Ten Ways To Make the Most Of Your Time During Good Food Month

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One of Sydney's most exciting (and tastiest) times of the year is nearly upon us. Good Food Month 2019 kicks off on October 1 and, man, does the program look good. This year, the month-long celebration of all things food features dinner with legendary French chef Alain Passard, a pop-up sushi restaurant by a top Tokyo chef and an all-vegan feast at Mary's Underground, to name a very few.

If you truly want to make the month special, book yourself into a staycation at the new West Hotel on Sussex Street, part of the Curio Collection by Hilton. Situated in Barangaroo, this luxurious hotel has you perfectly situated to check out all of the happenings around town — and it means you won't have to go far once the inevitable food coma hits.

Letícia Almeida

WANDER THROUGH THE NIGHT NOODLE MARKETS

There is no more quintessential Good Food Month experience than a food-fuelled stroll through the Night Noodle Markets. It'll again take over Hyde Park for eight full nights from October 11–18. Expect a tasty assortment of bites from more than 40 street food stalls, along with a program of performers, live acts and DJs. This year's instalment features Thai-inspired Gelato Messina, Filipino barbecue by Hoy Pinoy, roasted pork belly and egg custard bao from Wonderbao, yakisoba fried noodles by Teppanyaki Noodles, and plenty more to be discovered. Find all the details and menus here.

Little Felix by Nikki To

CHECK OUT THE NEW OPENINGS IN THE IVY PRECINCT

Hospitality giant Merivale is having a big year, having announced in June that it'll open four CBD venues in the second half of 2019, all four in the group's Ivy Precinct. Already up and running is Little Felix, a 60-seat 1920s Paris-inspired cocktail bar and little sister to Ash Street's hatted bistro Felix. Expect 1.5-litre magnums of champagne, old-world cocktails and tartines aplenty. Also set to open around the corner on Angel Place is Ragazzi, a minimal-intervention wine and pasta bar from the crew behind Love, Tilly Devine. Here, a succinct menu of authentic Italian eats will be paired with 250 bottles of carefully chosen wine.

El Loco at Slip Inn

ENJOY HAPPY HOUR AT ONE OF THE CBD'S BEST BARS

Another joy of a CBD staycation is how easy it is to make it to happy hour. Some of Sydney's best bars offer serious bargains during the approximate hours of 4–7pm (depending on the place). The Rook is pouring $8 London dry gins six nights per week; Since I Left You is slinging $6 tinnies, $12 cocktails and live tunes; and El Loco at Slip Inn is serving up $10 margarita slushies and $5 tacos — and has the added benefit of being just one block from West Hotel. Lucky for you, every bar on this list is within a 15-minute walk, too, so it's too easy to hit any one of them before or after your Good Food Month event. Short on time? Solander Bar, in your hotel, has its own daily happy hour, too, from 5–7pm offering spritzes for $12 and beer, wine and sparkling for just $8 a glass.

Title Barangaroo

JAZZ UP YOUR HOME COOKING WITH A NEW COOKBOOK

If eating all of this inspiring food makes you want to jazz up your home cooking game, it's about time to nab a new cookbook. Sydney is home to heaps of gorgeous bookshops with plenty to choose from, whether you're after celebrity chef cooking or more local talent. We recommend keeping an eye out for Josh Niland's (Saint Peter) The Whole Fish, which was just released in September. You'll find Title Barangaroo next door to West Hotel — it offers a massive collection, and you won't need to walk far in order to drop your purchases off. Other favourites include George Street's Kinokuniya, Darlinghurst's Ariel Booksellers and Paddington's Berkelouw.

Kings Cross Organic Markets by Harriet Davidson

PERUSE THE WEEKLY MARKETS FOR SOME LOCAL FOOD INSPIRATION

Once you've picked out a new recipe to try, it's time to hit up a few fresh food market to nab some top-notch produce and inspiration. Start nearby at The Rocks Friday Markets, which are on each week from 9am–3pm. Here, you'll find handmade, dried, baked, whipped and roasted products from local makers, along with handmade chocolates and prepared lunches to feast on. Lovers of healthy food should head to the Kings Cross Organic Market, which takes over the Fitzroy Gardens each Saturday and Sunday. And The Entertainment Quarter precinct hosts a weekly farmers market on Wednesdays, too.

TAKE A PASTA OR PIZZA MAKING CLASS IN CIRCULAR QUAY

Popular Italian restaurant chain Salt Meats Cheese expanded its empire into the CBD when it opened inside Circular Quay's Gateway dining precinct back in 2017. But the venue isn't just about stuffing your face with pizza and sipping cocktails on the rooftop at the group's recently opened Bar Ombre. This iteration of the SMC brand also lets you get your hands dirty and learn a few tricks-of-the-trade — hosting regular cooking classes throughout the year. Choose from a variety of workshops, including Italian bread making, calzone and pizza masterclasses and a heap of pastas courses — think handmade gnocchi, chewy tagliatelle and pesto fettuccine. For a full list of events, head here.

Bar Topa by Nikki To

BRUSH UP ON YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF FAMOUS AUSSIE CHEFS

Since you'll likely be spending time this month tasting the creations of some of the country's most exciting chefs, you may want to brush up on your celebrity chef knowledge. Look no further than Lee Tran Lam's podcast The Unbearable Lightness of Being Hungry. The lauded food writer has enviable access to many of Australia's best restaurants and chefs, including Josh Niland (Saint Peter), Jordan Toft (Bert's, Bar Topa, Coogee Pavilion) and Hugh Allen (Vue de Monde, Noma). Her podcast is also just an overall joy to listen to if you're a food lover.

Barangaroo Reserve by Destination NSW

MAKE A PICNIC AND ENJOY IT IN THE SUNSHINE

Apart from all of the good food floating around town in October, the month is also sure to see the return of the warm weather. Enjoy a combination of the two by taking a picnic to the park. Barangaroo has plenty of shops worth stopping at if you're looking to create the ultimate picnic basket. Start by picking up supplies from Bel & Brio, a European-style food emporium that offers a bit of everything, from daily baked breads and freshly made paninis to cold pressed juices and an impressive wine cellar. Don't forget to swing by the local outposts of Shortstop and Bourke Street Bakery for doughnuts and pastries before finding a spot at Barangaroo Reserve.

TRY ALL THE CHEESE YOU CAN HANDLE AT THIS SPECIALTY SPOT

You cannot let Good Food Month pass by without trying out a few artisanal cheeses, and the CBD's GPO Cheese and Wine Room is just the place to do it. This restaurant is a fine dining cheese establishment like no other. Here, you can taste more than 100 varieties of cheese, some of which you've probably never heard of. The seasonal selection ranges from local Australian producers to options from Europe, the US and the UK. We recommend letting the in-house cheese-masters curate a platter, which you can pair with one of 200 wines — or opt for a cheese and wine flight while you're at it.

Prince of York by Mitchell Ferris

DANCE OFF ALL THAT FOOD AT ONE OF THESE BARS

A month's worth of food indulgence can take its toll. To keep the party going while burning off some of those extra calories, head to one of Sydney's best bars for a weekend boogie. Just a five minute walk from West Hotel is the newly opened Prince of York. This multi-level venue offers a basement dance hall with a disco ball, giant tequila punch bowls and a 2am licence — and dancing on tables is encouraged. If you're keen to go a bit further afield, head to the dancing mecca that is Oxford Street, where you're sure to have an ace time at Stonewall Hotel, Universal Sydney, Oxford Art Factory and The Cliff Dive.

Good Food Month runs through October 2019. Explore all the dining experiences the city has to offer from the convenience of West Hotel Sydney, found on Sussex Street.

Top image: Night Noodle Markets by Letícia Almeida.