Deep in Parramatta Park sits Misc, a restaurant as surprisingly elegant as it is big, with 300 seats both inside and outdoors across two dining rooms. The Mediterranean-leaning menu is a whopper too, best enjoyed with a group so you can order enough small plates to cover the table.

Wood-fired pita is a must, dipped in smoked labneh lifted by Turkey’s spicy ezme salsa, or hummus with marinated peppers. At least one pasta is always worth trying, such as spaghetti twirled through prawns and fermented chilli butter, as is anything featuring cheese (especially if it’s ricotta, pecorino, aged cheddar and scamorza encased in fried pastry, like in the excellent burek).

With a long list of icy cocktails, natural wines and fresh juices, there’s a beach vibe here that you don’t often find in Parramatta, with the river just metres away if you get taken by the urge to dip your toes in the water.

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