Meet Lottie’s New Head Chef: Joe Valero

This winter, the rooftop above Redfern gets a seasonal shake-up with the arrival of Joe Valero, Lottie’s new Head Chef.

Born in Guadalajara and shaped by kitchens across Sydney and Latin America, Joe brings a fresh voice to Lottie’s story. His resume includes cult favourite Tacos Tacos Tacos, Nikkei Bar, Uccello, and Alcalde in Guadalajara currently ranked 12th on Latin America’s 50 Best.

With Joe now at the helm, Lottie enters a new phase. Rooted in memory, spiced with imagination, and plated with purpose.

Inspired by Heritage, Sharpened by Technique

An all gluten free, share style menu

Joe’s first menu at Lottie is thoughtful and fun. Every dish is built around a single hero ingredient, layered with bold flavours and crafted textures that celebrate Mexican tradition in conversation with Australia’s food culture.

“I want to challenge people’s perceptions of Mexican food,” Joe says. “The flavours I grew up with are still there, but now I play with them in new ways.”

The result is a winter menu that feels honest, personal and full of intention.

Small Plates, Big Flavours

Combining authenticity with locality

Start with Aguachile Negro, known as the cheeky cousin of ceviche. Local line caught fish is cured with lime and yuzu, served on a citrusy edamame purée, topped with pickled cumquat and ribbons of kohlrabi.

Then there’s the Ocean Trout Tostada with habanero and mandarin dressing, Mexican furikake, creamy avocado and citrus pops. Visually striking, unapologetically delicious.

Celeriac al Pastor offers a plant based take on the beloved taco, with pickled and roasted pineapple and punchy guacachile. The Kangaroo Tail Sope is another highlight inspired by Japanese potato mochi, with fermented potato for tang, slow cooked tail for richness, and a final lift of marigold and nasturtium.

Or try ‘Carne Apache’, Mexico’s answer to beef tartare made with sirloin, smoky salsa macha, jocoque and taro chips.

Mains Worth Settling In For

Slow. Generous. Memorable.

On the warmer side comes Chicken Sinaloa, chargrilled after a dried chilli marinade and finished with aji verde, burnt lime and mustard leaves. It’s tangy, smoky and deeply comforting.

For something veg forward, try the Cabbages al Pipian Rojo with roasted leeks, green cabbage and sugarloaf, pressed overnight and served with pipian rojo, cavolo chips and caramelised cauliflower emulsion.

And for a true winter feast, the Goat Barbacoa. Whole goat cooked overnight and served with aromatic consommé, miso black beans, charred salsa and pickled eschallot. It’s rich, aromatic and perfectly spiced.

Each main is served with our housemade tortillas, pressed daily using a specialist machine imported from the United States, and made with heritage masa sourced directly from Mexico. “Tortilla machines are kind of in the family. My grandpa had a factory that built them, and my uncle’s still running it back home.” Joe says. “It makes it feel a bit full circle, using one here at Lottie.”

A New $55 Lunch Menu

Arriving next Thursday 3 July

From Thursday 3 July, Lottie introduces a new $55 set lunch menu. Designed for midweek breaks, long lunches and spontaneous celebrations, it brings a curated selection of Joe’s favourites to the table. À la carte remains available, but the set is a great way to experience Lottie in full flight at lunchtime.

Set menu includes:
Celeriac Tostada 
Aguachile Negro
Kangaroo Sopes
Choice of: Pork Jowl, Chicken Sinaloa or Cabbages al Pipian Rojo
Bitter Leaf Salad
Crispy Chat Potatoes

The Rooftop in Winter

All weather venue above

Lottie sits just five floors up, but feels a world away. A rooftop hideaway where you’re sheltered from the elements you don’t want while inviting in all the ones you do want. Warmth. Spice. That first sip of mezcal. The kind of lunch that stretches happily into late afternoon.

Heaters glow overhead, the city hums below, and the mood is exactly what you make it. Whether it’s quick and quiet or loud and lingering, Lottie offers a kind of winter refuge that’s rare in Sydney – elevated, effortless, and made to be shared.

Lottie is open Wednesday from 5pm, and Thursday to Sunday from 12pm
Level 5, The Eve Hotel, 8 Baptist Street, Redfern