Hugged by spectacular waterways, home to multiple internationally beloved landmarks, and synonymous with its famous beaches, Sydney’s flashy reputation is well deserved. But take a deeper look at this glistening city and you’ll find a rich, vibrant and varied cultural heartbeat.
Sydney’s dining scene crackles with energy, from the glittering five-star experiences that gaze over the harbour to the intimate-but-electric eateries dotted throughout every suburb and on almost every street.
Diverse too is the range of cuisines on offer; Sydney is a truly multicultural city, and this colourful amalgam of influences has led to a seemingly limitless range of cuisines being available in the city. European and South-East Asian restaurants are ubiquitous, but so too are cuisines from North Africa, Eastern Europe and the Caribbean.
As well as the dynamic vibrancy of the scene, it’s the accessibility of fresh, high-quality ingredients in Sydney that has seen so many celebrated chefs find their unique, inimitable styles in this city. Whether it’s Josh Niland’s innovative use of fish and seafood, Peter Gilmore’s development of culinary works of art, or Neil Perry’s championing of small-scale local producers, Sydney gives chefs the perfect canvas on which to create their masterpieces.
This is a city in a perpetual state of culinary evolution, with new restaurants, chefs and food trends emerging every week. There’s a terrific meal - from a quick bite with a glass of wine to a multi-course experience - hiding around every corner.
To help you find the very best of these experiences, we consulted our Culinary Wonderland chefs, cooks and team and asked for their favourite Sydney dining experiences. These are their picks.
OUR CHEFS’ TOP PICKS
Recommended by Shannon Bennett
Restaurant group Merivale has a way of finding the perfect dining experience for every environment. The Coogee Pavilion, set on the Northern edge of Coogee Beach, is the perfect example, with its family-friendly pizza parlour on the ground floor, and cocktail-ready rooftop pitching bountiful shared plates of Lebanese charcoal chicken and all its accoutrements. It’s Mimi’s, though, that is the jewel in the ‘Coogee Pav’ crown, where chef Jordon Toft crafts indulgent dishes out of the kind of fresh ingredients you’d expect from such an ocean-adjacent location. “Great ingredients,” says Culinary Wonderland chef Shannon Bennett, who points to the small plates and the Instagram-ready caviar ‘bump’ as a few of his highlights. “The swordfish cutlet is first class,” he adds. “This is great food combined with great atmosphere, a big room, with great, aspirational design. One of the best experiences in Sydney.”
Price range: $250+ for two, plus drinks
Open: Lunch & dinner; Wednesday to Sunday
Address: 130A Beach Street, Coogee, NSW, 2034
Website: https://merivale.com/venues/mimis/
Recommended by Hayden Quinn
The Sydney Opera House is one of the world’s most iconic buildings, so it seems only fitting that it should serve as home to one of the city’s most celebrated restaurants. Peter Gilmore’s Quay – just across the water under the Sydney Harbour Bridge – might garner a few more accolades, but the venerated chef’s ability to mix opulence with accessibility results in an elevated playfulness you’ll only find at Bennelong. Delicate Japanese egg custard with mud crab congee, squid tossed in XO sauce with crispy eggplant, and a superlative take on Australia’s classic lamington are must-tries, while Culinary Wonderland chef Hayden Quinn swears by the carrot salad. “[It’s] my fiance and my favourite spot. Such amazing food and a spot that you take someone when you want to wow them, say thank you, celebrate or get engaged!”
Price range: $300+ for two, plus drinks
Open: Lunch Saturday & Sunday; Dinner Wednesday to Saturday
Address: Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point, Sydney, NSW, 2000
Website: https://www.bennelong.com.au
Recommended by Sid Sahrawat
Melbourne might be more renowned for its laneways filled with hidden bars and restaurants, but Sydney has no shortage of culinary subterfuge. Hidden as it may be in stony Bridge Lane, Mr Wong holds the title of Sydney’s busiest restaurant, turning over more tables in a night across its two storeys than any other eatery. It doesn’t take long to figure out what keeps so many people coming back; impossibly succulent Peking duck, world-class dim sum and Sydney’s best live seafood selection are just a few of the drawcards pulled together by Executive Chef Dan Hong. From its celebrated fit-out to its pitch-perfect and extensive wine list, it’s no wonder Culinary Wonderland chef Sid Sahrawat admits this Merivale-owned Cantonese fine diner is always his first stop in Sydney. “It’s heaving, full of energy and the best modern Chinese in Sydney.”
Price range: $250+ for two, plus drinks
Open: Lunch & dinner every day
Address: 3 Bridge Lane, Sydney, NSW, 2000
Website: https://merivale.com/venues/mrwong/
Recommended by Bjorn Shen
Sydney-siders love their fish and seafood, and who can blame them? With its picturesque harbour and spectacular beaches, thoughts are sure to turn quickly pescatarian, and there’s no bigger proponent of fish dishes in Australia – and perhaps the world – than Josh Niland. While his empire of innovative fish-forward eateries (including Fish Butchery, Charcoal Fish and Petermen) continues to grow, this original Paddington fine diner remains the greatest showcase of his philosophies and skills. Plates of delicately-cooked dry-aged fish, often adorned with ingenious condiments, sauces and even charcuterie made from fish scraps, are handed over the counter to you with a description so detailed that it includes the name of the person that pulled your fish from the water. And on the off-chance that’s not enough pescatarian love for you, don’t worry; desserts, like the chocolate mousse cake, come with a side of incredibly delicious ice cream made from fish eyes.
Price range: $350+ for two, plus drinks
Open: Lunch Thursday to Sunday; Dinner Wednesday to Sunday
Address: 362 Oxford Street, Paddington, NSW, 2021
Website: https://www.saintpeter.com.au
Recommended by Sid Sahrawat
It’s easy to find a great Thai restaurant in Sydney and its suburbs, but few will leave you feeling quite as satisfied as Porkfat. The secret? It’s all in the name. Porkfat’s Thai-born chef and owner Narin Kulasai cooks pretty much everything on the menu in rendered pork fat, be it the steamed coral trout, the vermicelli baked with plump tiger prawns or what’s quickly gaining ground as one of Sydney’s most talked-about dishes; the grilled pork jowl with smoked chilli nam jim. “[It’s] a hole-in-the-wall place referred to me on a recent visit to Sydney,” says Culinary Wonderland chef Sid Sahrawat of Auckland’s Sidart restaurant. “The Thai flavours here are at full volume, no-holds-barred, and remind me of being in Thailand.”
Price range: $100+ for two, plus drinks
Open: Lunch & dinner Tuesday to Sunday
Address: 33 Ultimo Road, Haymarket, NSW, 2000
Website: https://www.porkfat.com.au
Recommended by the Culinary Wonderland team
It sounds like an agrarian fantasy: a dinner of ingredients pulled straight from the garden, prepared lovingly on a wood-burning stove in front of your eyes, served in an idyllically Provincial dining room. The twist? This bucolic daydream goes down in one of Sydney’s coolest inner-city neighbourhoods and busiest thoroughfares, right on Oxford Street. The vibe might be rustic, but don’t let that fool you; whether you go for the roast chicken or the Eastern rock lobster with champagne butter, this is sophisticated, elevated food that will leave you feeling as warm as the hearth your dinner’s been cooked in. Want to turn it into a proper night out? Kick things off (or wrap them up) with something special from the cocktail list at cosy Charlie Parker bar downstairs.
Price range: $220+ for two, plus drinks
Open: Lunch Thursday to Sunday; Dinner Tuesday to Sunday
Address: 380 Oxford Street, Paddington, NSW, 2021
Website: https://merivale.com/venues/freds/
Icebergs Dining Room and Bar (Bondi)
Recommended by Tobie Puttock
Sitting on the south end of Sydney’s most famous stretch of sand, this Bondi Beach institution is almost as iconic as the saltwater pool it sits above. The turquoise hues of the dining room reflect the ocean just beyond the windows, while the gently Italian slant to both the menu and the wine list hint at evenings spent on the Amalfi Coast. Seafood is a feature, naturally, with produce sourced from only the most reputable sources, and service is considered some of the best in town. Sgroppinos (a cocktail that mixes vodka and prosecco with lemon gelato) are prepared tableside, the perfect start to a meal that could include standout dishes like a rich risotto dotted with raw prawns, spaghetti loaded with pipis, vongole and bottarga, or a meltingly tender chargrilled octopus. Unlike the winter swimming club that hits the pool on even the chilliest of mornings after which it’s named, Icebergs offers exhilaration and satisfaction in unmatched comfort and with unparalleled warmth.
Price range: $250+ for two, plus drinks
Open: Lunch & dinner Tuesday to Sunday
Address: 1 Notts Avenue, Bondi Beach, NSW, 2026
Website: https://idrb.com
Oncore by Clare Smyth (Barangaroo)
Recommended by the Culinary Wonderland team
The shiniest jewel at the top of Barangaroo’s new Crown tower, Oncore is the kind of once-in-a-lifetime dining experience against which all others are measured. An antipodean sibling to beloved London restaurant Core, renowned chef Clare Smyth (the first and currently only woman to hold three Michelin stars) has utilised her inventive skills to build a multi-course tasting menu that celebrates and uplifts the finest Australian produce. The incredible ‘lamb carrot’ – a single carrot slow cooked with a lamb glaze – has quickly become as popular in Sydney as it is in London, as has the magnificent ‘core apple’ dessert. Choosing a favourite dish is difficult when each course is just as flawlessly executed as the last. From the view to the decor, wine list to the menu, Oncore is arguably Sydney’s most perfect dining experience.
Price range: From $500 for two, plus drinks
Open: Lunch Thursday to Saturday; Dinner Wednesday to Saturday
Address: Crown Sydney, Level 26, 1 Barangaroo Ave, Barangaroo, NSW, 2000
Website: https://www.crownsydney.com.au/indulge/oncore-by-clare-smyth
Recommended by Hayden Quinn
The similarities between Italian and Japanese cuisines might not be immediately apparent, but LuMi’s inspired menu of innovative Italio-Japanese fare shows they’ve both got one important thing in common: flavour. Chef Federico Zanellato packs even the smallest mouthful with a punch, like a wafer of chicken skin topped with raw scallop that’s eaten in one gulp, or the spectacularly geometric coral trout sashimi coiled with honeydew melon. Seafood is showcased – appropriate for a glass-walled venue that overlooks Pyrmont Bay – in the hand-cut tagliatelle with Moreton Bay bugs and scampi XO bisque, or the cod with miso-spiked cabbage - while the picturesque desserts have become Instagram icons. Be sure to bring an empty stomach; the tasting menu takes you on a 13-course journey.
Price range: From $510 for two, plus drinks
Open: Lunch Saturday & Sunday; Dinner Thursday to Sunday
Address: 56 Pirrama Road, Pyrmont, NSW, 2009
Website: https://www.lumidining.com
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
From the Culinary Wonderland Team
Quay Restaurant (Circular Quay)
Perched on the edge of Sydney Harbour, at the foot of the Harbour Bridge, a visit to Quay is one of the most memorable restaurant experiences in the city. With its unwavering commitment to culinary excellence, breathtaking location, and impeccable service, Quay is an ode to fine dining. Each dish in Peter Gilmore’s extravagant set menu journey is the result of months of work, the chef even going so far as to grow rarer vegetables and herbs himself to nail the flavour combination he’s looking for. Quay offers wall-to-wall highlights, but the new ‘feathers’ dessert – featuring six types of chocolate formed into edible feathers, all protruding from a decadent baked chocolate custard – has quickly gained cult status. This is an extraordinary dining experience that effortlessly marries innovation, technique, and the finest Australian produce, all coming together to create something truly special.
Price range: From $560 for two, plus drinks
Open: Lunch Saturday and Sunday; Dinner Thursday to Sunday
Address: Upper level, Overseas Passenger Terminal, Sydney, NSW, 2000
Website: https://www.quay.com.au
The Unicorn Hotel (Paddington)
Step into The Unicorn and you’ll instantly feel as though you’ve been transported far from busy Oxford Street. Evoking a country pub before the advent of pokies, every aspect of The Unicorn offering is designed for a good time. Kick things off with a schooner of one of the many craft beers on tap or a glass of natural wine while grazing on a plate of Jatz crackers and French onion dip, then dig into Sydney’s best chicken schnitzel (brined for two days before being fried and served with rich mash and gravy) before spending the rest of the afternoon at the pool table or around the darts board. Though Sydney might have no shortage of great pubs, The Unicorn stands out as a legendary one.
Price range: From $60 for two, plus drinks
Open: Lunch Friday to Sunday; Dinner every day
Address: 106 Oxford St, Paddington, NSW, 2021
Website: https://theunicornhotel.com.au/
CONCLUSION
With so many options, and something for every taste, appetite and budget, Sydney is a city made for dining out. From neighbourhood trattorias to once-in-lifetime dining experiences, your ultimate culinary experience is waiting in the harbour city.
Happy eating!
