The Specials Board: These Are Sydney's Must-Try Food and Drink Specials for February

A new year always brings new reasons to eat out, and Sydney's restaurants are answering the call with a stack of limited-time deals worth getting around. This month's specials board runs from limited-time deals and smart new menus, to celebratory Lunar New Year feasts and whole-venue takeovers, with offers designed to reward repeat visits and last-minute detours alike. Here's what's on offer in Sydney right now — get in while it's good.

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Steven Woodburn

Five-course beef tasting menu at Rockpool

Legendary Sydney institution Rockpool Bar & Grill has launched a new five-course beef tasting menu that spotlights both technique and provenance. Priced at $195 per person, the menu sees Executive Chef Santiago Aristizabal draw on the flavours of South America and Rockpool's formidable open-fire program to showcase standout Australian beef breeds side by side, from David Blackmore Mishima and Full Blood wagyu, to Cape Grim Angus and Rockpool Reserve F1. Expect a progression of fire-kissed cuts and clever accompaniments that keep the spotlight firmly on the beef, before finishing on a citrus-bright carlotta cake. The menu will run on an ongoing basis, with dishes changing seasonally. Find out more here.

Steven Woodburn

Great Australian Cocktails at bar tilda

Sofitel Sydney Wentworth's sleek lobby lounge bar tilda is serving some serious nostalgia this summer with Great Australian Cocktails, a limited-edition collaboration with bartender Darren Leaney of Melbourne's award-winning Caretaker's Cottage. Available until the end of February, each pour reimagines a classic Aussie dessert as a clarified, high-craft nightcap: a Lamington with vodka, chocolate ganache, rye and coconut; a Pavlova built on Four Pillars yuzu gin with passionfruit, mango and elderflower; and a Peach Melba mixing gin, peach liqueur, raspberry and vanilla. Each arrives ice-cold with a nostalgic nibble on top — and you might even catch them poured as part of Nightcap Club, bar tilda's nightly 9.30pm ritual of free mini dessert cocktails for every guest.

Four-course weekend lunch at White Horse

Surry Hills fave White Horse had a quiet glow-up over summer. The hatted bistro is now serving a four-course, six-dish shared lunch from Friday to Sunday for $55 a head, with dishes like oxheart tomato with stracciatella, pine nuts and yellow chilli, WA rock lobster-filled pappardelle in miso broth with bisque foam, and Adelaide Hills brie ice cream with strawberries and pistachio for dessert. You can enjoy it in the newly unveiled al fresco area lining Crown Street — or stick around for the updated happy hour running from 3–5pm, Tuesday to Sunday, when $12 cocktails, wine from $9 a glass (or $25 a carafe) and bar snacks from $5 make lingering dangerously easy.

Steven Woodburn

Martinez transforms into Teremana Terrace

Circular Quay rooftop hangout Martinez has gone full summer mode with Teremana Terrace. Running until April 30, the sunny pop-up centres on a tight margarita-led cocktail list that includes pineapple and lime, and hot honey and passionfruit versions — all backed by harbour views, DJs on Thursdays and Fridays, and plenty of Mexican-inspired eats to keep you fuelled. A weekday happy hour from 3–6pm sweetens the deal, with $12 spritzes, $9 wines and $15 margaritas making an enticing proposition for an early knock-off.

Kyoto's Moon and Back ramen lands at Saké

Kyoto-born ramen brand Moon and Back is popping up at Saké at The Rocks for one week only, marking the first time its cult-favourite ramen has been served outside Japan. The limited-time run brings five signature bowls to Sydney, including grilled Japanese wagyu sukiyaki-style ramen, a super-sized grilled chicken leg version and two vegan options, with gluten-free bowls also available. Bowls will be served for lunch and dinner from Monday, February 23, to Sunday, March 1, and are available for walk-ins at the bar ($38) or as part of a seven-course chef's counter omakase experience ($125 per person). Find out more and book your spot here.

Yusuke Oba

Aperitivo on the Terrace at Gran Torino

With its prime corner position and leafy, tree-lined canopy, Gran Torino's breezy al fresco is one of Sydney's more stylish spots to settle in for an afternoon snack and sip. This month, Neil Perry's elegant Double Bay restaurant and bar has added an equally chic aperitivo menu, available from 4–6pm, Wednesday to Sunday. Expect a tight edit of snacks — from salmon roe tartlets and house bresaola with ricotta to nduja-spiked beef fillet tartare — alongside a spritz-forward lineup of Italian cocktails made for long summer evenings.

Madama Butterfly-inspired dessert at Aria

As Opera Australia's Madama Butterfly takes to the stage at the Sydney Opera House, Circular Quay fine diner Aria is marking the season with an exclusive pre-theatre pairing inspired by the opera's tragic romance. Available throughout the full run — including non-show dates — the elegant offering pairs a cherry blossom dessert layered with jasmine, white chocolate and vanilla with a colour-changing butterfly pea tea, lifted with orange blossom honey and fresh lemon. The pairing is available on its own for $35, or as an add-on to Aria's two- and three-course pre-theatre menus. Find out more here.

Lunar New Year at Felons Barrel Room

Manly Wharf hotspot Felons Barrel Room is ringing in the Lunar New Year with a four-day waterfront celebration. From Thursday, February 19, to Sunday, February 22, the venue will mark the Year of the Horse with a series of festivities, anchored by a ticketed Lunar New Year Feast on Thursday night. Curated by Felons' Saigon Supper Inn and led by chef Bao La, the family-style banquet draws on the symbolism of Tết dining, with dishes designed to represent prosperity, longevity and togetherness — think: prawn spring rolls, ingot-shaped dumplings, longevity noodles, steamed whole coral trout and Peking duck. Traditional lion dancers will perform on Thursday evening and again on Sunday afternoon, while the rest of the weekend brings a fortune tree, barrel-aged beers and Vietnamese-inspired eats. Find out more here.

Free Messina scoops at The Hub Bondi

This is not a drill: Messina is serving free scoops at its Bondi location this month. Every Thursday in February, swimmers and sandy-footed beachgoers can swing by the brand's outpost at The Hub on Hall Street for a complimentary post-swim scoop, available from 3–7pm. The deal is simple: arrive straight from the sand, show your Messina app profile and take your pick from the expansive range of classic flavours and rotating specials, with the giveaway capped at 100 scoops each week.

Top image: Steven Woodburn.