A taste of Mexico in Sydney

Sydney is a global city, which is why its residents have a huge choice of venues to enjoy Cinco de Mayo celebrations on May 5. 

Cinco de Mayo, or “Fifth of May”, is an annual fiesta celebrating Mexican culture. 

Here are some recommendations from Destination NSW for enjoying a taste of the exotic. Hopefully they know their stuff.

1.  Spice up your morning with a Mexican-inspired brunch at Maiz Street Food, Newtown: Maiz (meaning corn in Spanish) is the main ingredient featured on the menu at this Newtown institution which specialises in authentic Mexican street food.

      2. Sip on Sydney's best margaritaa at Cantina OK!, CBD: Ranked number 28 on the World's 50 Best Bars list, Cantina OK! is a micro mezcal mecca, stocked with a range of hand-sourced, hand-imported, handmade agave spirits.

       3. Knock back cocktails and authentic Mexican dishes at Alma, Avalon (above): Hailing from Mexico, Alma's head chef, Ricardo Lemus, will be serving up cocktail and taco specials inspired by Mexico's coast all week long for Cinco de Mayo.

       4. Savour Australia's largest collection of premium tequila and mezcal at Esteban, CBD: From the Tequila Mockingbird team, Esteban features an upstairs restaurant, a downstairs mezcal bar and a laneway dining space. It is one of the hottest places to celebrate.

5. Settle in for a bottomless brunch at Sonora, Potts Point: With a vibe matching the thriving restaurant scene in Mexico City and a menu inspired by the cuisine of Sonora, a coastal state in Mexico's north-west, this local haunt is all about the tacos chingones – literally “bad-ass tacos.”

      6. Get the party started at Tio's Cerveceria, Surry Hills: With $5 happy hour drinks every day and complimentary signature spiced popcorn, what better excuse to clock off early to start your Cinco de Mayo celebration. Don't pass up a tequila con verdita shots with 'Green Thing' chaser – a ritual since 2011. 

7. Sit down for a traditional Mexican family dinner at Taco Burrito Mexican Cantina, Penrith: Boasting the tastiest Mexican food in Western Sydney, the team have perfected an authentic menu. Whether you are vegan, vego or hungry for meat, there's something for everyone.
8.  Indulge in some of the finest market-to-table Mexican cuisine in Sydney at Mejico, CBD: Mejico (above) will be serving $45 Margarita Jugs and non-stop food specials including their DIY Taco Board for just $29 all Cinco de Mayo long.

      9. For a vegan menu full of meat-free Mexican delights say Hola to Bad Hombres, Surry Hills + Bondi: This institution has re-imagined traditional Mexican cuisine with an all-vegan menu and eclectic setting. The rotating taco of the week is determined by seasonal produce. 

10. Build your own tacos at Carbon Mexican Woodfire, Bondi: Carbón, which means 'charcoal' in Spanish, focuses on wood fired dishes inspired by Mexico's Caribbean coast, made using traditional South American parrilla (charcoal grilling) techniques.