Porteño is the Argentinian restaurant most Sydneysiders name first, and there is a good reason for that. Sixteen years in, the wood-fired parrilla is still the anchor of the room, the whole animals still turn slowly over coals, and the wine list still runs deep into South America and beyond. Here is what to order, how to actually get a table, and where Porteño sits in the wider Sydney Argentinian scene in 2026.
Quick answer
Porteño is at 50 Holt Street, Surry Hills. Chefs and co-owners Ben Milgate and Elvis Abrahanowicz opened it in 2010. It is a wood-fired Argentinian asado restaurant with a small bar, a serious wine list, and one of Sydney's most consistent kitchens. In 2026 it was named among the World's Best Steak Restaurants. Bookings open online, and the best tables go weeks ahead. Walk-ins can sometimes get bar seats early in the evening.
The story: sixteen years of parrilla
Porteño opened on Cleveland Street in 2010 and moved to its current Holt Street site a few years later, now part of the Porteño Group's Holt Street precinct alongside sister venues WyNo x Bodega, Bastardo (Italian), and Humble Bakery. Milgate and Abrahanowicz, together with partner Joe Valore, had already made their name with Bodega, the Surry Hills tapas room that helped rewrite what a Sydney small-plates restaurant could look like.
Porteño was the bigger swing. A dedicated Argentinian asado room in a city that mostly knew Argentinian food through the occasional steak. The gamble worked. It has been on Sydney's short list of important restaurants ever since.
What defines the food
The heart of Porteño is fire. A wood-fired parrilla grill and an asado cross where whole animals cook slowly over coals for hours. Everything else on the menu sits around that centre.
The style is Argentinian in the sense that matters most: whole-animal respect, few ingredients per plate, restraint with seasoning, and time given to the fire to do the work. The kitchen is confident enough to let a piece of beef, a cabbage leaf or a wedge of pumpkin arrive without ceremony, because the cooking speaks for it.
What to order
The menu changes with the seasons, but a few things are close to constant. Order like this on a first visit:
- Whole roasted suckling pig or lamb, when it is available. Order it when you book, because it needs hours on the cross and often sells out.
- Empanadas as an opener, alongside a glass of something crisp.
- Blood sausage or the chorizo from the parrilla, if you are exploring the range.
- Grilled Wagyu skirt steak, which the kitchen has been serving in various forms for years.
- Deep-fried Brussels sprouts, one of the most-photographed side dishes in Sydney.
- Provoleta, the char-grilled provolone that is a staple of any Argentinian meal.
- Flan with dulce de leche for dessert. Simple, cold, correct.
Two people can eat well by sharing three or four plates. A group of six can go long: whole animal, several sides, a bottle of Malbec, then dessert. Check the current sample menu on the Porteño website before you book, since dishes rotate.
The wine list
Malbec is the reflex order, and there is plenty of it. The list runs wider than that, though. Expect natural Argentinian producers, older-style Bonardas and Cabernet Francs, a small run of European and Australian labels, and a solid by-the-glass selection. The staff know the list and will steer you toward something that suits what you are eating without lecturing.
If you want to sit and taste more widely without committing to a full meal, WyNo x Bodega next door is the sister wine bar and shop. Same trio behind it. Different, more casual room.
How to get in
Bookings run through the Porteño website. Weekend tables usually go weeks ahead. Weekdays are easier. A few things worth knowing:
- Bar seats are held for walk-ins on some nights. Arriving right on open is the best chance.
- Whole-animal orders need to be requested in advance, sometimes days.
- Larger groups (six-plus) should book well ahead and expect a set menu.
- Porteño serves dinner seven nights a week, plus Friday lunch. Later sittings around 9pm are often easier to get than early ones.
The vibe and price
Loud, warm, dimly lit, a room built for a long dinner. There is rock and roll in the DNA, both literally on the speakers and in the way the whole thing is styled. The service is professional without being formal.
Price is at the top end of Sydney casual dining. Plan for around $110 to $160 per person for a proper meal with wine, more if you go deep into the wine list or share a whole animal.
Where Porteño sits in Sydney's Argentinian scene
Porteño is the anchor of the scene, but it is not the whole scene. If you are exploring:
- WyNo x Bodega (next door) for wine, tapas and a lower-key evening.
- El Corte at Darling Harbour, a newer Argentinian parrilla that opened in late 2025.
- La Boca Bar & Grill at Mascot, a long-running Argentinian steakhouse with an all-you-can-eat asado option.
- Achura Meat Market in Brookvale, an Argentinian butcher for cooking asado at home.
- Argentum Empanadas, made in Bondi Beach, for empanadas delivered Sydney-wide.
For a fuller picture, see our 2026 guide to Sydney's Argentinian restaurants and the Sydney Argentinian food map.
If you love Porteño
If you love Porteño, you will want empanadas at home too. Argentum delivers Sydney-wide from our Bondi kitchen. Five flavours frozen, or catering for events. The at-home complement to Sydney's Argentinian restaurant scene.
Start with the Carnivore (beef, egg, spring onion), the Classic, or the Patagonia vegan. Order for delivery or pick up from our Bondi kitchen.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Porteño still open in 2026?
- Yes. Porteño is open at 50 Holt Street, Surry Hills. It was named among the World's Best Steak Restaurants in 2026 and serves dinner seven nights a week, plus Friday lunch.
- Who owns Porteño?
- Chefs Ben Milgate and Elvis Abrahanowicz, together with partner Joe Valore. The same Porteño Group runs WyNo x Bodega next door, Bastardo (Italian), and Humble Bakery in the Holt Street precinct, and Elvis and Joe are also behind Continental Deli in Newtown and the Sydney CBD.
- How do I book Porteño?
- Bookings open online through the Porteño website. Weekend tables tend to book out several weeks ahead. Weekdays and later sittings around 9pm are usually easier to get.
- What is the signature dish at Porteño?
- The whole roasted suckling pig or lamb, cooked slowly on the asado cross over wood coals, is the dish the restaurant is best known for. Order it when you book because it needs hours to cook.
- How much does dinner at Porteño cost?
- Plan for around $110 to $160 per person for a full meal with wine, more if you share a whole animal or drink deeper into the list.
- What is a good Argentinian alternative if I cannot get a Porteño booking?
- WyNo x Bodega next door, El Corte at Darling Harbour and La Boca Bar & Grill at Mascot are the closest sit-down options. For Argentinian food at home in Sydney, Argentum Empanadas delivers Sydney-wide from our Bondi kitchen.
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