Bastardo! That’s what the nonnas might say if they found out an Italian restaurant in Surry Hills was sprinkling Aleppo pepper on bruschetta and adding sweet, honeyed persimmon to burrata salad. But there’s no room for outrage when the food’s this good. A roast beef carpaccio riffs on both vitello tonnato and tartare, layering rosy slices of wagyu with tuna cream and caper crunch, then finishing with anchovies and a soft-boiled egg.

Rather than tear up the Italian rulebook, the Bastardo team adds notes to the margin: a hint of chive in a prawn linguine, a zing of mandarin to brighten tuna crudo.

Run by the team behind neighbouring Porteno, unexpected ideas like these are confidently executed and delivered by one of the best-rehearsed floor teams in town. Food is made for sharing – loudly – across the long, terrazzo table, with a few friends and more limoncello sours. Blasphemous? Sometimes. Delicious? Absolutely.

Best for: A lively Italian feast where the vibes are high and so is the volume.

Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant can’t pay for a review or inclusion in the Good Food Guide.