Surry Hills is an action-packed suburb with an abundance of epic, diverse restaurants—including Taylor Swift's table of choice at Pellegrino 2000.
Top-tier chefs (like Nathan Sasi at Bar Copains or Lennox Hastie at Firedoor) and exciting newcomers flock to the inner-city suburb to flex their vision for what's new and next in Sydney/Eora's restaurant scene.
Here are the best Surry Hills restaurants right now.
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- Editor's Picks: The Best Surry Hills Restaurants
- The Best Italian Restaurants In Surry Hills
- The Best Japanese Restaurants In Surry Hills
- The Best Affordable Restaurants In Surry Hills
- More Of The Best Restaurants In Surry Hills
Editor's Picks: The Best Restaurants In Surry Hills
The Urban List office used to be in Surry Hills—so we've spent a solid amount of time wandering its peaks in search of a new favourite place to eat.
Among an area with such a diverse and quality restaurant scene, here's why Arthur, The Rover, and Porteño are my favourite restaurants in Surry Hills.
Arthur
544 Bourke Street, Surry Hills
Image credit: Arthur | Instagram
Arthur is a polished, warmly lit Surry Hills restaurant where two set menus (the Chef's Menu at $120pp and the Arthur menu at $160pp) are presented with astonishing levels of care by chef/owner Tristan Rosier and his crew, including head chef Juwon Gwak.
Every element used at Arthur (including all the wines and spirits) is made in Australia, with a focus on minimal-intervention producers and those doing things a little differently. Because of this, I believe Arthur to be one of the best restaurants in Sydney, let alone Surry Hills.
INSIDER INTEL
- Tristan once passionately told me about his yuzu supplier in the Blue Mountains, whose fruit he relishes utilising every winter; a lot of Arthur's suppliers are the result of long-standing relationships based on the quality of their produce.
The Rover
75 Campbell Street, Surry Hills
Image credit: The Rover | Instagram
Sydney has seen The Rover go through a few iterations, but the current version of this cocktail bar and restaurant is a go-to of mine for a quality, casual meal paired with a ripper martini (namely the Estuary Martini, with Never Never Oyster Shell Gin, white vermouth, dry sherry and Champagne mignonette). Oysters are always on the cards (and $2 between 4pm and 6pm), and a neat sample of other simple bar snacks.
INSIDER INTEL
- Those in the know order the burger: it's a dupe of sister venue The Gidley's award-winning burger (without the need to book or arrive early) with Double Beef patties, cheddar and house pickle.
Porteño
Shop 3, 50 Holt Street, Surry Hills
Image credit: Porteño | Instagram
Anybody who's eaten with me knows that I'm always down for a steak, so I can say that there's a reason that Porteño is consistently placed on the list of the World's Best Steak Restaurants—this Surry Hills restaurant nails a flame-cooked, juicy steak prepared on a traditional Argentinian parilla.
The premium Aussie beef selection, including some cuts exclusive to the restaurant, includes a one-kilo T-bone, grain-fed Wagyu flatiron, and dry-aged, bone-in ribeye from South Australia.
It's not all about the steaks, though, with other South American-esque eats like tallow-fried empanadas (worth the visit alone), and charcoal-grilled blood sausage with pepita romesco and pickled green tomatoes.
INSIDER INTEL
- The wine list is extensive, but I always opt for something South American (there's a great range of Argentinian malbec) in the spirit of things.
The Best Italian Restaurants In Surry Hills
Pellegrino 2000
80 Campbell Street, Surry Hills
Image credit: Pellegrino 2000 | Instagram
Pellegrino 2000 is a superstar Italian restaurant (from the all-star team behind CBD restaurants Clam Bar and Neptune's Grotto) evoking the trattorias of Rome and Florence in the streets of Surry Hills. “The menu [consists] of the Italian staples we love, handmade tortellini, pappardelle bolognese, fritto misto, and tripe in all shapes and sizes,” says co-owner and chef Dan Pepperell.
The ground floor features the cosy main dining room, shelves stacked with anchovies and tomatoes, and a double-sided espresso bar, while the basement level oozes character with bottle-lined walls and a candle-lit, thousand-bottle wine cellar.
INSIDER INTEL
- If you can, book the basement level, it's our favourite spot, and also where Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter chose to dine in Sydney.
Cicerone
417 Bourke Street, Surry Hills
Image credit: Cicerone | Instagram
Regularly named among Sydney diners' favourite restaurants lists, Cicerone is tucked into a courtyard off Bourke Street and inspired by the neighbourhood restaurants, street art, underground music scene, and vibrant food and drink culture of beautiful Rome.
All the usual suspects are on the menu here, like wood-fired pizzas, made from 100% semolina flour, fresh pasta (including ravioli), and staple Italian desserts. Time things right and your tonnarelli alla carbonara can come topped with fresh truffle—a dish we dream about.
INSIDER INTEL
- The Creative Director of ESCA Group (behind Ito, Nour, Joji and Henrietta), Ibby Moubadder, says "I love eating at Cicerone in Surry Hills. I love their bread, their pasta and everything in between. Service is friendly, and you can feel the care in everything they do."
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Bastardo
Shop 1, 50 Holt Street, Surry Hills
Image credit: Bastardo | Instagram
Bastardo is an Italian restaurant by the team behind the aforementioned Porteño (and another Surry Hills favourite, Humble Bakery), where fresh pasta is made with a vintage Italian extruder in the open kitchen. The space is splashed with vintage wood, sunny artworks, and various hues of green (including a massive communal table), and the entire floor is the shade of an Aperol spritz, so you know you're in for a vibrant and memorable experience.
The menu keeps things pretty traditional, with crispy ricotta-filled zucchini flowers with spicy honey, roasted Wagyu tonnato, and a variety of pasta shapes including pretty gigli, pappardelle, mafalde and filled agnolotti. The 150-strong wine list of Italian heavy bottles is the icing on the cake.
INSIDER INTEL
- The set menu features all the kitchen's best work, is under $100 and worth every penny.
Giuls
Shop 1, 515 Crown Street, Surry Hills
Image credit: Giuls | Instagram
Beneath its signature pink and white striped umbrellas, Giuls is a neighbourhood pasta bar by Rockpool alumni Giulia Treuner. The menu brings Tuscany to Surry Hills, with seasonal produce, stunning seafood and handmade pasta like squid ink fettuccine with crab, cherry tomatoes, and chilli; vodka conchiglie with pancetta, and taleggio cheese; and rigatoni with lamb ragu.
Giuls is a reliable option for feeding a group, with generous set menus starting at $79 packed with crowdpleasers like burrata, vodka pasta, steak and sides.
INSIDER INTEL
- One of our favourite ways to enjoy Giuls is with their $79 bottomless brunch starring endless Aperol spritzes, espresso martinis, wines and beers—available on Fridays and Sunday between 12pm and 3.30pm.
The Best Japanese Restaurants In Surry Hills
Zushi
2A/285A Crown Street, Surry Hills
Image credit: Zushi | Instagram
A real locals' favourite, Zushi does a massive a la carte menu of Japanese staples including sushi, donburi bowls and kaiseki sets, plus set menus from $79. The breezy open-air courtyard is the perfect spot to enjoy a sushi spread on a warm Sydney night, and offers an escape from the bustle of Crown Street.
INSIDER INTEL
- With dedicated vegan, halal, gluten-free, and kids menus, this spot is an absolute saviour for when you need to accommodate a mix of dietaries and dining preferences.
Ito
413-415 Crown Street, Surry Hills
Image credit: Ito | Instagram
Funky two-storey izakaya Ito is a casual and energetic eatery that does its own take on Japanese and European fusion; dishes that we keep going back for include the indulgent bonito bread draped with raw yellowfin tuna and bottarga, prawn and scallop ravioli topped with popping tobiko, and the roasted eggplant with tomato miso and whipped tofu.
Cocktails are also a big part of the program at this Surry Hills spot, with the likes of an umeshu twist on the Americano, a togarashi-tinged margarita, and a hojicha-infused Old Fashioned with salted, malted rice in the mix.
INSIDER INTEL
- The buttery shio kombu bread may be the best bread we've ever had—it comes with slatherable garlic seaweed butter and is perfectly fluffy with a glossy golden exterior.
Affordable Surry Hills Restaurants
Sang By Mabasa
98 Fitzroy Street, Surry Hills
Image credit: Sang by Mabasa | Instagram
Ibby Moubadder, the Creative Director of ESCA Group, told Urban List that the food at Sang By Mabasa is "honestly the best Korean I have had." Big call—but we'd be inclined to agree.
This Surry Hills restaurant, run by two generations of the Son family, focuses on classic Korean ingredients and flavours with a bit of a cheffed-up lens, offering a casual lunch menu with dumplings, proteins like spicy BBQ pork belly with rice and sides, bibimbap, and the all-important Korean fried chicken wings.
Come dinnertime, things are amped up with gochujang-seasoned Wagyu tartare, charred Murray cod with pickled radish, marinated galbi ribs, and a grilled rice cake dessert with sweet potato and malt syrup—a perfect balance of sweet and savoury.
INSIDER INTEL
- Sang by Mabasa offers BYO at dinnertime for $12 corkage, but we'd suggest you let yourself be guided and explore the list of wine and Korean liquor.
Spice I Am
90 Wentworth Avenue, Surry Hills
Spice I Am is a Sydney institution for its flavour-packed dishes, and, if Surry Hills had a walk of fame, this beloved Thai restaurant would have a star on it.
Though co-owner and head chef Sujet Saenkham says that everyone has their favourite dishes, two orders stand out night after night. “It’s both the massaman duck and basil crispy pork belly that continue to be amazingly popular,” he says.
INSIDER INTEL
- This one's a popular spot for BYO, but be prepared to wait for a table—it's walk-in only.
Henrietta
Shop 1/500 Crown Street, Surry Hills
Image credit: Henrietta | Instagram
Sydney is serious about charcoal chicken—and Henrietta takes the eternally delicious creation and spins it into something even more special. Alongside classic Lebanese dishes like fattoush salad and eggplant fatteh, this beloved spot nails delicious, casual fare. The $49pp banquet menu offers incredible value for a meal stacked with falafel with tahini and pickles, charcoal chicken, salads and sides.
INSIDER INTEL
- The charcoal chicken wrap with chips, pickles, toum and zhug was a favourite of the Urban List team when our office was in Surry Hills.
More Of The Best Surry Hills Restaurants
Kiln
Level 18/53 Wentworth Avenue, Sydney
Image credit: Kiln | Supplied
Right on the edge of the CBD, Kiln is the top-floor restaurant of the uber-cool Ace Hotel Sydney. Here, mega talents like Aussie-born chef Beau Clugston (who also owns and runs lauded Copenhagen seafood restaurant Iluka) and beloved Sydney pastry chef Andy Bowdy deliver a creative menu that nods reverently to native ingredients.
"There is a hardiness to Australia’s flora and fauna from the tough climate it endures," says Beau, "and this shows itself when you cook with it—the flavours are more intense from all it’s withstood, and the taste all the more rewarding."
INSIDER INTEL
- We loved the leeks cooked over the fire in paper bark with a Monforte cheese sauce, finger lime and lovage; waffles to be topped with bone marrow, salmon roe and wasabi leaf; and Kurobuta Berkshire pork neck with kelp, mussel and karkalla.
Chez Crix
106 Fitzroy Street, Surry Hills
Image credit: Chez Crix | Instagram
On the upstairs level of absolutely classic Sydney pub The Cricketers Arms, Chez Crix is a cool French bistro that we reckon is completely underrated on the Sydney restaurant scene. The interior might be something between Grandma's lounge and old-school pub, but the food here is absolutely top-tier.
Think super seasonal salads, tenderly treated proteins from heritage-breed producers, fancy Sunday roasts during the cooler months, and regular takes on paté en croute—perfect for pairing with a cold one or selection from the fun and ever-changing wine list, which leans natural.
INSIDER INTEL
- Don't skip on dessert, Chez Crix whips up French masterpieces like thinly layered apple and pear crumble, cherry ripe tarts flambé table side, and lavender and earl grey tea infused crème brûlée
Firedoor
23/33 Mary Street, Surry Hills
Image credit: Firedoor | Instagram
Celebrating 10 years in 2025, Firedoor is all about the magic of cooking over wood-fired grills. “We work instinctively with the fire and the ingredients”, says Lennox Hastie, the chef/owner. “Experience, patience and instinct are the values we cook by, and we do it all for the beauty of the ingredients”, he says.
If you saw Firedoor featured on the Netflix series Chef's Table, you know to expect a clear view of the kitchen, and a five-course, $195pp menu with frequently changing dishes along the lines of lamb ribs with horseradish and mint; Murray cod with pipis and pil-pil; and charred pineapple with pandan and finger lime for dessert.
INSIDER INTEL
- Swanky add-ons, including the famed dry-aged steak, are also on offer for special occasions.
Kurumba
555 Crown Street, Surry Hills
Image credit: Kurumba | Instagram
Kurumba is a family-run restaurant delivering a must-try take on Sri Lankan cuisine. As well as a stand-alone hopper bar with a few fragrant flavour options like caramelised onion or coconut and chilli sambol, the menu features hot butter soft-shell crab, hand-stretched roti, smoked brisket pan rolls, and Lankan devilled fish.
The signature dish is a spectacular WA lobster kottu with chopped roti and vegetables that's topped with roasted lobster head curry. For dessert, there's a house-made soft serve made with rose syrup, crystallised pistachio, crispy vermicelli, and a kithul treacle canelé served with Vanella buffalo milk curd. There's a strong wine selection, and vibrant and creative cocktails too.
INSIDER INTEL
- If you're into seafood, keep your eyes peeled for their regular mud crab curry nights and be prepared to book quickly.
Jane
478 Bourke Street, Surry Hills
Image credit: Jane | Instagram
From Tristan Rosier and the Arthur team, Jane is a few blocks up on Bourke Street. Inspired by an informal '70s brasserie, the space has a palette of warm brass, red marble, and tan leather. There are cosy two-person booths, a stunning round table in the front window, and a few coveted spots on the footpath—pups welcome.
As for how Rosier's produce-driven kitchen ethos translates here, Jane is more casual with an emphasis on smaller dishes served a la carte, like lamb dumplings with saltbush, pickled mussels with sweetcorn and saffron chilli oil, and spinach, leek and cheddar flatbreads.
There's room at the marble bar for solo diners grabbing a bite, cosy two-person booths for date night, a few outdoor tables for afternoon sips, and a custom eight-seat red marble table in the front window.
INSIDER INTEL
- Jane also does one of our favourite happy hours in Sydney.
The Blue Door
8/38 Waterloo Street, Surry Hills
Image credit: The Blue Door | Website
In 2021, award-winning chef Dylan Cashman opened a new outpost of his standout Gold Coast restaurant The Blue Door in the heart of Surry Hills. It's an intimate 18-seat space dedicated to excellent produce, ethical and sustainable food practices, and sharing real connections over food.
An impressive 95% of the produce is sourced from NSW farmers, with a seven-course weekly set menu on offer that will take you around three hours to really savour. Bread and charcuterie are made in-house, and the wine list champions makers from NSW, while a "secret sips" menu showcases vintage Champagnes, a small edit of international wines, and cocktail specials.
INSIDER INTEL
- On Thursdays they offer BYO wine with a $30 per bottle fee.
Poly
74–76 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills
Image credit: Poly | Instagram
Mat Lindsay started with much-loved Sydney restaurant Ester before launching his second wood-fired venture, Poly in Paramount House.
While it might be pitched as a wine bar, Lindsay's menu is technical and diverse—and it changes often. Plates might sound deceptively simple (crispy potato with salted egg yolk and chives; pigs head manti with yoghurt and brown butter; grilled Yamba prawns with native spice butter) but everything is deeply considered, and the best expression of what it could be.
"A recent visit to Poly in Surry Hills for my partner's birthday stands out as my favourite recent dining experience in Sydney," says executive chef of Laundy Hotels, Jamie Gannon. "It was a brilliant reminder of the city’s incredible restaurant scene. The crispy potato was a standout, and the pork chop was unforgettable!"
INSIDER INTEL
- If you want a sample of the day's best, we suggest the $95pp set menu, or drop in for Apolytivo hour between 4pm and 6pm, Monday–Friday, for $14 martinis, $10 wines, and snacks from $4.
NOMAD
16 Foster Street, Surry Hills
Image credit: NOMAD | Facebook
Foster Street's NOMAD is a cornerstone of the Surry Hills restaurant scene. Since reopening after a fire in 2019, the menu has evolved and the open kitchen extended, but the house-cured charcuterie, signature Mediterranean flavours, and a lengthy wine list that heroes Australian wine-making talent all remain.
Top picks on the menu look like the goat shawarma empanada with labneh; Hervey Bay scallop with house-made sujuk and curry leaf; and spice-crusted ribeye with cavalo nero and jus.
INSIDER INTEL
-
We'd go back just for the eternally popular olive oil ice cream sandwich with halva, pistachio, and honey.
Armorica
Shop 1 & 2, 490 Crown Street, Surry Hills
Image credit: Armorica | Supplied
Armorica is an opulent 150-seat French brasserie by restaurateur Andrew Becher, who also operates Euro-inspired venue Franca in Potts Point. While Parisian brasserie is the aesthetic here in Surry Hills, Northern France is the inspiration for cooking techniques wielded by executive chef Jose Saulog.
Highlights include a lavish seafood tower with oysters, prawn cocktail, octopus roulade, and rock lobster, and a menu section dedicated to steak frites with luxe cuts like David Blackmore full-blood Wagyu 9+ scotch fillet.
Desserts take a contemporary approach to French pastry classics, like the signature Armorica chocolate bar made from Valrhona chocolate mousse, salted caramel, and choc chip cookie, all dusted in gold.
INSIDER INTEL
- For an absolute steal, we love the bottomless steak frites sessions on Monday nights, with all-you-can-eat Rangers Valley Wagyu rump for $59.
Bar Copains
67 Albion Street, Surry Hills
Image credit: Bar Copains | Website
Another wine bar-slash-restaurant for the Surry Hills streets, Bar Copains is mega popular—there's almost always a wait for a table, and good reason that Jamie Oliver picked the spot as the site of his pop-up dinner in 2024.
Here, chef-owners Nathan Sasi and Morgan McGlone (yep, Morgs from Belles Hot Chicken fame) serve up a quintessential wine bar experience with top-tier food. I love to nab a table outside under the trees, ordering a couple of glasses from the sizable wine list, and working through plates like leeks in brown butter vinaigrette; golden pigs head fritti with sauce Gribiche; and the moreish comte and bacon tarts.
INSIDER INTEL
- You'd have to be lucky to nab a walk-in spot here—definitely plan ahead and make a booking if you're eager to try.
Chin Chin
69 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills
Image credit: Chin Chin | Instagram
Just reading the menu at Chin Chin is enough to make you salivate. Isan-style spicy hot BBQ chicken, Balinese roast duck, crispy soft-shell crab… please, pass us a napkin. Melbourne’s insanely popular pan-Asian restaurant chose Surry Hills for its Sydney location in a converted warehouse space, and it's a pumping, neon-lit space for a guaranteed delicious feed.
INSIDER INTEL
- Can’t decide? Opt for the Feed Me tasting menu options from $89pp to enjoy a selection of the restaurant’s favourite dishes, like prawn spring rolls, dry-spiced lamb ribs, and a cheeky take on the Magnum ice cream for dessert.
Foreign Return
527 Crown Street, Surry Hills
Image credit: Foreign Return | Instagram
If you thought Indian cuisine started and ended with curry, rice, and naan—Foreign Return will absolutely expand your horizons. Co-owners Gaurang Gahoi, Kunal Patel, and Javed Khan (also behind Delhi ‘O’ Delhi in Newtown) have set themselves the task of levelling up the classic dishes from their mothers’ kitchens while playing with seasonal Australian ingredients and unexpected twists.
A dedicated bar and small bites (or "chakhna") menu gives Foreign Return serious snacks cred, but you should also dive into the menu of "lost" recipes, which stars far-reaching regional specialities handed down through the generations like the vari kokaru (lamb shank with house-made masala and fresh coriander), or Jharkhand-style soy-seasoned chicken with a tribal spice blend.
INSIDER INTEL
- You'd be hard-pressed to find a lot of these dishes anywhere else in Sydney.
Nour
3/490 Crown Street, Surry Hills
Image credit: Nour | Website
If you’re in the mood for Levantine food (the geographical region that includes Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Turkey, and Greece) then Nour should be top of the list.
The atrium-style dining room is a beautiful backdrop for a memorable meal, with a share-friendly menu offering delicacies roasted by woodfire like scallops with Aleppo burnt butter, mezze plates served with puffed house-made pita breads, grilled lamb neck with zucchini, yoghurt, burnt butter and chermoula, and twice-cooked duck mishwe with Ottoman fig and citrus sauce.
INSIDER INTEL
- For special occasions dine on Nour's $119 weekend bottomless lunch with free-flowing French Rose or book the private dining room for up to 20 guests.
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Main image credit: Cicerone | Website
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