Sonora Mexican

Overview

The owners of Bondi's Mexican mainstays Taqiza and Carbon opened Sonora Mexican restaurant back in 2019. While they've stayed within Mexican cuisine, this time round, Pablo Galindo Vargas and Liber Osorio have expanded outside of Bondi, setting up shop on Bayswater Road in Potts Point.

DIY tacos, made-to-order tortillas and a serious mezcal program are all on the menu at Sonora, which takes its name both from the Mexican state and the Latin word for 'sound'. Mexican-born chef Juan Carlos (Three Blue Ducks) has created a menu inspired by his time working in Baja California, but it's far from traditional Mexican fare — you'll spot plenty of international flavours and ingredients, such as soy sauce, truffle salami and wattleseed.

Tacos are the central focus here, with creative fillings including chicken tinga with caramelised onions and jalapeno crema, fish with pickled cabbage and pico de gallo and broiled mushrooms with garlic soy sauce and roasted capsicum. As in Mexico, every table gets complimentary salsas for topping those tacos with, too, which come in three varieties: chipotle hibiscus, basil salsa verde and hazelnut macha.

And if you really want to set yourself a challenge, try the bottomless taco fiesta for $89 per person. Eat as many tacos as you can within 90 minutes, and down all the margaritas, beer and wine within the same time. It's one of the best bottomless brunches in Sydney.

Apart from the tacos, you'll find blue swimmer crab tostadas and a watermelon salad with goat's cheese and hazelnuts for starters, and sides include the street corn salad and sauteed mushrooms with pickled avocado. For dessert, try the Mexican flan made with a tonka bean custard.

Alternatively, you can grab a seat at the bar, and order a tequila margarita or mezcal cocktail — made with spirits booze sourced from little-known Mexican distilleries. A mostly Aussie wine list and a lineup of Mexican brews are also available.

The fit-out comes courtesy of the lauded Guru Designs (Reign, Esquire, Went To See Gypsy, nel.) and Carolina Jensen (Merivale, Three Blue Ducks). Expect a dimly lit interior with natural finishes that pay homage to the Sonora desert region.