restaurants in sydney

What Are The Best Restaurants In Sydney?

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    Like several meals in and around Sydney city, as well as some meals in some outer suburbs, such as Petersham, Balmain, Paddington, Haberfield, Marrickville, and Surry Hills, and mingle with some Sydney natives who enjoy food from all over the world. Japan, Greece, Italy, Vietnam, Korea, Nepal, Spain, Thailand, and even vegetarian dishes may all be found in Sydney's restaurants.

    To what extent do exceptional dining experiences depend on the restaurant's atmosphere? We at Ask Sydney care about how well a place executes its stated goals, rather than its age, price range, or type of cuisine.

    Perhaps it's entertaining and reasonably priced. Perhaps it was an early and defining example of a movement. Maybe it's because it's been around for a while, but it still manages to surprise you with how new and important it feels.

    If you're looking for the best restaurants in Sydney, you can't go wrong with any of these places. This is why, in addition to the conventional fine dining establishments, our list also features lively wine bars and other dressed-down eateries. Though the scope is broad, those seeking the eateries that best represent and define our city's unique culinary character need look no further. As far as Sydney goes, these are the top-notch options.

    Sydney's best restaurants right now

    10 William St

    Cocktails at 10 William St. have been popular for quite some time.Those with a passion for wine might get lost in an extensive catalogue of Italian wines made with minimal intervention, as well as profiles of pioneers in the movement towards natural, preservative-free food and drink both at home and abroad.

    A glass of something fresh and juicy from the chalkboard has become as essential as waiting in the street outside, elbowing your way between the little tables, and scraping the seeded pretzel through the whipped bottarga dip.

    This pretzel, that ragù, and that tiramisu are the few recognisable dishes still on the menu. Nonetheless, Trisha Greentree, the restaurant's new chef and a veteran of Brae's kitchen garden, has made it a priority to cultivate relationships with regional farmers in order to include their food prominently in her dishes.

    You can top white maize from Boon Luck Farm with lime and cured egg yolk, or you can top stracciatella from Vannella in Marrickville with charred spigarello leaves and anchovies; the possibilities are unlimited. For dessert, she serves a flan that is rich without being eggy, and is topped with an orange and Partida Creus vermouth caramel. A delectable morsel.

    restaurants in sydney

    A1

    A1 has found its niche as an all-day eatery, serving the pre-work, post-work, and in-between meal groups with high-quality breakfast, lunch, supper, and more. Kitchen exhibits both substance and flair all the way through, with a design that could be defined as private school cafeteria meets the big city (luxury plastic seats and tables; marble accents).

    This could include a crab and XO sauce omelette in the morning, accompanied by good coffee, a salad like couscous with burnt honey and pomegranate to accompany dishes like roasted lamb shoulder at lunch, or high-quality sandwiches from the takeout window, and a short share menu in the evening, with enough surprises to keep you on the edge of your seat.

    Huge mussels atop thick toast with tomato sauce and a hint of anise from licorice herb, for example. You might also try the kingfish collars with a ghee and coconut cream curry leaf sauce. Automata, the bar's younger sibling, offers a more streamlined, cheaper, and locally focused take on the menu, with equally polished service. There are a lot of reasons to stay after class, and interesting desserts made for relaxation are just one of them.

    Alberto's Lounge

    Despite being billed as Restaurant Hubert's Italian cousin, Alberto's welcomes the comparison with open arms. The ambience is similar, a plush carpet, with dim lighting, wood panelling and friendly wait staff, but there is more fun (maybe), more activity, and more people at Alberto's. Chef Daniel Pepperell, who always has one eye on the past and the future, is also bringing back the new wave of Italo.

    An example of the former is the Amatriciana, which features homemade bucatini doused in a sauce prepared from guanciale and its extracted fat, tomato, pecorino, and chilli. Take a trip alla Romana for the latter, where the meat melts into the sauce like it would at a trattoria in Testaccio but is given a butter chicken twist thanks to the skilful application of spice and cream.

    The wine selection made by sommelier Andy Tyson is more organic than that of Hubert. Nonetheless, the enthusiasm is the same regardless of whether one chooses a bottle from the numerous under $100 or a back-vintage Barolo from the "Il Rosso Divino " area. Even if a crisp cannoli makes for a great finale, the gelati (mango and sticky rice, for example) that Alberto serves every day encapsulates his entire ethos in a single spoonful: technical mastery coupled with a zest for exploration.

    Aria

    To begin, Aria serves as an ambassador. The Opera House may be seen in its entirety as one looks directly down its barrel. The wine list, which includes both exemplary domestic wines and worldwide standards. The chef, Joel Bickford, is committed to making the most of the fresh Australian ingredients included on the menu.

    While the standard of Australian cuisine has always been raised here, that hasn't meant that the restaurant has remained static. At Aria 2019, diners can choose kangaroo tartare with beetroot folded over it, yabbies cooked in tomato broth with skinned fish and jamón ribbons served with dab of beurre blanc, finger lime, and beach greens.

    Desserts especially the Moreton Bay bug dish, which comes with broth, congee, shiitake mushrooms, and a silky sheet created from smoked scallop, can have a lot going on, but the flavours are distinct, the presentation is elegant, and the cooking is on point when it's good.

    It's true that salespeople on the floor might be easily distracted by flashy displays, but in this city, appearances have always counted. Indeed, who could really disagree with that assessment?

    Automata

    ​​But what does a name actually mean? Automata carry out their functions without giving away any information about how they work. Underneath the surface of this seemingly straightforward industrial space, complexity and richness abound. For example, the accompanying Job's tears grains have been inoculated with koji to enhance the flavour of the pink, crusted rump cap of beef.

    You might have a cream centre soured with kefir and surrounded by raw yellowfin tuna in a circle. Even though the 5-course prix fixe menu has increased to over $100, it is still one of the best-value tasting menus in the city due to the high level of skill and quickness of the service.

    Be impressed by the finesse of the beetroot slices pinch-wrapped around sheep's curd spheres and presented in a soup of crab apple and fennel, or the richness of the ink sauce accenting the cuttlefish arrows. Having a great drinks menu that caters to those with a taste for the offbeat, as well as attentive and chill bartenders, this business is doing rather well. Functioning without a hitch or a hiccup.

    Bennelong

    Bennelong is perfect for those special occasions. The tranquil dining space features brass-gold Tom Dixon lighting, a floor-to-ceiling harbour view, and leather chairs and is situated within the concrete belly of an Opera House sail. Presented in three tight parts, it's a terrific setting for a confident take on event eating.

    With a combination of sweet persimmon, pickled black fungus, and crispy skin, a pull-apart confit duck leg hits a high note.The freshly fried Moreton Bay bug might be the opening act, with the nutty undertones of brown butter providing a nutty backbeat to the lemon emulsion.

    The dessert pavlova, with its rising meringue sails, verges on the cheesy and emotional, but is saved from schmaltz by a sharp passionfruit sauce. In contrast, the Neenish tart features a bittersweet chocolate filling, a wafer-crisp pastry shell, and is articulated to mirror-glaze precision. It is separated with a raspberry ripple and topped with yin-yang icing. A wide variety of Australian wines, from single-vineyard Beechworth Roussanne to world-famous shiraz viognier, may be found on the extensive wine list.

    At Bennelong, you can expect service that is both professional and personable, in sync with the entire production.

    Bentley

    The Bentley team has always been ahead of the competition, even from their earliest models. They were casual attire from the original Bentley location in Surry Hills. Still, clever drinking came with anything but simple cuisine; now, their efforts have spawned a little empire that includes great dining without meat (Yellow), good food-with-wine or the other way around (Monopole), and seafood with a view (Cirrus).

    Their signature restaurant and bar features dark wood tables and a black ceiling linked with intersecting steel frames, making it seem more like a city eatery than a hotel. Scallop tartare with plum, lemon verbena, and almond; apple cucumber with green kohlrabi, camel's milk curd, and hazelnut; Hildebrandt's expert wine list and matching flair; and Savage's unwaveringly modern menu of largely quality seafood and often odd veggies.

    Creamy smoked pil-pil sauce (with freshly cooked bass groper) or deeply meat-like onion soup are examples of dishes where the fresh, herbaceous, and astringent flavours are expertly matched (served with WA marron). And it's all quite enjoyable. On through pumpkin cones stuffed with sweet pumpkin curd and served with slightly bitter brown-butter ice cream.

    Bert's

    You can live out your wildest beach fantasies at Bert's. In a room where the ceilings are wicker and walls are linen, you can sip your Burgundy or Chablis and then finish the day with a Brandy Alexander. One should not attempt to do things halfway here. In the beginning, you must order the (yes,$125) hand-picked mud crab, which is served tableside with a lemony mayonnaise and a tomalley emulsion.

    The ruffled regenerate pasta with sea succulents and red mullet and a yoghurt slice and pretty mandarin, for example, show off Jordan Toft's eye for invention, underscored by a sure touch; similarly delightful are the toasty fingers of brioche overloaded with trout roe and smeared with chicken-fat butter .

    He uses a Josper oven and the grill to let good produce rest, focusing on timing and perfection with a few simple touches to elevate it (the flathead is roasted to perfection, and it is served with a brown butter and caper sauce that is flavoured with lemon. The duck is crowned with a quince glaze.). When you factor in the at-ease wait staff, Bert's becomes a place to spend time (and maybe even a lifetime) in.

    restaurants in sydney (3)

    Boon Cafe

    In the morning, you can enjoy a fusion of Australian and Thai cuisines here, with flat whites served alongside bowls of crab congee, pandan custard-flavored croissants, and green juice topped with turmeric shots. Sticky rice is served alongside spicy and fragrant pork and herb sausages. Gun Gai yang kicks off the meal with its gristly skewers of chicken gizzards marinated in fish sauce, smoked chilli, and broken rice (after which, if the fire persists, a brioche bun filled with homemade gelato).

    The onsite grocer, Jaren Chai, is a quiet presence amid the commotion; the store's dry goods shelves are stacked high, and the coolroom is brimming with Thai vegetables from sister farm Boon Luck Farm, located not far from Byron. In the evening. For Isaan, though, the situation shifts, and funk and heat become the focal points.

    Sticky rice is served alongside spicy and fragrant pork and herb sausages. Gun Gai yang kicks off the meal with its gristly skewers of chicken gizzards marinated in fish sauce, smoked chilli, and broken rice (followed with house-churned gelato stuffed into a brioche bun if the fire keeps raging).

    In addition to the expert service, this Sydney institution boasts  an exciting selection of natural wines and sakes. An asset to the metropolis.

    Cirrus

    Brent Savage is the man to go to for the best gourmet fish and chips in Sydney. The potatoes are perfectly salted, the tartare sauce is spot on, and the complete boneless, skinned, and crumbed flathead is a thing of beauty. And you can count on Nick Hildebrandt to suggest a textured, oxidative Macabeo mix from his expertly curated wine range, which he will serve in a stylish decanter designed by Brian Hirst.

    These guys go all in when they choose a topic. Cirrus, the duo's seafood temple, is a place where meticulous attention to detail and flawless execution are standard.

    Starters are inventive and well presented (how is that seductively smokey eel custard so ridiculously silky? ), while entrees like the roasted swordfish steak capped with sweet slivers of fennel, bottarga, and toasty buckwheat are hearty and flawless.

    The open, airy room is barely metres from the fast-casual chaos of Barangaroo, but the difference is night and day because of the expert, intuitive service of the staff. Put all your money into it, blow your mind, and anchor out.

    Renowned restaurants

    The best restaurants in Sydney are all located in the city, but you should start with the best of the best. Outstanding contemporary Australian fare and breathtaking views of Sydney Harbour can be found at Aria, Cafe Sydney, Quay, and Bennelong. Although the art deco Rockpool Bar & Grill is a must-see for its  world-class wine list, wood-fired meats, and seafood, the French-Japanese fusion degustation menu at Sydney institution Tetsuya never fails to wow diners.

    Meanwhile, Icebergs Dining Room and Bar doesn't just boast breathtaking views of Bondi's iconic seaside baths. Icebergs' beef tartare, mixed tableside, and pavlova (an Australian staple) are two examples of the enhanced classics you can expect from Icebergs' restaurateur, Maurice Terzini.

    The Good Food Guide recognises Australia's finest dining establishments annually by bestowing upon them one to three chef's hats (the equivalent of Michelin stars). SIxpenny and Quay, an upscale restaurant in the Inner West that blends the modern with the classic, won the award in 2020.

    Innovative fare

    Inside the new Crown complex at Barangaroo, the impressive list of headliner restaurants includes internationally renowned Nobu and Ross and Sunny Lusted's highly anticipated Woodcut. Three Michelin-starred British chef Clare Smyth will open Oncore, her first international restaurant, at Crown in mid-2021.

    Speaking of wood, there’s no gas or electricity at Surry Hills’ Firedoor, where everything is cooked over coals, and the ingredients speak for themselves. It's all about the fire at Porteño, an achingly cool Argentinian grill, too. Chippendale’s Automata serves bold food in an industrial dining room. Yellow, Sydney's first fine-dining vegans and vegetarian,is located in Potts Point and features innovative menu items and a curated wine selection.

    In the CBD, follow the queues down a pedestrian laneway for Mr Wong. The wait is long but oh so worth it for contemporary Australian-Cantonese cuisine and cool cocktails. Sydney also sees the rise and rise of the omakase, loosely translated to "I'll leave it up to you". Do whatever it takes to get into the 11-seater Kuon Omakase, soon to open sister restaurant Kuon Tempura and Chaco Bar with its 13-dish omakase.

    Chic eats

    Everywhere you go in Sydney, you can find restaurants serving very refined cuisine. Chiswick, a restaurant in Woollahra designed by chef Matt Moran and influenced by the style of the Hamptons, is surrounded by carefully tended gardens and uses ingredients straight from the kitchen garden. The Potts Point restaurant Monopole is dimly lit and brooding, with a wine list that boasts 500 labels. Meanwhile, the newcomer Amalfi Way offers a taste of La Costiera near the historic Finger Wharf in Woolloomooloo.

    Sustainable seafood may be found at Saint Peter in Paddington, where you can eat the whole fish (scales and all) and where you can also enjoy some of the best fish and chips in Sydney at Cirrus. Hubert is a typical French restaurant with a dining room decorated in wood and velvet, located in a basement in the heart of the city.

    Have you not eaten yet? Whether you're craving a traditional Sunday roast (try Ester in Chippendale), a glass of wine from Bentley's renowned wine list of over 1,000 bottles, or a taste of authentic Sardinian cuisine at Pilu in Freshwater, make a reservation today. Meanwhile, L'Héritage, a new restaurant housed in a former military exercise hall and offering views of Mosman's quiet Chowder Bay, specialises in classic French fare.

    Happy eating!

    Conclusion

    If you're looking for the best restaurants in Sydney, you can't go wrong with these places. In addition to the conventional fine dining establishments, our list also features wine bars and other dressed-down eateries. These are the top-notch options that best represent and define our city's culinary character. Restaurant A1 has found its niche as an all-day eatery, serving high-quality breakfast, lunch, supper and more. Automata offers a more streamlined, cheaper, and locally focused take on the menu, with equally polished service.

    Alberto's Lounge is billed as Restaurant Hubert's Italian cousin, but there is more fun (maybe) at Alberto's. At Aria 2019, diners can choose kangaroo tartare with beetroot folded over it or yabbies cooked in tomato broth with skinned fish and jamón ribbons served with dab of beurre blanc, finger lime, and beach greens. The 5-course prix fixe menu has increased to over $100 but it is still one of the best-value tasting menus in the city. Their signature restaurant and bar features dark wood tables and a black ceiling linked with intersecting steel frames. They offer great dining without meat (Yellow), good food-with-wine (Monopole) and seafood with a view (Cirrus).

    Bert's restaurant serves up hand-picked mud crab served tableside with a lemony mayonnaise and a tomalley emulsion. Chef Jordan Toft uses a Josper oven and the grill to let good produce rest. Gun Gai yang serves gristly skewers of chicken gizzards marinated in fish sauce, smoked chilli and broken rice. Brent Savage and Nick Hildebrandt's seafood temple, Cirrus, is a place where meticulous attention to detail and flawless execution are standard. The Good Food Guide recognises Australia's finest dining establishments annually by bestowing upon them one to three chef's hats (the equivalent of Michelin stars).

    In the CBD, follow the queues down a pedestrian laneway for contemporary Australian-Cantonese cuisine and cool cocktails. Chippendale's Automata serves bold food in an industrial dining room. The Potts Point restaurant Monopole is dimly lit and brooding, with a wine list that boasts 500 labels. L'Héritage, a new restaurant housed in a former military exercise hall, specialises in traditional French dishes.

    Content Summary

    • Like several meals in and around Sydney city, as well as some meals in some outer suburbs, such as Petersham, Balmain, Paddington, Haberfield, Marrickville, and Surry Hills, and mingle with some Sydney natives who enjoy food from all over the world.
    • Japan, Greece, Italy, Vietnam, Korea, Nepal, Spain, Thailand, and even vegetarian dishes may all be found in Sydney's restaurants.
    • We at Ask Sydney care about how well a place executes its stated goals, rather than its age, price range, or type of cuisine.
    • Perhaps it's entertaining and reasonably priced.
    • Perhaps it was an early and defining example of a movement.
    • Maybe it's because it's been around for a while, but it still manages to surprise you with how new and important it feels.
    • If you're looking for the best restaurants in Sydney, you can't go wrong with any of these places.
    • This is why, in addition to the conventional fine dining establishments, our list also features lively wine bars and other dressed-down eateries.
    • Though the scope is broad, those seeking the eateries that best represent and define our city's unique culinary character need look no further.
    • As far as Sydney goes, these are the top-notch options.
    • Cocktails at 10 William St. have been popular for quite some time.
    • Those with a passion for wine might get lost in an extensive catalogue of Italian wines made with minimal intervention, as well as profiles of pioneers in the movement towards natural, preservative-free food and drink both at home and abroad.
    • Nonetheless, Trisha Greentree, the restaurant's new chef and a veteran of Brae's kitchen garden, has made it a priority to cultivate relationships with regional farmers in order to include their food prominently in her dishes.
    • A1 has found its niche as an all-day eatery, serving the pre-work, post-work, and in-between meal groups with high-quality breakfast, lunch, supper, and more.
    • Kitchen exhibits both substance and flair all the way through, with a design that could be defined as private school cafeteria meets the big city (luxury plastic seats and tables; marble accents).
    • This could include a crab and XO sauce omelette in the morning, accompanied by good coffee, a salad like couscous with burnt honey and pomegranate to accompany dishes like roasted lamb shoulder at lunch, or high-quality sandwiches from the takeout window, and a short share menu in the evening, with enough surprises to keep you on the edge of your seat.
    • You might also try the kingfish collars with a ghee and coconut cream curry leaf sauce.
    • Automata, the bar's younger sibling, offers a more streamlined, cheaper, and locally focused take on the menu, with equally polished service.
    • There are a lot of reasons to stay after class, and interesting desserts made for relaxation are just one of them.
    • Despite being billed as Restaurant Hubert's Italian cousin, Alberto's welcomes the comparison with open arms.
    • The ambience is similar, a plush carpet, with dim lighting, wood panelling and friendly wait staff, but there is more fun (maybe), more activity, and more people at Alberto's.
    • Chef Daniel Pepperell, who always has one eye on the past and the future, is also bringing back the new wave of Italo.
    • Take a trip alla Romana for the latter, where the meat melts into the sauce like it would at a trattoria in Testaccio but is given a butter chicken twist thanks to the skilful application of spice and cream.
    • To begin, Aria serves as an ambassador.
    • The Opera House may be seen in its entirety as one looks directly down its barrel.
    • The wine list, which includes both exemplary domestic wines and worldwide standards.
    • The chef, Joel Bickford, is committed to making the most of the fresh Australian ingredients included on the menu.
    • While the standard of Australian cuisine has always been raised here, that hasn't meant that the restaurant has remained static.
    • At Aria 2019, diners can choose kangaroo tartare with beetroot folded over it, yabbies cooked in tomato broth with skinned fish and jamón ribbons served with dab of beurre blanc, finger lime, and beach greens.
    • Desserts especially the Moreton Bay bug dish, which comes with broth, congee, shiitake mushrooms, and a silky sheet created from smoked scallop, can have a lot going on, but the flavours are distinct, the presentation is elegant, and the cooking is on point when it's good.
    • It's true that salespeople on the floor might be easily distracted by flashy displays, but in this city, appearances have always counted.
    • Automata carry out their functions without giving away any information about how they work.
    • Underneath the surface of this seemingly straightforward industrial space, complexity and richness abound.
    • Even though the 5-course prix fixe menu has increased to over $100, it is still one of the best-value tasting menus in the city due to the high level of skill and quickness of the service.
    • Bennelong is perfect for those special occasions.
    • The tranquil dining space features brass-gold Tom Dixon lighting, a floor-to-ceiling harbour view, and leather chairs and is situated within the concrete belly of an Opera House sail.
    • Presented in three tight parts, it's a terrific setting for a confident take on event eating.
    • With a combination of sweet persimmon, pickled black fungus, and crispy skin, a pull-apart confit duck leg hits a high note.
    • The freshly fried Moreton Bay bug might be the opening act, with the nutty undertones of brown butter providing a nutty backbeat to the lemon emulsion.
    • The dessert pavlova, with its rising meringue sails, verges on the cheesy and emotional, but is saved from schmaltz by a sharp passionfruit sauce.
    • A wide variety of Australian wines, from single-vineyard Beechworth Roussanne to world-famous shiraz viognier, may be found on the extensive wine list.
    • At Bennelong, you can expect service that is both professional and personable, in sync with the entire production.
    • The Bentley team has always been ahead of the competition, even from their earliest models.
    • They were casual attire from the original Bentley location in Surry Hills.
    • Still, clever drinking came with anything but simple cuisine; now, their efforts have spawned a little empire that includes great dining without meat (Yellow), good food-with-wine or the other way around (Monopole), and seafood with a view (Cirrus).
    • Their signature restaurant and bar features dark wood tables and a black ceiling linked with intersecting steel frames, making it seem more like a city eatery than a hotel.
    • Scallop tartare with plum, lemon verbena, and almond; apple cucumber with green kohlrabi, camel's milk curd, and hazelnut; Hildebrandt's expert wine list and matching flair; and Savage's unwaveringly modern menu of largely quality seafood and often odd veggies.
    • In a room where the ceilings are wicker and walls are linen, you can sip your Burgundy or Chablis and then finish the day with a Brandy Alexander.
    • In the beginning, you must order the (yes,$125) hand-picked mud crab, which is served tableside with a lemony mayonnaise and a tomalley emulsion.
    • The ruffled regenerate pasta with sea succulents and red mullet and a yoghurt slice and pretty mandarin, for example, show off Jordan Toft's eye for invention, underscored by a sure touch; similarly delightful are the toasty fingers of brioche overloaded with trout roe and smeared with chicken-fat butter .
    • When you factor in the at-ease wait staff, Bert's becomes a place to spend time (and maybe even a lifetime) in.
    • In the morning, you can enjoy a fusion of Australian and Thai cuisines here, with flat whites served alongside bowls of crab congee, pandan custard-flavored croissants, and green juice topped with turmeric shots.
    • Sticky rice is served alongside spicy and fragrant pork and herb sausages.
    • Gun Gai yang kicks off the meal with its gristly skewers of chicken gizzards marinated in fish sauce, smoked chilli, and broken rice (after which, if the fire persists, a brioche bun filled with homemade gelato).
    • The onsite grocer, Jaren Chai, is a quiet presence amid the commotion; the store's dry goods shelves are stacked high, and the coolroom is brimming with Thai vegetables from sister farm Boon Luck Farm, located not far from Byron.
    • For Isaan, though, the situation shifts, and funk and heat become the focal points.
    • Sticky rice is served alongside spicy and fragrant pork and herb sausages.
    • Brent Savage is the man to go to for the best gourmet fish and chips in Sydney.
    • And you can count on Nick Hildebrandt to suggest a textured, oxidative Macabeo mix from his expertly curated wine range, which he will serve in a stylish decanter designed by Brian Hirst.
    • Cirrus, the duo's seafood temple, is a place where meticulous attention to detail and flawless execution are standard.
    • The best restaurants in Sydney are all located in the city, but you should start with the best of the best.
    • Outstanding contemporary Australian fare and breathtaking views of Sydney Harbour can be found at Aria, Cafe Sydney, Quay, and Bennelong.
    • Although the art deco Rockpool Bar & Grill is a must-see for its world-class wine list, wood-fired meats, and seafood, the French-Japanese fusion degustation menu at Sydney institution Tetsuya never fails to wow diners.
    • Meanwhile, Icebergs Dining Room and Bar doesn't just boast breathtaking views of Bondi's iconic seaside baths.
    • Icebergs' beef tartare, mixed tableside, and pavlova (an Australian staple) are two examples of the enhanced classics you can expect from Icebergs' restaurateur, Maurice Terzini.
    • The Good Food Guide recognises Australia's finest dining establishments annually by bestowing upon them one to three chef's hats (the equivalent of Michelin stars).
    • Speaking of wood, there's no gas or electricity at Surry Hills' Firedoor, where everything is cooked over coals, and the ingredients speak for themselves.
    • It's all about the fire at Porteño, an achingly cool Argentinian grill, too.
    • Chippendale's Automata serves bold food in an industrial dining room.
    • Yellow, Sydney's first fine-dining vegans and vegetarian,is located in Potts Point and features innovative menu items and a curated wine selection.
    • In the CBD, follow the queues down a pedestrian laneway for Mr Wong.
    • The wait is long but oh so worth it for contemporary Australian-Cantonese cuisine and cool cocktails.
    • Sydney also sees the rise and rise of the omakase, loosely translated to "I'll leave it up to you".
    • Do whatever it takes to get into the 11-seater Kuon Omakase, soon to open sister restaurant Kuon Tempura and Chaco Bar with its 13-dish omakase.
    • Everywhere you go in Sydney, you can find restaurants serving very refined cuisine.
    • Chiswick, a restaurant in Woollahra designed by chef Matt Moran and influenced by the style of the Hamptons, is surrounded by carefully tended gardens and uses ingredients straight from the kitchen garden.
    • The Potts Point restaurant Monopole is dimly lit and brooding, with a wine list that boasts 500 labels.
    • Meanwhile, the newcomer Amalfi Way offers a taste of La Costiera near the historic Finger Wharf in Woolloomooloo.
    • Sustainable seafood may be found at Saint Peter in Paddington, where you can eat the whole fish (scales and all) and where you can also enjoy some of the best fish and chips in Sydney at Cirrus.
    • Hubert is a typical French restaurant with a dining room decorated in wood and velvet, located in a basement in the heart of the city.
    • Whether you're craving a traditional Sunday roast (try Ester in Chippendale), a glass of wine from Bentley's renowned wine list of over 1,000 bottles, or a taste of authentic Sardinian cuisine at Pilu in Freshwater, make a reservation today.

    FAQs About Sydney

    Here is our pick of the best places to dine in Sydney right now, from hot newcomers to time-honoured institutions, ranked by our expert local editors. We’re looking for fun, flavour, creativity and value for money at every price point. 

    So yes, of course, you’ll find a fine diner inside the Opera House, but you’ll find neighbourhood pizza, hole-in-the-wall Thai, and lunch-only ramen, too – and that’s what makes our city such an awesome place to get watered and fed.  

    From sushi shrines to slurp-worthy ramen joints, here are Sydney’s five best Japanese restaurants, whether you’re after a laid-back izakaya or a traditional fine diner.

    • Nobu: It’s not hard to see why Nobu is one of the most famous Japanese restaurants in the world.
    • Chaco Bar: Chaco Bar, The hole-in-the-wall Japanese joint, offers ramen by day and yakitori by night, and you’ll want to try both. 
    • Kuro: Home to four venues in one, this compartmentalised Japanese hub is like dining in your very own bento box.
    • Gogyo: To write this place off as a slurp-and-dash noodle joint would be a huge mistake. Skip the lunchtime ramen rush and return in the evening, when mood lighting transforms the concrete interiors into a slinky backstreet haunt. 
    • Sokyo: The omakase menu at Sokyo is designed for Japanese foodies who, like Jiro, dream of sushi.

    Darling Harbour covers a huge area bordered by Barangaroo, Pyrmont and Haymarket (Chinatown). There are five main precincts, each with a bit of a different vibe.

    Here is how we see it:

    • Harbourside: Harbourside Shopping Centre is the commercial centre of DH with all the shops and a fast-food court. There are also many restaurants facing the waterfront here, and they offer a lovely view of the skyline and the fireworks on Saturday evenings (in season).
    • Cockle Bay Wharf: The second area to offer dining in Darling Harbour, there are several places on Cockle Bay Wharf that look out over the water. The restaurants here often have good lunch and happy hour deals.
    • King St Wharf: King Street Wharf heads north and meets up with Barangaroo. This is where groups from nearby offices head after work, and on weekends the hens/bucks night groups descend. It’s also a popular spot for tour groups.
    • Darling Quarter: A little south of the Harbourside complex is the new International Convention Centre (ICC) and Tumbalong Park. On the city side of the area, you will find Darling Quarter. Home to the Chinese Garden and the huge children’s playground. This is the most popular spot for families visiting Darling Harbour.

    Darling Square: The newest precinct in Darling Harbour, Darling Square, joins Chinatown and is home to more than 25 cafes and restaurants and the beautiful Exchange Building designed by Kengo Kuma. The Exchange houses the Darling Square public library and several restaurants and cafes.

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