Kitchen by Mike

The Verdict

Mike McEnearney has long been a force to be reckoned with on the Sydney food scene. The former Rockpool head chef has reimagined his No. 1 Bent St space as a reiteration of his famous canteen, Kitchen by Mike. 

Kitchen by Mike is vibrant, unpretentious dining at its best that focuses on providing Sydney-siders with affordable locally sourced, seasonal produce. You’re encouraged to bring your own Tupperware to reduce waste here as well, which is definitely ticking boxes for us. 

An early adopter of kombucha, Kitchen by Mike features wild kombucha by Ballsy Brewing as well as coffee by Five Senses, tea by Ovvio and cold-pressed juices and smoothies by Finn. 

Standout dishes at breakfast include Mike’s famous stack of sourdough pancakes with lemon curd and the equally delicious homemade crumpets. As for the lunch offerings, you’ll want to hit the wide range of salads, backed up with classic comfort food like pizzas, quiches and tartines. 

Come dinnertime, table service recommences (featuring candlelight), but Kitchen by Mike holds strong to their commitment to informal dining. The ever-changing chalkboard menu features the best seasonal produce. Think picked spanner crab, avocado and fermented hot sauce on toast; wood-roasted quail with braised quince and chicory, and a very tasty whole baked cauliflower in chermoula with raisins, pine nuts and labneh. 

To top it all off, dinner is beautifully complemented with a sprawling, sustainably-centred drinks list. Cocktails are exclusively made from a lineup of all-Australian artisan distillers, brewers and winemakers. We highly recommend the "Ozi Negroni", made with Westwinds Sabre gin, Adelaide Hills Distillery's Rosso vermouth, Applewood Distiller's "Red Okar" amaro and Poor Tom's "Imbroglio" bitters. 

Image credit: Kitchen by Mike.