From dining institutions with views of Sydney Harbour to creative local newcomers, Sydney is spoilt for choice when it comes to world-class restaurants in all corners of the city, from Newtown to Bondi and beyond.
Urban List's team of Sydney-based editors and writers have picked the best Sydney restaurants based on their mind-blowing menus, innovative culinary credos, memorable and top-notch service, and breathtaking locations.
The Best Sydney Restaurants At A Glance
- The Best New Sydney Restaurants
- The Best Sydney Restaurants With A View
- The Most Iconic Sydney Restaurants
- The Best Sydney CBD Restaurants
- More Of The Best Sydney Restaurants
The Best New Sydney Restaurants
Mister Grotto
212 Australia Street, Newtown
Image credit: Mister Grotto | Supplied
The standout Sydney seafood restaurant sitting in Paisano & Daughters’ Newtown strip (also home to Continental Deli, Osteria Mucca, Flora and Australia Street Suites), Mister Grotto is a celebration of all things oceanic.
There’s a raw bar for oyster shucking and crudo prepping, plus a full kitchen led by head chef Måns Engberg, who brings mega seafood skills from Saint Peter. Everything is dedicated to Australia’s dedicated fishers and suppliers across Australia, with standout picks like line-caught bonito in manzanilla sherry, raspberry and lovage; fried school prawns in Aleppo pepper; and BBQ Nannygai with sweet corn, manchego and macadamia salsa macha.
Insider Intel
- If you’re heading with a group, the front window has a coveted curved booth.
- Mister Grotto is open for seven nights a week.
- Don’t sleep on dessert, which is dreamt up by the group's head pastry chef, Lauren Eldridge.
Allta
50 Pitt Street, Sydney CBD
For frequent fine diners, Allta needs to be top of the list for their next outing in Sydney. This $325pp, 15-course degustation by chef Jung-Su Chang is creative and rooted in Korean culture, with dishes like beef tartare on crispy taro with barley doenjang and kimchi; sweet prawns with perilla oil, cured yolk and capsicum; and a dessert of makgeolli sorbet with rice granita, and pear.
"Allta is more than a restaurant,” says Chang. “It's a celebration of Korean cuisine and culture. Each bite tells a story—a narrative of tradition and innovation, a homage to the rich tapestry of flavours that have shaped Korean cuisine."
With just 12 seats available per booking window, it's an intense, personal experience that is guaranteed to surprise and challenge your expectations of modern Korean cuisine.
The Best Sydney Restaurants With A View
Oncore By Clare Smyth
Level 26/1 Barangaroo Avenue, Barangaroo
Image credit: Oncore by Clare Smyth | Instagram
Sparkling on level 26 of Crown Tower in Barangaroo, Oncore by Clare Smyth is an Aussie outpost of Clare Smyth’s eponymous (and much-awarded) London restaurant.
"One of the best meals I've ever had in Sydney was at Oncore by Clare Smyth when it opened," says top Sydney chef Matt Moran. "Clare Smyth's food is insanely good, and head chef Alan is doing a great job," he told Urban List.
The Oncore by Clare Smyth menu revolves around two main offerings: the Classic menu ($395pp) with Aussie translations of well-known Clare Smyth dishes and now-favourites unique to the Sydney location, and the Seasonal menu ($370pp). Both include a generous spread of snacks to begin and remarkably presented petit fours, and there's a 3000-bottle wine list to explore. Bookings are released two months in advance (e.g. March bookings open on 1 January).
Insider Intel
- If you don't have the cash or time to spend in the restaurant, visit the bar for a la carte snacks—you can book, and there's often room for walk-ins.
Sean's
270 Campbell Parade, North Bondi
Image credit: Urban List | Georgia Condon
Sean’s has peered out to the ocean for over 30 years, and it’s one of Sydney’s most beloved restaurants, serving home-style food delivered with precise technique and unparalleled produce. Much of the produce is grown on Moran's farm in the Blue Mountains, as it's been since 1993.
Dining at Sean’s is offered as a three-course menu, with three options per course, priced at $140pp. The menu changes as often as daily, highlighting the peak of seasonality in a cuisine that feels wholly Australian (and leans ever-so-slightly Italian). The wine list is compact but offers a great selection across price points and styles.
Urban List Sydney editor Georgia Condon says, “For me, Sean's is Sydney bundled up into a restaurant—it's where I chose to celebrate my recent milestone birthday, and the mid-winter menu with garden vegetables, truffle-topped pasta, and a gorgeous seafood stew was the perfect blend of laid-back, hearty, and visually delightful."
INSIDER INTEL
- You can BYO a special bottle with $30 corkage (or $60 on magnums if you’re going big).
- Book a later seating if you want to linger—your table will likely be needed for more guests directly after an earlier booking window.
Aria
1 Macquarie Street, Sydney CBD
Image credit: Aria | Instagram
The fact that Aria's been around for 25 years says it all—this Sydney institution dazzles with its Sydney Harbour and Opera House views, quintessential modern Australian menu, and polished service.
Lauded London-based chef Clare Smyth, who holds three Michelin Stars, told Urban List that she ate her most memorable meal in Sydney at Aria: "It's a classic, timeless restaurant that cooks delicious food. I've known Matt [Moran] for such a long time, and it does great service with a beautiful ambience."
Executive chef Tom Gorringe and chef/owner Matt Moran's menus are available as five- or eight-course tasting menus, or two- or three-course prix fixe at lunch and for pre-theatre bookings before 6pm. Complementary to the food, the wine list champions Aussie producers with all of the Old World favourites for purists.
Insider Intel
- Unlike many Sydney fine diners, Aria is open on Sunday and Monday nights, and most public holidays.
- Two-course, prix fixe menus start at $120pp.
The Most Iconic Sydney Restaurants
Saint Peter
161 Underwood Street, Paddington
Image credit: Saint Peter | Website
Saint Peter is a globally acclaimed Sydney restaurant by pioneering chef Josh Niland. He serves exclusively Australian seafood at the Paddington seafood restaurant, applying unconventional techniques and treatments to various species of oysters, Australian prawns and shellfish, line-caught wild fish, and sustainably farmed fish. Often, even desserts integrate elements from the seafood in an amazing showcase of culinary creativity.
Dinner at Saint Peter is a seven-course tasting menu of seasonal picks, while lunch is offered in a more relaxed a la carte format.
Insider Intel
- The Nilands recently relocated Saint Peter to the Grand National Hotel, so you can also stay the night in one of 14 boutique hotel rooms.
- The new Saint Peter location has a dedicated bar offering a la carte snacks—a cost-effective way to sample the experience.
Bennelong
Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point, Sydney
Bennelong is the breathtaking restaurant inside the Sydney Opera House—and it serves dishes befitting its location. It makes sense that this place showcases the best of Australia, with inspiration taken from our vast country and the waves of different backgrounds that make up its culture.
Peter Gilmore's three-course menu, priced at $210 with sides, offers around five choices for each course. Seasonal takes on familiar formats include ravioli with Hervey Bay scallops, radish, nasturtium buds and XO sauce; Maremma duck with cherry, blackberry, rosehip and Kampot pepper; and the iconic Bennelong pavlova—resembling the Opera House—for dessert.
Image credit: Urban List | Georgia Condon
Our editor Georgia Condon says, "I took myself to Bennelong soon after I first moved to Sydney. Of course, the food was excellent and it was surreal to dine inside my new home's biggest landmark, but it's the world-class service that really made it a memorable experience."
There’s little wonder The New York Times called this place the “Holy Grail of Australian Restaurants.”
INSIDER INTEL
- Take your favourite tourists here—they'll never forget it.
- If you're not splashing out for the full experience, hit the bar for a drink or a la carte meal.
Quay
Overseas Passenger Terminal, The Rocks, Sydney CBD
Image credit: Quay | Instagram
Like Bennelong, Quay is another titan in the Aussie foodie scene by the same chef, Peter Gilmore. Gilmore is a pioneer of artisan-sourced ingredients and the oddities of nature, giving heirloom varieties their time in the spotlight.
If Bennelong celebrates Australian culture, Quay is a party thrown for Australia’s natural beauty and makes a point of showcasing the connection with the plate and the ingredients pulled from the ground, the rivers, and the sea—not to mention the expertly crafted wine list that features some of the country’s best producers alongside international big names.
Insider Intel
- If you're hoping for Sydney Opera House views, check whether there'll be a cruise ship docked at the International Passenger Terminal—they block the view.
The Best Restaurants In Sydney's CBD
Shell House Dining Room & Terrace
37 Margaret Street, Sydney CBD
Image credit: Shell House | Instagram
Shell House is one of Sydney’s most sumptuous drinking and dining destinations. Between the three lavish bars on level nine is the stylish dining room, headed up by culinary director Joel Bickford (ex-Aria) and head chef Aaron Wood (ex-Sixpenny). Like the rest of Shell House, Dining Room & Terrace is a stunner—complete with sun-drenched rooftop dining and custom furniture.
Begin with a choux pastry cruller doughnut filled with oyster cream, or a luxe potato scallop topped with caviar. Seasonal pastas weave in ingredients like saltbush, salted ricotta, and scampi, while top-notch proteins like lobster and dry-aged sirloin round out the luxury vibe. The award-winning wine list is hefty with pages of top-tier drops to discover.
Insider Intel
- Pick a sunny day and book a long lunch on the rooftop terrace.
- If you stick around after lunch long enough, you can enjoy the Golden Hour (happy hour) on each level from 4pm.
Clam Bar
44 Bridge Street, Sydney CBD
Image credit: Clam Bar | Jason Loucas
Clam Bar is a slick rendition of a classic New York City grill. Think with prawn cocktails, caviar and oysters Rockefeller, polished service, and one of Sydney’s best New York strip steaks.
Dreamt up by Dan Pepperell, Andy Tyson, and Mikey Clift, the clever trio behind Bistrot 916 and Pellegrino 2000, chic details and a handsome Art Deco dining room round out the experience. Martinis are poured into cone-shaped flutes and placed on branded napkins and your raw seafood selections come served on a silver tower.
Insider InteL
- Clam Bar also serves one of the city’s best martinis.
- Prime time bookings are in high demand—book well ahead.
AALIA
25 Martin Place, Sydney CBD
Image credit: AALIA | Instagram
AALIA is the most luxurious restaurant from the ESCA Group, the team behind Nour in Surry Hills and Lilymu in Parramatta. The name AALIA loosely translates to elevated or exalted—meaning you can expect a heightened version of the polished, creative Arabic and Levantine-style food the group has become known for.
The menu follows a unique coastal theme—a lighter vibe, not typically associated with Middle Eastern fare. From the a la carte menu, begin with Moonlight Kiss oysters, a Persian caviar service if you feel like splashing out, quail and king prawn skewers, and pharoah’s foie gras.
Insider Intel
- We love AALIA's ballooned, house-made khorasan pita.
More Of The Best Sydney Restaurants
Arthur
544 Bourke Street, Surry Hills
Image credit: Arthur | Instagram
Arthur is a warm and polished Surry Hills restaurant serving ingredients and producers that are exclusively Australian. The culinary style is left broad to allow for influences from global food traditions, with a $120pp and $160pp set menu available.
Our Sydney editor, Georgia Condon, fondly recalls her first visit to Arthur: "The menu blew me away with its creativity and beautiful presentation—yes, I added the Bruny Island cheese tart and highly recommend you do too."
The five-course set menus move through elegant one-bite snacks, starters, mains, and dessert (plus tempting supplements), all drawing from the best seasonal produce. The drinks list also offers local-only goodness, including iconic and emerging Aussie winemakers, some emulating global winemaking styles.
Insider intel
- Don't skip the supplements.
- A few stools at the bar are perfect for solo diners.
- Book the later dinner seating if you prefer to take things slowly.
Cafe Paci
131 King Street, Newtown
Image credit: Cafe Paci | Instagram
Cafe Paci is a highly regarded Sydney restaurant by award-winning, Finnish-born chef Pasi Petänen. After its initial conception as a long-term pop-up, the Newtown restaurant (which opened in 2019 and is one of our favourite spots in the Inner West) has a neighbourhood feel presented with a lot of polish. As well as standard tables, seating is available at a central curved bar and blue leather-clad corner booths, offering a space for all groups and occasions.
Cafe Paci's a la carte menu is structured so you could just as easily drop in for a snack and a drink, or enjoy a multi-course feast working your way through almost every dish with a group. It changes regularly, but a rye taco filled with ox tongue and sauerkraut, seasonal pasta dishes, and springy potato dumplings with trout XO are mainstays that need to be tried.
Insider Intel
- Set aside any hesitations and start with the ox tongue taco.
- A $90pp set menu is available, and required for groups of six or more.
Ester
46-52 Meagher Street, Chippendale
Image credit: Dua Lipa | Instagram
Chef-owner Mat Lindsay was ahead of the game when he opened wood-fired restaurant Ester in 2013. It's since become internationally acclaimed in the flame-cooked food space, with mainstays on the menu like a fermented potato bread and grilled prawns with crustacean butter (of which Dua Lipa was a fan).
"I was so excited to be finally eating there [in 2014] after many failed attempts of getting a booking," says executive chef of CBD restaurants Lana and Martinez, Alex Wong.
"We opted for the set menu at the time and the highlights included roasted king prawns with caper and tamari, and the leftover sourdough ice cream. It just blew my mind the layers and layers of flavour and the simplicity of showcasing the produce. I've been going back ever since."
a'Mare
Crown Sydney, Level 1/1 Barangaroo Avenue, Barangaroo
Image credit: a'Mare | Instagram
A'Mare is pasta master Alessandro Pavoni's refined take on classic Italian. With serious polish and impeccable service, a’Mare caters to the luxury sensibilities of Crown’s intended high-roller audience. As such, only the best of the best is plated up here.
Expect to see beef carpaccio and fresh burrata but, with a name like a’Mare, fresh fish and rock lobster are also given a solid showing, alongside fresh pasta and ample antipasti. We also love a'Mare's dedication to the theatre of tableside service: martinis are stirred, carbonara is tossed, and gelato is scooped tableside with maximum flair.
Insider Intel
- Chef Pavoni's housemade focaccia is famous for a reason. He also makes a gluten-free version that is equally as impressive.
- Opt for the Italian Job menu for a completely tableside feast.
Ursula’s
92 Hargrave Street, Paddington
Image credit: Ursula's | Instagram
Ursula’s is easily one of Sydney’s prettiest restaurants. Designer Brahman Perera is behind the charming interiors, wielding a palette of Yves Klein blue and rich caramels throughout the two-storey corner block terrace.
Former Rockpool chef Phil Wood backs up the visuals with an equally charming menu. Top Australian produce paired with European ideas and a touch of Aussie nostalgia see things like salmon roe and egg finger sandwiches, a Moreton Bay bug pasta, and lemon meringue pie all feature. Make sure you order a side of French fries with Ursula’s Everything Seasoning and the golden syrup dumplings for dessert.
Insider Intel
- Upstairs, The Blue Room is one of the prettiest private dining rooms in Sydney.
Margaret
30-36 Bay Street, Double Bay
Image credit: Margaret | Instagram
Aussie chef and restaurateur Neil Perry AM has had an incredible career. Named after his mother, Margaret is his latest venue and his first solo venture—and we'd argue it's his best work. Here, you'll see Perry doing what he does best, through the lens of decades of experience in the Sydney dining scene.
Expect exceptional local produce cooked to perfection like CopperTree beef, Wollemi duck, southern rock lobster, and Moonacre Farms greens. Like the produce on the menu, wine at Margaret is Aussie-focused and the Negroni is made using all-Australian spirits. Perfect for a classic Sydney-style long lunch and a true standout.
Insider Intel
- Begin with the silver service Margaret martini.
- Kick on at Double Bay sibling venue Next Door—right next door.
Porcine
268 Oxford Street, Paddington
Image credit: Porcine | Instagram
Porcine is a Sydney restaurant stripping away the pomp to deliver a wholly delicious dining experience that manages to be equal parts farmhouse and fine dining, with a technically impressive menu thanks to the labours of chef Nik Hill.
Despite Porcine’s name, duck, rabbit and seafood are equally as represented on the often-changing menu (which is typically split into small snacks, starter plates, mains and desserts) as pork. The dining room is warm thanks to wood elements, with antique porcelain and silverware, a central brick fireplace, and large windows overlooking Oxford Street imparting a homely atmosphere.
Insider Intel
- There are ample dishes for vegetarians and pescatarians, but we’d pick somewhere else if there’s a vegan in your party.
- Check out Instagram for regular specials.
Yoshii’s Omakase
Level 2, 1 Barangaroo Avenue, Barangaroo
Image credit: Crown Sydney | Website
Yoshii’s Omakase is an exquisite 10-seat Sydney Japanese restaurant helmed by chef Ryuichi Yoshii, who is a second-generation sushi master with almost 40 years of experience.
A standalone venue within Nobu at Crown Sydney, the omakase menu is $380pp, and offers a world-class meal sharing the true reverence of the intimate Japanese dining style, served as guests look on from the counter seating. As well as an extensive selection of sake, a wine list covering exemplary expressions from Australia and France is available by the glass and bottle. Bookings are released monthly for seatings Tuesday–Saturday.
Insider intel
- Organise to book on the first of the month if you need a specific day or seating time.
Lankan Filling Station
58 Riley Street, Darlinghurst
Image credit: Lankan Filling Station | Instagram
Lankan Filling Station is a Sri Lankan restaurant from chef O Tama Carey, covering staples like pan rolls filled with spicy beef, roti and egg hoppers, curries, and sweets, including must-try gelato flavours. There’s an $85pp banquet ticking off all the highlights or buryani on Monday nights, and cocktails nod to Sri Lanka with arrack spirit, Colombo No. 7 Gin, kithul and spices.
Lankan Filling Stations’ interior evokes Colombo nightlife, with cool neon lighting, a spice-fragrant scent and everything served in a style that’s best suited to tearing and sharing.
Insider intel
- Visit on the last Sunday of the month for crab curry night.
- Order the sambol plate to mix and match your accompaniments.
Fred's
380 Oxford Street, Paddington
Image credit: Merivale | Supplied
Fred’s is Merivale’s quiet luxury restaurant that provides a calm, stylish farmhouse-inspired escape from the bustle of Oxford Street. Head chef Danielle Alvarez’s famed farm-to-table style set the pace for Fred's—and while she has since moved oversee dining at the Sydney Opera House (no biggie), the essence of Alvarez remains.
Fred's silences the chaos of the outside world with a focus on old-school cuisine that is simultaneously simple and standout, like seasonally peaking veggies, simple house-made pastas, wood-fired proteins and hearty sides. Group dining menus offer a taste of the Sydney hinterland ($170pp) or coastline ($230pp), and there's a seasonal set menu ($140pp).
Insider intel
- If you're not committing to a full meal, there's a small a la carte offering available in the front bar.
- Pop downstairs to Charlie Parker's for a nightcap after dinner.
Firedoor
23/33 Mary Street, Surry Hills
Image credit: Firedoor | Instagram
With no gas and no electricity in the kitchen, Firedoor prepares every dish with, you guessed it, fire. With two wood-fired ovens, three grills, and a wood-burning hearth at their disposal, the team, headed by chef Lennox Hastie, cook up a menu of delectable smoky goods that change daily.
Oyster mushrooms, bread, cod, and lamb are all regulars in the heat and Hastie draws on the Spanish asador tradition for his cooking. Having worked in Michelin Star restaurants across Europe, he learned to wield the flame in the Basque country and is a wizard with the heat.
Insider intel
- Since appearing on Chef's Table: BBQ, Firedoor is wildly popular—book well in advance.
- If you can't get a booking, try Gildas, Hastie's Basque-inspired wine bar just across the street.
Fratelli Paradiso
12-16 Challis Avenue, Potts Point
Image credit: Fratelli Paradiso | Kristoffer Paulsen
Another heavy hitter from the team behind 10 William Street, Fratelli Paradiso gives the Paradiso brothers the space to show off their skills and showcase the breadth of Italian cuisine—the roast scampi spaghettini is a Sydney rite of passage.
It’s a slick, vibey affair at one of the best restaurants in Sydney with the ubiquitous Italian-style coffee bar for slamming down espresso and outdoor street seating prime for people-watching.
Image credit: Fred's | Website
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