Redfern Continental - CLOSED

This European diner comes from the team from nearby Arcadia Liquors. And it's the perfect local dining spot when you don't feel like Vietnamese takeaway for the third time this week. The dining room is open and breezy — whether you get a seat at the bar, near the open windows or on a long table by the back, you can't really go wrong. Front of house staff are effortlessly friendly, too, and explain dishes and matching wines with impressive enthusiasm, given the relative affordability of the menu (everything comes in under $30). Meals are hearty, ranging from proteins like the schnitzel (chicken or pork) and fish of the day, through to the five types of pasta. Our pick is the orecchiette with prawns, garlic, chilli and parsley.

Plus, hidden in the depths of the restaurant, behind a wooden door, is Gunther's Dining Room (known to locals as GDR). Boasting an 80s Eastern European feel, it is a den of retro green velour, vinyl and wooden panelling complete with a disco ball. Cosy up in one of the booths or sit at the bar and pick something fun off the four-page cocktail menu.