The Sydney and Melbourne restaurants and cafes Phil Rosenthal is loving right now

He may be best known for creating the hit ’90s sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond, but it’s the food travel Netflix series Somebody Feed Phil that established Phil Rosenthal as a TV star in his own right.

The premise is simple: for eight successful seasons now, Phil hits the road, sees and eats incredible things, and reacts to the vast diversity of human culture around the globe with delight and excitement, and a streak of wise-ass humour. It’s a winning recipe. And now he’s touring Australia to talk about it.

He recently opened his first Los Angeles diner, Max & Helen’s, named in honour of his parents. The menu features a comforting family favourite: his mother’s signature matzo ball soup, a dish viewers can watch her prepare in the show’s New York episode.

Rosenthal last visited Australia in 2023, and as he returns on tour this week, he sat down for an exclusive chat about his favourite food finds – and the new spots he is eager to try this time around.

Eating out

In Sydney

I can’t go past Speedo Cafe in Bondi. I went back for a big breakfast as soon as I could on this trip. It’s sunny side up eggs, grilled halloumi, hash browns and ham, sausage, tomatoes and avocado. They also brought over some French toast and pancakes, which are like birthday cakes.

I love (three-hatted restaurant) Saint Peter in Paddington. I have been there four times now. Josh Niland can do no wrong. His food is genius.

I also plan to dine at Firedoor again. The steak is exceptional. The giant prawns and lobster are also great.

I just ate at Mr. Wong with my son. We ate the Peking duck, crab fried rice and dim sum dumplings, fried eggplant with a little batter on it that was almost like savoury candy. This restaurant had a great feel to it – the environment is as beautiful as the food.

A.P Bakery is great. I’m going back here to get my son to try the meat pie and the porchetta sandwich.

In Melbourne

On my last visit, I ate at Di Stasio Citta. I highly recommend the after-school sandwich, “the merenda”.

I love Lune for their croissants. I definitely plan to go back again.

I am loving Indian food in NYC right now, and am keen to try Enter Via Laundry while I’m in town.

I also haven’t eaten at Stokehouse St Kilda, Gimlet and Flower Drum – all come highly recommended from Pat Nourse [creative director of the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival and Phil’s Sydney food guide in Somebody Feed Phil season eight, episode five]. I’ll be trying them soon.

My favourite hometown restaurant (and go-to dish)

Home is Los Angeles, and my favourite restaurant is Max & Helen’s Diner. Yes, it’s my own place, but chef Nancy Silverton has created a fabulous menu that sees me eat there every single day. It’s always the lox, eggs and onions. It’s a New York-inspired dish with smoked salmon, caramelised onions and fluffy soft scrambled eggs.

Before I get to the diner, I get a long black from a coffee shop called Go Get Em Tiger.

I also love Michelin-starred spot Osteria Mozza. You must order the orecchiette with fennel sausage – it’s a break-out star. You can also go next door to the Pizzeria and get the same fennel sausage on a pizza. And try the Italian steakhouse Chi Spacca. I look for a nice thick bistecca alla Fiorentina: fantastic char on the outside and red in the centre. By Italian law, a steak has to be three and a quarter inches [thick] for it to be called a steak.

I also go to French-Californian restaurant Republique on La Brea. You can have breakfast, award-winning pastries, lunch or dinner and can’t go wrong. I love a good basic breakfast here – that’s eggs, bacon, potatoes, and they even make their own fresh baked baguettes. A chocolate-filled pastry by American baker James Beard also gets my attention.

My favourite steak in America has to be Peter Luger Steakhouse in Brooklyn, NYC. It was established in 1887 and has a fabulous old-school atmosphere.

On the road

New York for Indian food

The Indian food scene in New York is getting to London levels. I am loving Semma, Ambassadors Clubhouse and Bungalow. It’s always chicken, the tandoori chicken and butter chicken and different sorts of appetisers.

Eating in

Signature dish and go-to at home

I love to make hot dogs. I get them from a German butcher shop three miles from my house in LA called European Deluxe Sausage Kitchen. It’s always a turkey dog and I make two of them. I add Gulden’s Spicy Brown mustard, sauerkraut, onions and pickles. I also like to add the currywurst sauce I got in Berlin.

• How to make Adam Liaw’s Danish hot dogs, above.

My guilty pleasure

Chocolate cake or any kind of pork.

The kitchen wisdom I cling to

Having met some wonderful chefs over the years, the one thing they all say is that shopping for great ingredients is the key to a great dish.

Phil Rosenthal: An Evening with Phil Rosenthal of Somebody Feed Phil is touring Australia May 7-15. Tickets and info.