25 Spices in Haymarket is the latest chapter in chef Vincent Wei’s journey to bring Hunan cuisine into the spotlight, a regional style known for its intensity, depth, and layers of smoke, sourness and spice. While Sydney’s long had its fair share of Sichuan and Cantonese fare, Hunan food has remained strangely elusive, until now.
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Vincent’s story started with a craving. After moving to Australia, he couldn’t find the bold Hunan flavours he grew up with, so he made them himself. That led to a small takeaway in 2016, then to cult favourite Pappa’s Stew in Newtown. Now, 25 Spices is his most ambitious venture yet, with a full dining experience that walks the line between traditional and contemporary.
The menu is anything but timid. Beef with pickled green chilli pulls no punches, while the signature winter hot pot comes loaded with lamb slow-cooked until fall-apart tender. Eggplant and century egg arrive doused in a chilli-flecked sauce that’s as fiery as it is addictive. But it’s not all heat. Dishes like the tomato beef brisket pot and braised noodles with peanuts offer a gentler entry point.
There’s also balance in the details. Meals are often served with bi luo chun, a delicate green tea from the Hunan mountains that tempers the spice and rounds out the experience.
The fit-out is equally considered. Designed by Lily Zhang of Latistudio, the space leans into storytelling without being literal. Red speaks to the fire and energy of Hunan’s food culture, while cool blue tones nod to Sydney’s coastal calm. Polished walnut finishes ground the room in warmth and tradition.
25 Spices sits on the ground floor of Market City, a precinct fast becoming one of Sydney’s more interesting culinary hubs. With the new Hay St Market alongside long-standing icons like Paddy’s, it’s a spot that straddles old and new.
25 Spices is open daily for lunch and dinner. Just be ready for the heat. You’ve been warned.
- What: 25 Spices
- Where: Shop 1.01B, Ground Floor, Market City, Haymarket
- When: 11:30am–3pm, 5pm–10pm daily
- Find out more here.