese- and pineapple salsa-topped octopus tostada. Or, you can opt for the very reasonable $65 set menu, which will run you through a welcome shot of mezcal, flavour-packed sweet corn soup, totopos, market fish ceviche tostadas, your choice of main and a seasonal Mexican ice block for dessert.
On Tuesdays, the regular menu is done away with, with a Tostada Tuesday menu taking its place. Each tostada will set you back $7–9, with five flavours on offer: pollo tinga, barbacoa, carnitas, ceviche and Jamaica al pastor.
And, Mexican brunch is back and better than ever. Beloved during the first lockdown, Maiz's tortas have returned to the Saturday menu. The hefty Mexican sandwiches are packed onto a fresh bolillo roll, with fermented cabbage, chilli mayo and charred salsa, plus your choice of beef brisket barbacoa, veggie chorizo or marinated grilled skirt.
Maiz by Debbie Gallulo
Also on the brunch menu: a few faves from dinner and central Mexican brekkie treats like the tlacoyo divorciado — corn flatbread with black beans, eggs, salsa, cream, onion, queso fresco and chilli oil. And, if you want to make it boozy, there's a bottomless set menu available for $89 per person, which includes 90 minutes of free-flowing wine, beer and margaritas, plus a spritz on arrival and a brunch spread.
It's the Maiz that you know and love — the one that landed on our best restaurants in Sydney list — in a space that has room for more creativity from Negrete and the team.
"As a chef and as a creative, I'm definitely one to shake up things a little bit and play with new things," says Negrete. "We're really looking forward to staying here for five-plus years."
Maiz is now located at 33 Enmore Road, Newtown. Head to the restaurant's website for more information and to make a booking.
Images: Debbie Gallulo
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