When it comes to dining in Parramatta/Burramatta, you really can’t go wrong. The Western Sydney metropolis dishes up just about every cuisine imaginable, with restaurants sitting in the cheap eats category, all the way up to fine dining and everything in between.
Urban List has rounded up the City of Parramatta’s best restaurants, and we think we’ve nailed the top ten list. These spots range from waterfront restaurants on Parramatta River to the eateries across Parramatta Square and along the famous Eat Street.
Here are the best restaurants in Parramatta right now.
Oribu
215 Church Street, Parramatta
Image credit: Oribu | Instagram
At the helm of Japanese fine diner, Oribu, is a trio of sushi masters: chefs Jay Lee (main dish maestro), Jaybert Teves (sashimi artist) and Bryan Paul Nery (taco innovator and deep fry virtuoso). Precision and polish is served up on every plate on the massive menu, from mini tacos loaded with A-grade Wagyu, roasted eggplant or spicy tuna to the cured ceviche selection and hand-pressed nigiri.
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If you’re celebrating something special, splash out on an omakase menu for oceanic platters of fresh sashimi—it’ll set you back a pretty penny but its 100% worth it.
Willo
32 Smith Street, Parramatta
Image credit: Willo | Instagram
Chef-hatted Parramatta CBD restaurant and bar Willo puts a Mediterranean spin on modern Australian cuisine, with locally sourced ingredients filling a seasonally changing menu.
Expect dishes like MB6+ filet mignon tartare with crispy sushi rice and Avruga caviar; a fluffy double-baked gruyère cheese soufflé; slow-roasted lamb shoulder with harissa, pomegranate and mint; and king prawns, pipis and squid tossed through squid ink spaghetti.
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Happy Hour is Thursday and Friday from 3pm to 6pm and includes $12 margaritas and Aperol Spritzes, $8 wines, beers and house spirits, plus bar snacks starting at $8.
MISC.
Little Coogee, Parramatta Park, Byrnes Avenue, Parramatta
Image credit: MISC. | Website
If you’ve visited leafy Parramatta Park, you’ve probably come across this gorgeous cafe-slash-restaurant. MISC. is a go-to for friend and family gatherings with Middle Eastern all-day menus that draw loyal locals and visitors alike.
For lunch and dinner, bursting black burrata, wood-fired pita bread and kamoon-spiced beef tartare feature on the entrees, before larger plates like baked conchiglie a la vodka pasta and slow-roasted lamb shoulder with zhug, pita bread, and cacik steal the show.
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MISC.’s viral chocolate caviar dessert is a must-try: layers of chocolate sponge and milk and dark chocolate pearls that look exactly like the real deal, served in a caviar-inspired tin.
Itihaas
325 Church Street, Parramatta
Image credit: Itihaas | Instagram
Amid the action of Eat Street, Itihaas is a contemporary Indian restaurant with heaps of plant-based options. Menu standouts include the vegan baingan moilee (baby eggplant immersed in a turmeric coconut sauce) and the vegetarian kadai paneer (homemade cottage cheese simmered in an aromatic spicy tomato gravy).
For non-vegheads, there’s more than just butter chicken, including chargrilled lemon chicken tikka, king prawn chemmeen mango curry and a spicy, eight-hour slow-cooked lamb curry—just add basmati, cumin or brown rice and it's a done deal.
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The $54pp vegetarian and non-vegetarian banquets deliver big bang for your buck with pappadums, entrees, mains and dessert.
LILYMU
3 Parramatta Square, 153 Macquarie Street, Parramatta
Image credit: LILYMU | Website
From the same hospitality group that brought us Sydney favourites Itō, Jōji, NOUR , AALIA, and Henrietta (also now open in Parramatta CBD), LILYMU is a modern Asian fusion restaurant in Parramatta Square. The Chinese-centred menu has strong South Asian influences and features dishes like Tom yum prawn dumplings, chicken char siu-topped black garlic noodles with a salted eggyolk and mochi sorbet for dessert.
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The bespoke cocktail menu is extensive and worth exploring with gems like the Mango Mule: Vanishing Point vodka, mango, lime and ginger ale.
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Temasek
2/100 George Street, Parramatta
Image credit: Kylie Kwong | Instagram
Temasek is a giant in the Western Sydney food scene, set among a modest backdrop. The family-run institution has been serving up Singaporean-Malay dishes since 1992. They do excellent Indonesian nasi goreng, fried Hainanese chicken rice, as well as a fragrant King Prawn Hae Mee, but the main attraction is the award-winning laksa (which can be made gluten-free on request).
The Chinese fried rice is particularly good too, even out of a takeaway container the next day, which may be necessary cause the portions here are large. Book by calling (02) 9633 9926 or order pick-up online.
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You can get Temasek’s top dishes cheaper (for around $20) with these lunch specials.
Pho Pasteur
137 Church Street, Parramatta
Good pho has the ability to turn a dreary day into a cosy, heartwarming hug in a bowl. This simple Vietnamese dish is honed to perfection by Mr and Mrs Pham, who came to Parramatta as refugees in the early ‘90s.
At Pho Pasteur, they replicate an extensive range of traditional Southern Vietnamese dishes, including the iconic noodle soup, which comes loaded with herbs and spices, and a selection of tender beef cuts for their house special.
This place is super walk-in friendly, Tuesday to Sunday, or you can call 0409 012 363 to book or order takeaway.
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There’s a whole page of the menu dedicated to vegetarian bites with mock chicken and fish—something of a welcome rarity.
Ruse Bar & Brasserie
Shop 4.01–4.03 Parramatta Square, 12 Darcy Street, Parramatta
Image credit: Ruse Bar & Brasserie | Instagram
Ruse Bar & Brasserie is European in all aspects, from its streetside tables and iced seafood bar to its wide variety of wines and open-fire grill menu. Classy cold and hot starters kick things off like Sydney rock oysters, torched eye fillet tartare, and grilled lamb belly crackers with yoghurt and cucumber.
Handmade pastas, charcoal-cooked fish fillets and bigger meat-focused mains move things along, with signature shared cuts like 800g Jack’s Creek rib eye on the bone and MBS5+ Rangers Valley tomahawk on the cards too.
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Ruse has a burger-centred bar menu for less extravagant affairs and a great happy hour between 3pm and 5.30pm Monday to Friday and 5pm to 7pm on Saturday.
Italian Street Kitchen
Shop 1/180 George Street, Parramatta
Image credit: Italian Street Kitchen | Website
For sauce-slicked bowls of pasta and leopard-crusted pizza, head to Italian Street Kitchen near Parramatta Wharf. Home-made dough is risen for 48 hours and topped with the good stuff like four cheeses and honey, prawns and spicy nduja, or caramelised pineapple (yes, it belongs on pizza) before being spun through the wood-fire oven and delivered hot to your table.
Devour the kitchen’s best bites alongside 90 minutes of free-flowing booze with their $70pp weekend bottomless brunch. Upgrade to bottomless Aperol and Limoncello spritzes for $15pp extra and add tiramisu for $5.
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There’s a Bambini menu for kids aged 12 years and under, with a free scoop of vanilla gelato included with each meal, making this spot one of the most family-friendly restaurants in Parramatta.
Tikka Taco Day
144a Pennant Street, North Parramatta
Image credit: Tikka Taco Day | Instagram
Tikka Taco Day is the Mexican-and-Indian-fusion restaurant Parramatta didn’t know it needed. You can pick between all the usual offerings you’d find at GYG, but with curry-inspired fillings to create combos like butter chicken nachos, chicken tikka tacos, mint chutney laced beef burritos, lamb masala quesadillas and marinated paneer bowls. There’s a small selection of sides, beverages, desserts and kids' options too.
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Pre-order online and take your feed to a grassy spot at nearby Collett Park.
Hungry for more? Check out
- The Best Italian Restaurants In Sydney
- The Best Restaurants In Sydney CBD
- The Best Japanese Restaurants In Sydney
Main image credit: LILYMU | Website
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