Esteban

Esteban brings regional Mexican flavours into a Sydney CBD restaurant setting, with a modern Australian influence and a menu designed to be explored across small, shareable dishes. The kitchen makes its food in house each day, including soft corn tortillas pressed with an authentic Mexican hand-operated tortilla press. Cooking over wood and charcoal adds another layer to the menu, particularly in dishes from the parrilla.

There is plenty of variety across the menu, from smoked black bean dip and ceviche tacos to twice-cooked pork belly with mole verde, fire-roasted cuttlefish and roasted eggplant with salsa seca. Larger parrilla offerings include duck, lamb shoulder and market steak, while the set Chef’s Menus provide four courses for the table to share. Vegetarian, pescatarian, gluten-free and dairy-free adjustments can be made to the set menus; diners should discuss other dietary requirements with the reservations team. Menus and prices change with the seasons, so the dishes listed online are examples rather than a guarantee of what will be available.

Drinks are a major part of the experience. Esteban offers an extensive selection of premium tequila and mezcal, along with tasting flights and cocktails built around agave spirits, citrus, chilli, fruit and herbs. The drinks list also includes wine, beer and non-alcoholic options, giving groups a range of ways to match the food or settle in for a longer evening.

The venue is split across two levels between York and George Street, close to the Sydney Light Rail, business district and shopping precinct. Upstairs, the dining room has exposed brick, high ceilings and views into the open kitchen, where chefs cook over an open-flame wood-fired parrilla. Downstairs, booths and banquettes sit alongside a full bar and the tequila and mezcal collection. Both spaces can be booked privately, while full-venue hire includes access to tables in Temperance Laneway and capacity for up to 70 guests. That makes Esteban particularly suited to celebrations and group dining, while the lively dining room and focused drinks offering also suit an informal night out. The restaurant was shaped by owner-operator Michael Fegent and co-owner and executive bar manager Mark Crawford, whose time travelling through Mexico and experience at Tequila Mockingbird informed the food, drinks and atmosphere.