Restaurants in Sydney
Sydney excels at top-quality seafood, alfresco dining and ethnic cuisines. Top-end restaurants abound at the harbour around Circular Quay. Head to Surry Hills or Darlinghurst for cafés and ethnic restaurants. Waterfront restaurants like Icebergs Dining Room and Bar in Bondi make the most of Sydney's natural assets. Evening hours are generally 6pm-10pm, though Chinatown restaurants stay open later. A 10% tip is appreciated at mid-range to top-end establishments. Booking at top-end restaurants is essential.
Top-end
Expand all1. Icebergs Dining Room and Bar - Cool Bondi Italian
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Suave and sophisticated, Icebergs Dining Room and Bar is at the southern end of Bondi's famous beach. The cool aqua decor and ocean views are a perfect complement to the Mediterranean-inspired menu featuring seafood and innovative, predominantly Italian, food. Highlights include crab with polenta, wild scallops and char-grilled sirloin.E-mail this item
Opening Hours
Tue-Sun 12pm-12am (until 10pm Sun)
Address
1, Notts Avenue, Bondi Beach, Sydney 2026
Telephone
+61 (0) 2 9365 9000
2. Tetsuya's Restaurant - World-class Japanese
Show moreOverlooking a Japanese garden in central Sydney, Tetsuya's Restaurant has been voted one of the world's best. Key to its success is Tetsuya Wakuda's artful blend of Japanese tradition, French technique and pure seasonal flavours. The popular 13-course degustation is the best introduction to this imaginative chef, notably his signature ocean trout confit. Book ahead.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Opening Hours
Tue-Fri from 6pm; Sat from 12pm
Address
529, Kent Street, Sydney 2000
Telephone
+61 (0) 2 9267 2900
3. Bécasse - Classy French restaurant
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Central Sydney's Bécasse is the home of classic French dining. The decor is theatrical, with clever lighting and muted tones, but the atmosphere is welcoming and relaxed. Degustation and à la carte menus cater for vegetarians. Lobster with slow-cooked pork belly and the white asparagus and mushroom lasagne are typical of Bécasse's flair and precision.E-mail this item
Opening Hours
Mon-Fri 12pm-2.30pm & 6pm-10.30pm; Sat 6pm-10.30pm
Address
204, Clarence Street, Sydney 2000
Telephone
+61 (0) 2 9283 3440
4. Boathouse on Blackwattle Bay - Waterside fine seafood restaurant
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The Boathouse on Blackwattle Bay seafood restaurant is tucked away at the waterside end of Ferry Road in inner-west Glebe. The bistro-style decor is light and breezy, with Blackwattle Bay and its fishing boats visible through every window. Seasonal crustaceans, molluscs and fish are skilfully prepared and oysters and snapper pie are specialities.E-mail this item
Opening Hours
Thu-Sun from 12pm; Tue-Sun from 6pm
Address
Ferry Road, Sydney 2037
Telephone
+61 (0) 2 9518 9011
5. Billy Kwong - Chinese teahouse
Show moreIt's tiny, dimly lit and you can't book but TV chef Kylie Kwong's Chinese restaurant is always jam-packed. Join the queue at the door of Billy Kwong, a chic open-kitchen teahouse in Surry Hills, and order the seasonal organic banquet. You might be treated to dishes like the ever-popular crispy-skin duck or kingfish sashimi.E-mail this item
Opening Hours
Daily 6pm-10pm (until 11pm Fri & Sat and 9pm Sun)
Address
3/355, Crown Street, Surry Hills, Sydney 2010
Telephone
+61 (0) 2 9332 3300
6. Guillaume at Bennelong - Opera house dining
Show more Guillaume Brahimi's pairing of classic French technique and superb local produce is a dream combination. It's as seductive as its Opera House location and views of Sydney. Dining at Guillaume at Bennelong is a special event, whether for casual tapas or full degustation. Start with dishes like West Australian crab and follow with roasted Barossa chicken and nougat glacé.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Opening Hours
Mon-Sat from 5.30pm (Thu & Fri also 12pm-3pm)
Address
Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point, Sydney 2000
Telephone
+61 (0) 2 9241 1999
7. Sean's Panorama - Stylish beachhouse dining
Show moreSean Moran's Bondi restaurant has a beach-house atmosphere that's immediately relaxing. The short but sweet blackboard menu at Sean's Panorama changes seasonally, with warming roasts in winter and signature linguine year round. Housemade white chocolate nougat is another regular while guinea fowl with chestnut stuffing or broadbean salad celebrate the seasons. Book ahead.E-mail this item
Opening Hours
Fri-Sun from 12pm; Wed-Sat from 6pm
Address
270, Campbell Parade, Bondi Beach, Sydney 2026
Telephone
+61 (0) 2 9365 4924
Mid-range
Expand all8. Red Lantern - Authentic Vietnamese
Show moreSurry Hills' Red Lantern conjures up old Saigon with its red and gold flourishes, polished floors and artefacts. The outstanding Vietnamese cuisine is authentic, based on family recipes, and might include duck rice-paper rolls, char-grilled pork cutlets or lemongrass vegetable curry. Choose from the chef's à la carte and vegetarian menus or take away.E-mail this item
Opening Hours
Tue-Fri 12.30pm-3pm; Mon-Sun 6pm-10pm
Address
545, Crown Street, Surry Hills, Sydney 2010
Telephone
+61 (0) 2 9698 4355
9. Sailors Thai - Legendary Thai
Show moreSituated in The Rocks, Sailors Thai offers communal dining in the upstairs canteen, with rapid-fire noodles, Thai salads and no bookings. The pace is more relaxed in the downstairs restaurant, where bookings are essential. Try dishes like king prawns with chilli and lime in the canteen or deep-fried quails downstairs. The delectable salt/sweet/sour Thai flavours never fail to seduce.E-mail this item
Opening Hours
Upstairs canteen Mon-Sat 12pm-10pm. Downstairs restaurant: Mon-Fri 12pm-2.30pm & 6pm-10pm; Sat 6pm-10pm
Address
106, George Street, The Rocks, Sydney 2000
Telephone
+61 (0) 2 9251 2466
10. Pony - Secluded laneway grill
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Pony offers alfresco communal dining in central Sydney's oldest cobblestone laneway. Inside, the impeccably restored warehouse has warm chocolate and timber tones. Mediterranean pastas and modern Australian seafood are given a smoky blast from the Argentinean-style grill, and meat is a speciality. Vegetarians needn't despair with tapas-style entrees like baked eggplant or zucchini frittata.E-mail this item
Opening Hours
Daily 12pm-3pm & 6pm-late
Address
14-15 The Rocks Centre, Corner Kendall Lane and Argyle Street, The Rocks, Sydney 2000
Telephone
+61 (0) 2 9252 7797
11. Longrain Sydney - Modern Thai banquet
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Located in Surry Hills, Longrain Sydney has long communal tables to encourage Asian-style banquet dining. Staff will advise on the tricky balance of flavours when ordering multiple dishes like green fish curry and salt-and-pepper tofu. The wine list and ever-popular cocktail bar are designed to complement hot and spicy Asian flavours. Bookings are available at lunchtime only.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Opening Hours
Lunch: Wed-Fri 12pm-2.30pm; Dinner: Mon-Sat 6pm-11pm; Sun 12pm-late
Address
85, Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills, Sydney 2010
Telephone
+61 (0) 2 9280 2888
Budget
Expand all12. Golden Century - Chinatown classic
Show moreWalls of tanks promise fresh fish at this Chinatown institution. Open until just before dawn, Golden Century serves classic Chinese meat and noodle dishes and sensational seafood. Catch of the day might be coral trout or perch plucked live from the tank. Provincial hotpots and vegetarian bean-curd are more wallet-friendly than market-price abalone or crab.E-mail this item
Opening Hours
Daily 12pm-4am
Address
393-399, Sussex Street, Sydney 2000
Telephone
+61 (0) 2 9212 3901
13. Spice I Am - Cheap and cheerful Thai
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Tiny Spice I Am is a cheery Thai café in Surry Hills. Local Thais missing home-style bowls of spicy prawn tom yum goong used to have the place to themselves but now everyone is queuing up to join in the feast. The chilli rating is high and the service is fast-paced.E-mail this item
Opening Hours
Tue-Sun 11.30am-3.30pm & 6pm-10pm
Address
90, Wentworth Avenue, Surry Hills, Sydney 2010
Telephone
+61 (0) 2 928 00 928
14. Mohr Fish - More than fish and chips
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Popular Mohr Fish in Surry Hills is certainly not your average fish and chip shop. Eat in at table or counter seating, or even take away. The choice goes beyond flake or haddock to include fish like rockling, squid, barramundi and wahoo, plus scallops for starters. Vegetable accompaniments include mango or avocado salsa and gratin potatoes.E-mail this item
Opening Hours
Daily 11am-10pm
Address
202, Devonshire Street, Surry Hills, Sydney 2010
Telephone
+61 (0) 2 9318 1326
15. Bills - Breakfast specialities
Show moreBill Granger is one of Sydney's best-known chefs but his signature dishes, organic scrambled eggs and ricotta hotcakes with honeycomb butter, are served at breakfast. Lunch at relaxed Bills, a café in Darlinghurst, might feature seared prawns or a steak sandwich.E-mail this item
Opening Hours
Daily 7.30am-3pm (from 8.30am Sun)
Address
433, Liverpool Street, Darlinghurst, Sydney 2010
Telephone
+61 (0) 2 9360 9631
