"At Maíz, chef Juan Carlos Negrete Lopez celebrates how foundational corn is to Mexican food. Try the esquites broth, bracing with lime and zinging with seven-chile mayonnaise. While the vegan hibiscus sope (slow-cooked and braised like al pastor) from Maíz’s Summer Hill market days isn’t a regular fixture at the current Newtown address, Negrete Lopez still proudly represents Mexican cuisine while catering to local dietary requirements; his tetela (corn pocket filled with confit fennel in epazote oil) accommodates diners who are gluten-free, vegan, or avoiding garlic or onion. Know before you go: Negrete Lopez joins a surge of Mexican-born chefs in Sydney celebrating their heritage, like tamale queen Rosa Cienfuegos; Manuel Díaz, who mixes bush foods with salsas at Nativo; and Alejandro Huerta on Lottie’s rooftop." - Lee Tran Lam