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Sydney is a bona fide foodie city with so many options to choose from for the serious gourmand, its cuisine a melting pot resembling its culture. But if you’re an international visitor to Sydney and one of your must-dos is to try the best food the city has to offer, for starters (as it were), it can be helpful to know where to target your tastebuds.
So, we’ve picked just a portion of the best fine-dining restaurants and food precincts Sydney has to offer. (As an aside, don’t be bashful if you have to Google some of the culinary terms mentioned – we did!).
And we’d be happy to take you to any of these Sydney restaurants and precincts, or point you in the right direction, on our Sydney city private day tours. Or we can tailor a tour with food as the theme if you wish, as well as take you to some of the best restaurants on our day tours out of Sydney (whether at a Hunter Valley winery or Blue Mountains scenic bush spot), or even organise a gourmet hamper for lunch.
But, before we dig into the best Sydney restaurants, what exactly is contemporary Australian cuisine? Also known as modern Australian, it’s a versatile, broad recipe defined by bold, cutting-edge creativity. Elements include Indigenous ingredients you won’t find anywhere else, multicultural fusion, seasonal and local ingredients, fresh seafood and quality meats (including our Coat of Arms stars, the emu and kangaroo), and sustainable foods. You’ll also find that a good selection of vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options are available here.
Sydney’s food scene is up there among the best in the world, so it makes sense to start your foodie journey while you take in one of the best harbours in the world.
Circular Quay is the gateway to a trio of fine dining restaurants with premium Sydney Harbour views: Aria, Bennelong and Café Sydney, all of which offer contemporary Australian menus (and brilliant options to see the fireworks if you happen to be in Sydney for New Year’s Eve).
In Australia, our version of a Michelin star is a ‘Chef’s Hat’, awarded to the likes of mainstay Aria (1 Macquarie St) located just a stone’s throw away from the Sydney Opera House. The restaurant has a range of menus featuring the season’s best ingredients, with dishes like Western Australian black marron, carrot, toasted grains and tarragon; and Westholme rump cap, chestnut mushroom, celeriac and malt.
Inside the magnificent shells of the Sydney Opera House is Bennelong Restaurant, operated by one of Australia’s leading chefs, Peter Gilmore, which offers a look at the stunning interior of this UNESCO heritage-listed icon and a panoramic view out to the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Bennelong’s suite of menus features dishes such as Aquna Murray with garden greens and lemon and fennel puree; and roasted Wollemi duck with preserved cherries, blackberry, rosehip and Kampot pepper.
Café Sydney (31 Alfred Street), sits atop Customs House in Circular Quay and offers breathtaking views of the harbour, with menus offering dishes like Western Australian octopus, whipped cod’s roe, salsa verde, crisp onion, and Aleppo pepper; and Valrhona chocolate tart, chocolate ganache, and mandarin sorbet. There’s even a plant-based menu if you’re vegan.
If you’re in the mood for premium seafood and steak in the opulent surrounds of a historic sandstone building, then Eleven Barrack (it’s named after the street number and street it’s located at) fits the bill. With an elegant interior taking inspiration from the grand dining rooms of New York and Paris (there’s even a baby grand piano), it’s one of Sydney’s hottest new restaurants. The menu vibe is “upscale Manhattan grill meets smart Euro bistro”, with the likes of fried ricotta dumplings with whipped cod’s roe or Oscietra caviar; O’Connor Chateaubriand roast with béarnaise sauce; and mafaldine, prawn and pork bolognese. There’s also a 1,000-bottle wine cellar on offer.
Two-hatted restaurant Aalia (shop 7.07-7.08/25 Martin Place), has been doing the rounds of best Sydney restaurant lists lately, with a Middle Eastern/North African menu and each dish from a particular region or era of Arabian culture. Highlights include the Persian caviar service; bone marrow ful medames (an Egyptian bean stew) with black walnut; Murray cod masgouf with dill sabzi, and preserved lemon broth; and the lamb neck shawarma, tarator, pickles, and saida saj.
The aptly named King Clarence (171 Clarence Street), has contemporary Asian cuisine from award-winning Executive Chef, Khanh Nguyen and a menu featuring flavours of China, Korea and Japan. Nguyen brings a playful sensibility to his dishes – start with the Insta-worthy fish finger bao and try the beef tartare with beef tallow doughnuts; duck Tsakane on shokupan; pork-free mapo tofu with bone marrow and prawns; and fried peanut butter ice cream, banana custard, and salted hōjicha caramel (yes, please!). The atmosphere is amped up Wednesday to Saturday with mid-tempo electronic music and house DJs.
Meanwhile, at LuMi Dining (not quite in the CBD but in neighbouring Pyrmont at 56 Pirrama Road, a short walk from the CBD), a gastronomic experience of contemporary Italian x Japanese fusion menu awaits with casual fine dining by the water. With omakase and tasting menus, here you may find yourself trying dishes such as chawanmushi (savoury egg custard) with parmesan sauce; risotto topped with seaweed; or a mousse of white chocolate and the Japanese citrus fruit sudachi, served in an eggshell.
Since its inception in the late 1800s to modern day, Chinatown in Haymarket (off George St, the CBD’s main street), has evolved to represent a swathe of Asian cuisine. From Cantonese to Japanese, Filipino, Thai, Vietnamese, Korean and Malaysian, it’s a veritable feast here and there’s plenty of fine-dining options to choose from. A few highlights:
Royal Palace Seafood Restaurant (393-399 Sussex Street) is great for Cantonese food, with yum cha, live seafood tanks and late-night dining. Try the prawn ha gaw and fried rice, famous (though pricey) pipis in XO sauce, the pork san choy bow, XO Australian M9+ wagyu sirloin and cheung fun cooked tableside, and the mixed mushrooms with vegies.
Another Cantonese highlight in the area is The Eight, situated in Market City (Level 3/13 Hay St). Considered one of the best places for yum cha in Sydney’s CBD, you’ll find traditional classic dishes and modern fusion here, with a wide range of dim sum and live seafood dishes. There’s a sprawling menu, from wu gok (pork and mushroom dumpling in taro butter) to lop cheung bao (bun with Chinese sausage), The Eight’s specialty roast duck, and baked custard buns. But get in early on weekends with a queue starting to form around 9am, despite the mammoth 750-seater size of the restaurant.
Considered one of Sydney’s leading Thai restaurants, Porkfat’s name says it all – everything (well, almost everything) is cooked in pork fat here, a nod to the authentic Thai method of cooking. Located at 33 Ultimo Road, hand-crafted food is served on traditional hand-painted ceramics, with many dishes inspired by family recipes. Menu highlights include the pork larb with smoked chilli, roasted rice powder, iceberg lettuce, cucumber and snake bean; stir-fried soft-shell crab with chilli and black pepper; and homemade coconut ice-cream with roasted peanuts, palm seeds and candied pumpkin. But be warned, Porkfat is for those who like their food nice and spicy.
If Malaysian takes your fancy, a must-try is Ho Jiak Haymarket (92 Hay Street), where owner and executive chef, Junda Khoo’s cooking is heavily influenced by that of his Amah (grandmother) who raised him in Penang. Worth queuing up for, the extensive menu features mouthwatering dishes – spicy laksa with chewy al dente egg noodles; char koay teow (spicy wok-fried flat rice noodles with seafood, and Chinese sausage); Hainanese chicken rice; chicken curry-stuffed roti; and slow-cooked Malaysian chicken curry. You’ll also find Ho Jiak at Town Hall (enter at 125 Kent Street).
The waterside Barangaroo is one of Sydney’s newest CBD precincts and one for some serious fine dining.
You’ll find some of the best restaurants here in the six-star casino and resort complex, Crown Sydney (1 Barangaroo Avenue).
On level 1, it’s high-end Italian at a’Mare (which means “by the sea”) with a menu “inspired by the coastal charm of Italy and the beauty of Sydney Harbour”, bringing together “the best of both worlds: fresh Australian produce and timeless Italian recipes,” with a modern twist. The type of dishes you can expect range from ARS Italica Oscietra caviar, wood oven-cooked whole fish, hand-made pasta with pesto made tableside, premium steaks (a Stone Axe full blood wagyu T-bone will set you back AUD$350), and a tiramisu said to be one of the best in Sydney. There’s also ‘trolly cocktails’ made tableside.
Enjoy contemporary Australian at the hatted Woodcut (also on level 1), with food cooked with methods of fire, steam, smoke and ice in four open kitchens for diners to view the cuisine craftmanship as it happens. Try the steam kettle-cooked native live pipis with vadouvan, roasted chickpeas and curry leaves; veal tongue skewer with caper sauce and nasturtium from the ash grill; Margra lamb saddle, lentil vinaigrette, mustard fruits and caper leaves off the wood-fired grill; and for dessert, the crisp butter pastry, Catalan cream and persimmons.
Then, there’s the very exclusive Yoshii’s Omakase at Nobu (level 2) – with only 10 seats available, it’s a given to book this one. Run by second-generation sushi chef Ryuichi Yoshii, with some 40 years of experience plying his trade, the omakase event occurs Tuesdays to Saturdays and promises to be a special world-class experience. The Japanese term Omakase means “I’ll leave it up to you,” with diners watching Chef Yoshii’s multi-course dishes of choice unfold (or roll up?!) as he creates right in front of them. With a price tag to match the exclusivity (expect to pay AUD$380 per person), the menu changes according to seasonality of produce. Bookings are released on the first day of the month at 12pm for reservations for the following month.
There’s a swag of other restaurant options outside of The Crown. While we’re talking all things Japanese, for something different, visit Rekōdo a funky Japanese restaurant and vinyl record bar on level 1 of Barangaroo House (35 Barangaroo Avenue). And for something really, really different? At Callao (Shop 2/100 Barangaroo Ave), Japanese-Peruvian fusion cuisine is crafted using Peruvian spices, herbs, and sauces combined with traditional Japanese dishes.
Eastern Mediterranean fare is plating up at Watermans (R1/88 Barangaroo Avenue), where the menu is inspired by the cuisines of Greece, Cyprus, Turkey and Lebanon using the best Australian produce. Out of the many menu highlights: tiropita with soft feta, plum and caper leaf; wood-fired quail skewer, quince and carob glaze and grilled lime; whole wood-fired John Dory, sorrel, and smoked tomato savoro; and the pumpkin ice cream, candied pumpkin, carob and spice.
And finally, what’s more Aussie than a quality seafood meal? The aptly named love.fish (7/23 Barangaroo Avenue) is all about sustainably sourced local seafood, so you can eat tasty meals and feel good too. At the most lavish end of the menu is the AUD$245 ‘The Tower’, a two-tiered platter comprised of Sydney rock oysters, salmon ceviche, king prawn cocktail, tuna crudo on betel leaf, trio of sashimi, salt and pepper squid, panko crumbed salmon cakes, and chargrilled octopus.
There’s a cornucopia of cuisines in this trendy inner-city suburb, with everything from contemporary Australian to Korean, Italian, French, Spanish, Argentinian, Lebanese, South-East Asian, Greek, Japanese, Japanese/Italian and even Japanese and jazz (at Jazushi at 145 Devonshire St).
If you’re keen to try some real contemporary Australian fare (i.e. not just meat pies or Vegemite or lamingtons), Surry Hills will serve you well. Another regular on best Sydney restaurant lists, at Firedoor (23/33 Mary St), as the name suggests, all dishes are cooked by fire (there’s no gas or electricity in the kitchen). With dishes cooked across two wood-fired ovens, three grills and a wood-burning hearth, the menu is ever-changing, even possibly during the dinner service itself. A sample of the current six-course set menu: Bundarra pork, burnt honey, fennel, and peach; coral trout, Monterosa tomato, caper, and pil-pil; Westholme rib eye, wood-fired potato and black garlic; and grilled rhubarb, strawberries and cream.
Over on one of Surry Hills’ main restaurant strips, Bourke St, is Jane (478 Bourke St), – the restaurant, not some random called Jane – where you’ll find dishes like kangaroo tartare, harissa and potato crisps; lamb dumplings, saltbush, chilli and yoghurt; and rockmelon sorbet with green ants.
On the other main restaurant strip, Crown St, is The White Horse (381 Crown St) with a contemporary Australian menu with subtle Asian influences, from the likes of Bannockburn chicken leg, gochujang jus, salsa verde, and pickled cucumber, to pink lady apple tart tatin, doenjang, and whipped vanilla cream.
It’s Mediterranean-flavoured at Bessie’s (111-115 Albion St), a sample of the menu – Catalan bombas (potato and beef croqueta with mojo picón); pipis, jamon, chilli paste and garlic toast; and wood-fired spiced duck crown, radicchio and blackberry.
Meanwhile, at 1/52 Reservoir Street, is elevated Korean gastronomy with an 11-course menu at the two-hatted Allta (meaning “very right”). Mixing the traditional with the contemporary, don’t let the minimal dish names on the menu – like “kingfish” or “duck” – deceive you, with cuisine craft at top notch here.
For quality Italian there’s Pellegrino 2000 (80 Campbell Street), which got a bump in fame when it was Taylor Swift’s restaurant of choice on the Sydney leg of her 2024 tour. A comfy little neighbourhood corner trattoria with a hearty menu and pasta a specialty, try the calamari fritti with paprika and lemon; ravioli di gamberi (prawn ravioli with pistachio & brown butter); and the tiramisu is a must.
Off the southern end of Crown Street are more dining options in Wunderlich Lane (in technically the neighbouring suburb of Redfern), where you can dine with the many in the 200-seater Olympus Dining (2 Baptist Street), for hailed Greek fare (with a gigantic 50-year-old bougainvillea courtyard tree also a star), or with the few at the exclusive 12-seater, R by Raita Noda (Shop 104/399 Cleveland Street) for Japanese fine cuisine and a ten-course meal prepared in front of you.
Newtown is Sydney’s signature boho inner-city suburb, with a diversity as eclectic as the melting pot of cuisine available here: from West African to Mexican, northern Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, Italian and even Finnish(ish).
The latter hails from Finnish-born chef Pasi Petänen who runs Café Paci (131 King Street). Enjoyed among the eatery’s quirky aesthetic is Petänen’s innovative menu for those with adventurous tastes, with offerings like Rye taco and ox tongue and sauerkraut; XO trout potato dumplings; and liquorice cake with carrot sorbet and yoghurt foam.
One of the standout seafood restaurants in Sydney is Mister Grotto (208 Australia St), a 30-seater run by head chef Måns Engberg, formerly of Paddington’s seafood sensation, Saint Peter. With a feel described as “somewhere between a fisherman’s cabin and a boat”, here you can watch the team shuck oysters and prepare fish from the raw bar. The imaginative menu showcases Australian fishers and suppliers, plating up dishes like shishito peppers stuffed with yellowfin tuna sausage with chimichurri; wild-caught kingfish, organic tomatillo vinaigrette, puntarelle, and rock oyster emulsion; and nori-wrapped line-caught albacore, sudachi lime ponzu, lovage and shiso leaf.
Newtown and surrounds are also great places to try contemporary Australian cuisine.
Firepop (137 Enmore Rd), in the neighbouring suburb of Enmore, has also been a regular on best Sydney restaurant lists, its name referring to the flame-grilled ‘pops’ (skewers) the restaurant has become known for. Be sure to try the melt-in-your-mouth ‘Wagyu cube’ pop with fullblood MBS9+ wagyu beef, sweet soy, and cured egg yolk, with other pops featuring eggplant, pork belly, lamb, duck, and scallop. But the menu is much more than just the pops, with a range of options to choose from across courses, like corn ‘rib’ with caciocavallo cheese, yoghurt butter and garlic; and scallop with pork jowl and rock oyster cream.
The much-talked-about Sixpenny, situated in a 1907 terrace in nearby Stanmore (83 Percival Road), is known for its experimental cooking, with an ever-changing seven-course tasting menu featuring the ingredients of local suppliers, growers and producers and celebrating Australian cuisine. The kind of dishes you can expect are Oberon lamb rack aged with beeswax and lavender served with a fermented milk sauce; freshwater marron in coral trout butter; and salted banana ice-cream.
One of Sydney’s chicest suburbs, Paddington isn’t just shopping, old-world style and celebs, but also a great place to find quality cuisine.
The lauded, three-hatted Saint Peter is one of the hottest restaurants around right now. Situated in the Grand National Hotel (161 Underwood Street), it’s all about seafood. Innovative chef, Josh Niland, takes a head-to-tail philosophy where nothing’s wasted: a yellowfin tuna, for example, may be served raw, as ‘nduja, dry-aged or as a bone marrow fudge.
Over at The Palamar (7 Oxford Street, Paddington’s main street), with a menu inspired by Southern Europe, North Africa and the Levant, seasonal, local produce is featured. The hatted, 110-seater is an open kitchen setting with the option to sit at the kitchen bar or communal table and watch the wood-fired cooking as it happens. Among a colourful menu of tastes and textures, try the Sydney rock oysters, finger lime and arak mignonette; a share plate of cucumbers with green tahini and crispy chilli oil; coral trout with sauteed chicory and herbs; and the pistachio ice cream baklava sandwich.
And for a taste of gourmet France, visit Porcine (268 Oxford Street). This one’s for the meat lovers (although there are vegetarian dishes too), with dishes like comté and pepper belly gougères; guinea fowl and foie gras rillettes; and mud crab potato salad béarnaise. Porcine also lays claim to being the only restaurant in Sydney to offer a tableside canard à la presse service, perhaps not for the faint of heart. The meat from a roasted duck is removed from the carcass, the bones then crushed in a silver presse to extract the blood and juices to make a sauce au sang (blood sauce) tableside to accompany the meat.
The very cosmopolitan inner-city suburb of Potts Point has echoes of London’s Soho and New York’s East Village, and aside from the upscale culture, you’ll find some fine food here too.
For Italian cuisine, you can’t go past Fratelli Paradiso (12-16 Challis Ave). Be sure to try the fresh pasta, like the favourite spaghetti agli scampi with roast scampi, cherry tomato sauce, napoli, and bisque on a menu featuring the freshest produce. It’s a great place for a lingering lunch.
At 57-59 Macleay St, you’ll find Yellow, a fully vegan fine dining establishment. A carrot skewer may sound about as exciting as well… it sounds, but imagine the taste if it’s cured, smoked, dried, pan-fried, blow-torched and served with crisp chilli oil. With an offering rich with the produce of local growers, Yellow should be easy to find in a building suitably painted all-yellow.
Not far away is mainstay The Apollo (44 Macleay St), a Greek taverna serving contemporary dishes such as the favourite saganaki with kefalograviera cheese, oregano and Blue Mountains bush flower honey; and oven-baked lamb shoulder with Greek yoghurt.
And it’s high-end Japanese at Kisuke (50 Llankelly Place), considered to make some of the finest Japanese food in the city, with an omakase menu by Chef Yusuke Morita who holds a commitment to traditional Japanese culinary dishes. With a daily-changing menu based on the freshest ingredients available, you’ll want to book with seats limited here. Bookings are released on the first day of the month for the month ahead.
With that, dinner is served. Now all you have to do is pick where to eat! If we can help you plan your gastronomic journey in Sydney, please reach out here. We look forward to seeing you in delicious Sydney!
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