Small. Good.

Overview

When a new venue opens, it's exciting. When a new spot launches that's only sticking around for a limited time, that might be even more thrilling. Whether it's About Time (a nostalgic bar in a soon-to-be-demolished building) or the new Inner West outpost for Humble Bakery (which will only be hanging around for the rest of 2022), these short-term spots don't just boast a must-try quality — if you don't act quick, you could miss out completely.

The latest to arrive in Sydney is Small. Good., a pop-up deli in The Rocks by Masterchef alum Jess Hodge. Arriving on Playfair Street as part of the Playfair Takeover series, it focuses on showcasing Indigenous Australian suppliers by creating familiar dishes with native ingredients.

The menu is split into three distinct sections: small goods which include the likes of kangaroo mortadella, mixed native pickles and emu 'ndjua; sandwiches; and snacks. Some of the playful takes on classic sambos include the Roo-ben, a reuben made with wallaby pastrami — plus a kangaroo katsu sandwich, and a take on the childhood devon-and-tomato-sauce combo using kangaroo mortadella, bush tomato sauce and smoked chips.

As for the snacks, there's oysters with a native vinaigrette, kangaroo tartare, emu liver parfait, smoked barramundi croquettes and kangaroo tail terrine.

Small. Good. will be serving up this nostalgic menu for just three months from its August 22 opening before it closes down. If you're heading along, you can grab lunch daily from 11.30am and dinner from 5pm Wednesday–Saturday.