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With our warm climate, you mightn't think that Australian shoppers have any real need for knitwear and jersey, but then the effortlessly casual pieces of local label Jac+Jack are so perfectly versatile that it's hard to imagine what you did before it. Launched originally in 2004, the decade-old label is known for its timeless aesthetic, offering simple, everyday pieces such as sweaters, button-down shirts and tees, along with a growing range of homewares. Jac+Jack's flagship Paddington store opened in early 2013 and is designed by emerging Sydney architect George Livissianis.

For many years, Australian men lived in a sartorial wasteland, serviced only by a small handful of surfwear brands. Harrolds, a luxury menswear department store with locations in Sydney and Melbourne, changed all that. Established over 25 years ago, its two outposts are now home to the world's best brands including Saint Laurent, Balenciaga, Rick Owens and Thom Browne, as well as the more conservative threads of Brioni, Pal Zileri and Tom Ford, for which there is a dedicated shop-in-shop. What's more is that its services extend far beyond the straightforward, with a built-in café and champagne bar, delivery options and in-house tailors.

Awarded one hat in the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide, Popolo in Rushcutters Bay is a solid part of the local dining scene with its classically Italian dishes. Business partners Flavio Carnevale and Fabio Dore opened the restaurant with their aim of promoting the unique flavours and dishes of the region surrounding the Tyrrhenian Sea, a stark simplicity to pastas, meats, seafood and pizzas that lets the outstanding produce speak for itself.

You might just buy a suit or shirt, but a piece from Australian label M.J. Bale boasts a truly interesting provenance. Its founder, Matt Jensen, has built his business with the intention of education his male customers on the high quality raw materials that become their clothes on their back, such as New South Wales-grown superfine fleeces woven in centuries-old mills in Northern Italy, as explained in its Grazed on Greatness campaign. The result is a delicate balance between form and function, with a suit cut that's both masculine and modern.

The once-famous Oxford Street shopping strip might be having a hard time in recent years, but The Other Side – a retail holdout at the eastern end – is well worth a visit. With a cosy, village-like feel, where every customer is treated as a welcome neighbour, The Other Side boasts the men's and women's fashion and accessories collections of Three Over One, Whyred and Superfine London.

We've listed it as one of the best five burgers in Sydney, and we stand by our statement: Jeremy Strode's famed fish burger with bacon, pickled chilli and Japanese mayo is a force to be reckoned with. Of course, there are plenty of other seafood options on this daily menu, making it the perfect place to visit again and again, as the local Potts Point residents do. Situated next door to longtime Italian establishment Fratelli Paradiso, the Fish Shop's clientele spills out onto the street during balmy nights and summer days.

The long line – sometimes up to hours, and from the late afternoon for a dinnertime sitting – might be for the name (Jamie Oliver is certainly famous, even in the celebrity chef-saturated market of Australia), but his Italian restaurant, of which there are now over 30 restaurants around the world, boasts some seriously fine fare, too. At the Sydney outpost near Circular Quay you'll see staff hand-drying fresh pasta in the window, so try one of the countless pasta dishes on the menu for an authentic dinner.

Newtown is known for its vintage finds, but local multibrand store Pretty Dog is a hive of handpicked cult fashion labels like Karen Walker, Jerome Dreyfuss, Gary Bigeni, House of Holland and Opening Ceremony. A destination since 1997, Pretty Dog prides itself on "having the pants that fit… the shoes that make your wardrobe new, and we can help you pull it all together." Its private styling sessions make this off-the-beaten-track fashion mecca well worth a visit.

It's the hidden gems that make up Sydney's retail scenes, the hard-to-find local boutiques that rival the Westfield centres and sprawling shopping strips. Pour Tous by Davidson & Beaumont is one such diamond in the rough, a husband-and-wife boutique offering a selection of literally hand-picked men's and women's wear by brands such as Y-3, Vivienne Westwood, McQ and Halston Heritage.

The owner of recycled shoes and accessories emporium believes in the power of recycling personal style, making vintage store Pelle a must-visit for its spectacular range of pre-loved designer women's footwear and accessories. Working on a consignment basis, you're just as likely to find the perfect pair of winter boots here as you are a sparkling pair of heels for a special night out, with new stock arriving daily.

With its original establishment destroyed by a fire in early 2013, Chur Burger recently opened, returning with bigger, beefier and better burgers than over at its new site at the old Albion Street Kitchen. Born from chef Warren Turnbull's love of burgers, Chur employs the best ingredients to create simple, super-tasty burgers ranging from the classic beef to the more exotic fish, lamb and pork. There's vegetarian options too!

Long a go-to for the best in design, Macleay on Manning is one of those gems of a store that changes each time you visit, making regular visits a must for the best finds. With products as broad as fashion and jewellery, fragrance, furniture, lighting, soft furnishings and homewares sourced from around the world, there are pieces that will appeal to all tastes here, from the classic to the eclectic, making it the perfect place to find a gift for that hard-to-buy-for person.

People travel from all over Sydney to visit La Renaissance Patisserie and Café in The Rocks, a local landmark for quality French fare.

Situated opposite Narrabeen Beach, casual restaurant Barbuto's open kitchen serves up a diverse steakhouse menu, including ribs, homemade terrines and freshly shucked oysters. The bar is well stocked, kids and large groups are welcome and there's plenty of street and council parking nearby. Here, everything is easy.

At Sydney restaurant, Sadhana Kitchen in Bondi, they believe that what we put into our bodies every day significantly affects our vitality as well as that of our environment. As such, the team at Sadhana Kitchen aim to share how eating ethical and healthy food allows us to connect with our personal wisdom and for our body to heal itself.

Often mentioned in our conversations about the best hairdressers in Sydney, the friendly and talented guys at Prema Hair in Surry Hills will take your hair up a notch and become your new best friend in the process. It’s the perfect place to unwind after a long day or get pumped up before a night out. 

Nestled on a bustling Bondi Road corner, Fat Rupert's presents a breath of fresh air with its understated charm and warmth. Head chef Eli Challenger, of Porteno fame, has created an exquisite modern-Australian, paddock-to-plate style menu of share plates. All produce is sourced locally, changing seasonally to provide the freshest flavours. On the drinks side, you will find some incredible wines, craft beers and seriously delicious cocktails served in jam jars.

Grass Roots Urban Butchery (GRUB) is a family-owned, ethical butcher located in Vaucluse. Providing the highest quality meat, poultry and seasonal fruit and vegetables, GRUB is your one-stop-shop for creating healthy, tasty meals at home. GRUB also offers a home delivery service across the Eastern Suburbs, Greater Sydney and the Blue Mountains, Newcastle and the Central Coast, ACT and Southern Highlands, and Wollongong.

The Bondi Farmers Market is held every Saturday morning from 9am till 1pm at Bondi Beach Public School. All products at the Bondi Farmers Market are sold by the people that grew or made them including: fresh seasonal fruit and vegetables; organically grown meat and poultry; beautiful fresh flowers; artisan breads; homemade jams and olive oils; farmstead cheeses; spices; and so much more. With live music, picnic blankets on which to laze, and taste testers aplenty, there is no better way to start the weekend!

Set on Parramatta's Church Street Mall, the open-air market, held every Friday from 7:30am till 2pm, offers local and seasonal produce directly from growers and artisan food producers from the Sydney basin and regional NSW. The produce at Parramatta Farmers' Market changes frequently and includes: native fruits and vegetables; milk and cheeses; fresh breads; tea and coffee; and freshly cut flowers.

Fratelli Paradiso is a Sydney-Italian culinary institution set in the heart of Potts Point. For 13 years brothers Enrico and Giovanni Paradiso, and their business partner Marco Ambrosino, have successfully run Fratello Paradiso as the go-to for fine and authentic Italian dining.

No ordinary florist, decade-old Rococo Flowers works with the best seasonal produce to provide customers with fresh, artistically arranged blooms. Whether for a special event, such as a wedding or launch, or simply for the dinning table at home, customers can order ahead and discuss with the experienced, full-of-ideas team, or simply walk into the East Sydney store Monday through Saturday.

Surry Hills-based Garlands is a full-service florist, offering arrangements to suit every budget, occasion and taste. With online orders available for same-day delivery, a slew of arrangements can be viewed online, changing regularly to reflect the season's floral offering. Garlands also specialises in wedding flowers, for both the bridal party and table and venue arrangements.

Anyone who has attended a swish launch event, visited a beautiful home interior or walked through Potts Point will be familiar with the work of design studio Grandiflora which, as its name suggests, employs flowers as its medium. Specialising in large-scale installations, such as the flowers in the recent film The Great Gatsby, it has also published several books that document the pivotal role of flowers in special occasions.

Long a nightlife wasteland, the small bar movement has finally reached Sydney's CBD, with Assembly Bar one of its finest examples—if you can find it. Hidden in a basement off Kent Street with nary a sign in site, this secret gem serves up share plates, like fries with cheese and truffle sauce, and chicken wings with tamarind and chilli, to complement its extensive range of cocktails. The casual nature of this new establishment is a refreshing change from the slick bars favoured by city suits.

Street front retail space in Sydney is expensive, so it's little wonder that the band of small bar owners are digging deep (literally) and opening up in the basements of corporate towers, and what better way to capture a clientele. Be transported to South America with rum cocktails, bar food such as Cuban pastelitos, pulled-pork tamales and ceviche, and an interior decorated with cane furniture, palm trees and dim candlelight. It's the perfect mid-week escape.

The Baxter Inn changed everything we knew about drinking in the CBD after dark. This sister establishment to Darlinghurst's hugely popular Shady Pines Saloon opened with its signature old-school, basement-style interior, jazz music and whisky as the bar's star, with over 150 different variations. It's not a huge venue, comfortably fitting just over 100, and later in the week there's often a line, so try for a mid-week session if you prefer less noise.

Situated nicely outside of the hustle and bustle of the city, in Temperance Lane (near the Apple store on George Street, right next to Sneakerboy), this bar-cum-restaurant has been open since early 2010, evidence of its popularity. And you can see why: the owners are committed to integrity in every aspect, whether it be the second-hand furniture, whole and organic foods and wines, or focus on recycling.

While there is no X marking this spot, there's certainly enough home-spiced rum, Singapore slings and sherry to make this feel like a buccaneer's ship with its pirate-themed interior. Leather booths create private coves for drinks with friends at this secret bar, created by the guys who brought us Pocket and Stitch. There's only bar snacks on offer here, such as cheese and meat plates, so if you're planning a big night, dine beforehand.

Bondi Junction establishment, The Eastern, prides itself on having the best Mexican food in Sydney at its restaurant, El Topo. With bright colourful interiors and cheeky skeleton-backed chairs, it’s the day of the dead everyday at this Mexican Bondi gem. This is no ordinary Old El Paso, with authentic flavours of tamarind, crispy pork, guajillo chillies, avocado leaf, jicama fruit and cactus leaf given a modern twist by Phil Davenport of Toque 12, and executive chef Brett Barker.

With locations across Sydney (Bondi Beach, Darlinghurst, Newtown, Cronulla and Coogee) street food purveyor Beach Burrito Company serves, as you'd imagine, all things Mexican: quesadillas, nachos, chilli fries and, of course, burritos. But this is no ordinary Mexican food, with a focus on healthy ingredients, laidback atmosphere and personality unique to each suburb. For those on the road, you can also get your Mexican fix at Beach Burrito Canberra, Wollongong and Jindabyne.

Tokyobike is, as its name suggests, a Tokyo-based bicycle manufacturer and retailer. The small, independent company, founded in 2002 in Yanaka, Japan, opened in Sydney in 2010 as the city's awareness of bike riding began to increase with the rollout of dedicated bike lanes.