Cabukee: Does the sound of mushroom and egg-yolk ravioli atop cauliflower puree with truffle oil and crispy sage get your mouth watering? Same here. Perched in the heart of Emerald Lakes, daytime hub Cabukee has dropped its latest menu, which says a hearty ‘see ya’ to summer and helloooo to comfort food. By morning you can tuck into toasted coconut porridge with caramelised banana and peanut brittle, and come midday you can treat yo’self to a spicy fried chicken sub with peach barbecue sauce and broccoli slaw. There’s also a new beef short-rib toastie oozing with gruyere cheese if that’s your jam.

Etsu Izakaya: So, pretty much everything that lies behind Etsu’s wooden barn door is beyond impressive, and the cocktails are no exception. You’ll need a few visits to get through the brand-new drinkables menu – and with names like the Mermaid Beach Athletics Club Cocktail, you know they’re going to be next-level. We’re digging the Calpis Colada, which is a mix of coconut oil-washed Bacardi rum with fresh pineapple juice and calpis water (a fermented probiotic drink), for a fresh and clean drop. You can choose from apertif-style tipples, plus slightly sweet or sour cocktail varieties, but our eye is drawn to the ‘hard stuff’ section with the Shesellsseashells cocktail – Distillery Botanica gin with syrup made from a Sydney rock-oyster shell, plus voignier and Peychaud’s bitters. You need to try this. Now.

Rick Shores: Oh man, these new season foodie vibes are making our mouths water. So, the team at Rick Shores have added a few new dishes to the foodie offering – but don’t flip your lid, the bug rolls are still on the menu (phew). There are a bunch of new dishes like the pork hock with smoked-bacon XO sauce with pickled garlic and aromats, the teriyaki, garlic and togarashi-roasted cauliflower, and the charred cucumber and Hendrick’s gin oyster shooter.

Honeyeater Kitchen: Chef and owner Trent Scarr has put the finishing touches on his new-look autumn menu and it goes a little something like this – oysters four-ways, roasted bone marrow with crispy garlic, tuna tataki with persimmon and avocado, then coconut-braised beef short rib with banana blossom salad. Wash it down with one of Black Hops’ finest (it’s on tap, pals).

Vintage Espresso: Nothing says autumn like sweet-potato skins. Just so you know, you can get them topped with house beans or savoury mince, plus a gooey, runny egg. There are some new lighter options like the new Rainbow Bowl with sauteed kale, asparagus, green beans, pumpkin, beets and red cabbage topped with black sesame-rolled poachies. Or, if you’re into the sweeter things in life, you can now get a grilled madeira cake topped with honey mascarpone, fresh strawberries and coconut. Cake for breakfast is totally acceptable.

Paradox Coffee Roasters: These guys take their food just as seriously as their award-winning coffee. Paradox has shaken things up with its new menu – pair your morning brew with the all-new flaked salmon brioche with chive creme fraiche and scrambled eggs, or the brioche French toast with spiced ricotta and roasted rhubarb. You can freshen up the vibe come midday with the Hawaiian tuna poke bowl with macadamia shavings. If you’ve got a decent gap to fill, get amongst the new slow-braised pulled-pork bun with cabbage, caraway, pickles and apple sauce. Oh, and a vital (yes, vital) note – you can get crinkle-cut chips here.

NXT Door: This is the first new menu from the popular superfood bar since opening next door to its sibling venue Grocer and Grind in November last year. With a chia seed or turmeric cocktail in hand, you can tuck into new hearty (but healthy) dishes like activated charcoal pulled-pork sliders and the brand-new activated charcoal angus beef burger. If you want to keep your dinner date lean and clean, there’s a new grilled chicken parmy or grilled fish (no fatty flash-frying, pals) with sweet potato fries. We’re seeing lots of comfort food on menus, so we’re delighted to see a healthy spin in the mix.