Restaurants

The Best Restaurants In Sydney Right Now (Updated 2024)

By Sammy Preston and Georgia Condon
26th Mar 2024

The opulent dining room at Brasserie 1930, one of the best restaurants in Sydney

Sydney's best restaurants prove this city has a whole lot more to offer than sparkly beaches and good weather. In fact, in 2024, we're spoilt for choice when it comes to top-tier dining. From classic institutions with views of Sydney Harbour to more creative newcomers, this list has it all. 

Urban List has searched high and low across the city for you to create the ultimate guide to Sydney's must-hit dining rooms. In no particular order, here are the best restaurants Sydney has to offer as of March 2024.

The Best Sydney Restaurants At A Glance

Margaret

30-36 Bay Street, Double Bay

People sit outside at Margaret, one of the best restaurants in SydneyImage 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 Copper Tree farm 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.  

THE DETAILS
  • Expect to spend: Snacks and entrees $14-$42, mains $42-$250, sides $12-$16
  • Urban List says: Begin with the silver service Margaret martini. 
  • Read more

Clam Bar

44 Bridge Street, Sydney CBD

The Art Deco-style dining room at Clam Bar, one of the best restaurants in SydneyImage 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. This is classic "quiet luxury", executed to perfection.    

The Details
  • Expect to spend: Raw bar and appetisers $9-$250, mains $38-$210, sides $16
  • Urban List says: Clam Bar is the hottest ticket in Sydney right now. They’re also serving one of the city’s best martinis
  • Read more

Saint Peter

362 Oxford Street, Paddington

Chefs prepare seafood dishes at Saint Peter, one of the best restaurants in SydneyImage credit: Saint Peter | Instagram

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 offered as a seven-course tasting menu of seasonal picks available Tuesday–Sunday. A more relaxed a la carte menu is available for lunch Thursday–Sunday, as well as a four-course tasting menu.

Editor’s note: Saint Peter is relocating to Paddington’s Grand National Hotel in mid-2024.

The Details
  • Expect to spend: Approx. $75pp a la carte, $150pp set menu
  • Urban List says: We love the two window seats looking out Oxford Street.
  • Read more

Brasserie 1930

2/4 Farrer Place, Sydney CBD

The handsome dining room at Brasserie 1930, one of the best restaurants in SydneyImage credit: Brasserie 1930 | Instagram

Hidden within the luxurious Capella Sydney hotel, Brasserie 1930 is a polished addition to the Bentley Group's stable of Sydney restaurants. The menu centres around a charcoal grill and traditional cooking methods—like curing, smoking, fermenting, preserving, and pickling.

Beneath soaring grand ceilings and meticulously restored heritage features, we recommend oysters, caviar, and raw Paradise prawns to start. Follow up with the signature whole roasted duck, served to share as breast and duck neck sausages, with sides of roasted plum, fennel, spinach, and glazed eschalot. It is, to put it simply, unforgettable. 

THE DETAILS
  • Expect to spend: Starters $28-$52, mains $48-$190, sides $14-$18
  • Urban List says: Live out your best Logan Roy life. 
  • Read more

Arthur

544 Bourke Street, Surry Hills

A selection of snacks from Arthur, one of the best restaurants in SydneyImage 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.

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. Three zones of seating each offer a unique experience, with romantic spots by the Bourke Street window, some coveted stools at the bar, and tables that feel immersed in the kitchen.

THE DETAILS
  • Expect to spend: From $120pp for chef’s menu (food only)
  • Urban List says: Book the later dinner seating if you prefer to take things slowly.
  • Read more

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Cafe Paci

131 King Street, Newtown

Sweet corn ravioli with calamari and fermented chilli butter from Cafe Paci, one of the best restaurants in SydneyImage credit: Cafe Paci | Instagram

Chef Pasi Petänen moved to Sydney in 1998 and worked in some of the city’s most impressive kitchens (Quay, Four In Hand, and Marque), before authoring a cookbook called Marque alongside chef Marc Best. His restaurant, Cafe Paci, was a pop-up at first—before landing a permanent spot in Newtown. 

With interiors by George Livissianis, here you'll find a friendy a la carte set up, filled with dishes that follow Petänen's signature European sensibilities. Head in for a cocktail and a snack, or stick around for a full night of feasting—Petänen wants to meet Sydney diners wherever they're at. There's even a lunch service on Saturdays if you're ready to settle in for a dreamy long lunch

The Details
  • Expect to spend: Snacks and starters $5-$32, mains $34-$68, sides $16
  • Urban List says: The potato dumplings with XO trout are a must. 
  • Read more

a'Mare

Crown Sydney, Level 1/1 Barangaroo Avenue, Barangaroo

Spaghettini all’arrabbiata with prawns at a'Mare, one of the best restaurants in SydneyImage 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.

The Details
  • Expect to spend: Antipasti and starters $32-$36, mains $36-$110, salads and sides $18
  • Urban List says: Chef Pavoni's housemade foccacia is famous for a reason. He also makes a gluten-free version that is equally as impressive. 
  • Read more

Longshore

5 Kensington Street, Chippendale

A seafood snack flight at Longshore, one of the best restaurants in SydneyImage credit: Longshore | Instagram

Longshore is a stand-out seafood restaurant by Sydney hospitality duo Jarrod Walsh and Dot Lee (ex-Hartsyard). Australian produce and minimal waste are the driving forces behind the menu, which is spread across a la carte, a tasting menu, and an innovative "snack flight", which lets you sample bite-size elements.  

Things change seasonally but expect to see delicacies like glazed green lip abalone crumpet, steamed sand whiting in XO pipi butter with green garlic and native greens, and grilled Westholme Wagyu tri-tip in bone marrow sauce with smoked fat.

The Details
  • Expect to spend: A la carte MP, snack flight $90pp, chef's menu $120pp
  • Urban List says: This is a spot to experience incredible Australian seafood.
  • Read more

Porcine

268 Oxford Street, Paddington

sydney restaurant porcine in 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.

The Details
  • Expect to spend: On average $10 snacks, $25 entrees, $50 mains, $20 desserts
  • Urban List says: There are ample dishes for vegetarians and pescatarians, but we’d pick somewhere else if there’s a vegan in your party.
  • Read more

Bar Vincent

174 Liverpool St, Darlinghurst

Bottles line the bar at Bar Vincent, one of the best restaurants in SydneyImage credit: Bar Vincent | Website 

Bar Vincent is a casual but considered neighbourhood bistro suited to quick catch-ups over lunch, memorable shared dinners, and nightcaps in the front bar. With curved arches, textured tiles and warm wood elements, the Darlinghurst restaurant has a welcoming, homely atmosphere that’s enhanced by scallop shell-cupped candles in the evening.

The hand-written menu leans Italian, changes almost daily, and centres around house-made pasta, all served free from pretence and inviting you to dish out or dive in. Wash it all down with classic cocktails and spritzes, or dive into the wine list which ticks off natural and low-intervention producers, mostly from Italy.

THE DETAILS
  • Expect to spend: Approx. $75–$150
  • Urban List says: Save room for the daily dessert special.
  • Read more

Besuto

6 Loftus Lane, Sydney CBD

The traditional 12-seat omakase bar at Besuto, one of the best restaurants in SydneyImage credit: Besuto | Instagram

Hidden above the new Quay Quarter Lanes foodie precinct at Circular Quay, enter Besuto via the glowing red foyer, decorated with a Kuniyoshi-inspired mural by Australian artist Lisa King. Upstairs, you'll find a traditional-style 12-seat omakase. Here, you're in for an intimate 20-course experience.

As with any omakase, the menu changes based on the best produce available—but regular highlights at Besuto include miso-marinated Glacier 51 toothfish, toro with N25 Caviar, and a particularly impressive steamed egg custard served with uni (sea urchin). The sushi and sashimi course is just as divine, ticking off Hokkaido scallops, eel, and heaps more. We were also very fond of the palate-cleansing yuzu sake sorbet. 

The Details
  • Expect to spend: $250pp, wine pairing $130pp, sake pairing $165pp, N25 caviar $240pp
  • Urban List says: This is one of Sydney's best omakase experiences. 
  • Read more

Shell House Dining Room & Terrace

37 Margaret Street, Sydney CBD

The sunny rooftop terrace and bespoke furniture at Shell House Dining Room and Terrace, one of the best restaurants in SydneyImage 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. 

 The Details
  • Expect to spend: Snacks and starters $6-$42, mains $36-$220, sides $16-$18
  • Urban List says: Pick a sunny day and book a long lunch on the rooftop terrace. Heaven.
  • Read more

AALIA

25 Martin Place, Sydney CBD

The sculptural dining room with wood accents and warmly dimmed lighting at AALIA, one of the best restaurants in SydneyImage 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. 

THE DETAILS
  • Expect to spend: Mezze $15-36, mains $50-$260, banquet menu $110pp
  • Urban List says: We love AALIA's ballooned Khorasan pita. It's made in-house and served piping hot, ready to be torn and dipped to your heart's desire. 
  • Read more

Firedoor

 23/33 Mary Street, Surry Hills 

Chef Lennox Hastie seasons a steak at Firedoor, one of the best restaurants in SydneyImage 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. Your taste buds will certainly concur that you are at one of the best restaurants in Sydney.

The Details
  • Expect to spend: Five-course chef's menu $185pp, classic wine pairing $125pp, premium wine pariing $185pp
  • Urban List says: Since appearing on Chef's Table: BBQ, Firedoor is wildly popular. If you can't get a booking,  try Gildas, Hastie's Basque-inspired wine bar just across the street. 
  • Read more

Ursula’s

92 Hargrave Street, Paddington

The bright caramel hued dining room at Ursula's, one of the best restaurants in SydneyImage 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. 

 The Details
  • Expect to spend: Snacks $7-$195, entrees $32-$39, mains $38-$190, sides $12-$16, dessert $22-$24
  • Urban List says: Upstairs, “The Blue Room” is one of the prettiest private dining rooms in Sydney. Keep it in mind for special occasions. 
  • Read more

Yoshii’s Omakase

Level 2, 1 Barangaroo Avenue, Barangaroo

The handsome 10-seat omakase bar at Yoshii's Omakase, one of the best restaurants in SydneyImage 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.

The Details
  • Expect to spend: From $380 for the omakase menu
  • Urban List says: Organise to book on the first of the month if you need a specific day or seating time.
  • Read more

S'more

79 Edinburgh Road, Castlecrag 

A selection of dishes from S'more, one of the best restaurants in SydneyImage credit: S'more | Instagram

"Big" Sam Young and his partner Grace Chen are the duo behind S'more, a neighbourhood bistro sharing luxe ingredients in a relaxed setting. Their menu isn’t confined to a particular cuisine, but mostly comprises French bistro-style dishes, with Asian ingredients like Sichuan pepper, miso and seaweed gently scattered throughout. 

Caviar bumps with chilled vodka or champagne are a must, as is the signature lobster pasta. S’more can be flashy and high-roller, but doesn’t take itself too seriously—the focus is on delivering an excellent experience. A few banquet menus from $98pp tick off the greatest hits with plenty of flashy additions, and tiers of wine pairings are available from the drinks list that also offers saké and whisky.

The Details
  • Expect to spend: From $100pp
  • Urban List says: Get your mates together over one of the banquet menus for a flashy feast to remember.
  • Read more

Khānaa

335 Crown Street, Surry Hills

An artistic dessert served at Khanaa, one of the best restaurants in SydneyImage credit: Khānaa | Supplied

Restaurateur and chef Opel Khan is a master of artful, storied dishes and, at Khānaa, his heritage and childhood in Bangladesh are the chief inspiration.

Leading the kitchen is Khan's daughter, head chef Lucinda Khan. On the menu, you'll find a series of stunning technical plates, like the standout duck leg confit samosa topped with pink petals of fermented daikon. There's also a crispy nest-like aloo pakora with ruby pearls of shiraz caviar and a sculptural bowl of bone marrow and ox tail consommé.

The Details
  • Expect to spend: Starters $18-$30, larger plates $38-$65, tasting menu $165pp
  • Urban List says: The Khans know their way around a tasting menu, so while a la carte is on offer—we recommend settling in for the Chef's Table-style nine-course experience. 
  • Read more

10 William St

10 William Street, Paddington

Image credit: 10 William St | Instagram

10 William St is something special between a wine bar and restaurant, offering a seasonal Italian menu and natural wine list. It’s run by the family behind Fratelli Paradiso, another top Sydney Italian restaurant. In the main dining room, the daily wine list is chalked on the wall, and there’s an enviable window table or seats at the bar counter.

The menu moves through snacks like the beloved pretzel with whipped bottarga to fresh pasta and lots of seafood. To drink, the all-natural wine selection mostly represents Italian producers, and there are spritzes, aperitivo sips and amaro, and classic cocktails.

THE DETAILS
  • Expect to spend: $50–$150pp
  • Urban List says: Leave room for the textbook tiramisu.
  • Read more

Restaurant Hubert

15 Bligh Street, Sydney CBD

A jazz band on stage at Restaurant Hubert, one of the best restaurants in SydneyImage credit: Restaurant Hubert | Instagram

Restaurant Hubert is the place to go for a lavish night on the town when you’re feeling all 1920s. Follow a winding staircase down to one of Sydney's most sumptuous basement venues, cloaked in red velvet, wood panelling, and candlelight. 

Hubert serves classic French indulgences like duck liver pate, beef tartare, and cheese soufflé to the soothing sounds of live jazz every night and popping champagne corks which makes it the perfect place for getting your Gatsby on. It’s the exact level of hedonistic indulgence you would expect from Swillhouse, the crew behind The Baxter Inn, Shady Pines, and Alberto's Lounge but in a more refined setting.

The Details
  • Expect to spend: Entrees $21-$42, mains $52-$218, banquet menus $125pp-$165pp
  • Urban List says: With live jazz every night, it doesn't get more romantic than this. 
  • Read more

Sean's Panorama

270 Campbell Parade, North Bondi

A view of Bondi Beach from Sean's Panorama, one of the best restaurants in SydneyImage credit: Sean's Panorama | Website 

Head chef and owner of Sean's Panorama Sean Moran has been shifting his own farm-reared goods from his 20-acre rural hideaway in the Blue Mountains to the plates of his Bondi diners since 1993. Combining the best of the country with the best of the ocean, Sean’s offers daily specials in three-course menus with two options per course.

The farm plate offers the best of the harvest and features fresh veggies, eggs, and whatever else is in season. His signature white chocolate and rosemary nougat is available on request for those who ask nicely.

The Details
  • Expect to spend: Three-course menu $120pp
  • Urban List says: An iconic Bondi experience. 
  • Read more

Long Chim

Corner of Pitt Street and Angel Place, Sydney CBD

Bright bowls of curry from Long Chim, one of the best restaurants in SydneyImage credit: Long Chim | Instagram

Best Thai in Sydney” is a huge claim given the stiff competition in this city, but Long Chim has managed to hold on to that title since opening. It's headed up by renowned restaurateur David Thompson, whose experience includes running Michelin-Starred joints in Singapore, Melbourne, and Perth.

It’s Thai with street-food roots that bring a heat and flavour intensity unlike anywhere else in the city. The bustling CBD eatery combines the best of both worlds in its push for quality, spice, and cultural authenticity.

The Details
  • Expect to spend: Starters $12-$26, mains $26-$42, banquet menus $79pp-$99pp
  • Urban List says: The set menu at Long Chim is one of the best for value in town. 
  • Read more

Fratelli Paradiso

12-16 Challis Avenue, Potts Point

Lemon squeezed over fried calamari at Fratelli Paradiso, one of the best restaurants in SydneyImage 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 that isn’t possible at the sister venue. It’s a slick, vibey affair at one of the best restaurants in Sydney with the ubiquitous coffee bar for slamming down espresso and outdoor street seating prime for people-watching.

Food is served from morning to late here with fresh produce being whipped up into appropriate delicacies throughout. That means breakfast pastries, midday pastas, and opulent roast half-chicken to finish.

The Details
  • Expect to spend: Antipasti $6-$18, entrees $27-$32, mains $38-$48
  • Urban List says: The roast scampi spaghettini is a Sydney rite of passage. 
  • Read more

Bennelong

Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point, Sydney

Orange hues in the dining room at Bennelong, one of the best restaurants in SydneyImage credit: Bennelong | Instagram

Arguably the most famous of the city’s fine dining establishments, Bennelong is the restaurant seated within the hallowed shells of the Opera House—and it serves dishes fitting of its stature. It makes sense that this place showcases the best of Aussie cooking with inspiration taken from this wide brown land and the waves of migrants that make up its culture.

The current menu features Murray cod, pork belly koji, and three-curd ravioli. It’s a dining experience savoured only on the grandest of occasions and it knows it. There’s little wonder The New York Times called this place the “Holy Grail of Australian Restaurants.”

The Details
  • Expect to spend: Caviar service $108-$440, two-course menu $150pp, three-course menu with sides $190pp
  • Urban List says: Take your favourite tourists here, they'll never forget it. 
  • Read more

Lankan Filling Station

58 Riley Street, Darlinghurst

A plate of spices and sambol at Sydney Sri Lankan restaurant Lankan Filling Station
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, buryani on Monday nights, and crab curry sessions on the last Sunday of every month, 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.

The Details
  • Expect to spend: From $75pp, with drinks
  • Urban List says: Order the sambol plate to mix and match your accompaniments.
  • Read more

Fred's

380 Oxford Street, Paddington

The rustic white private dining room at Fred's, one of the best restaurants in SydneyImage credit: Merivale | Supplied

Fred’s is Merivale’s breezy Oxford Street outpost that crafts white-linen Mediterranean simplicity in the heart of the city. Head chef Danielle Alvarez’s famed farm-to-table style set the pace for Fred's—and while she has since moved on—the essence of Alvarez remains at one of the best restaurants in Sydney for 2024 under the guidance of Hussein Sarhan.

Fred's silences the chaos of the outside world with a focus on old-school country house cuisine that is simultaneously simple and standout. Things like grass-fed T-bone steak and farmhouse lamb are both comforting and invigorating at the same time. This is good-time eating at its best.

The Details
  • Expect to spend: Snacks and starters $12-$45, mains $50-$220, sides $16
  • Urban List says: Pop downstairs to Charlie Parkers for a nightcap after dinner. 
  • Read more

Kiln

Ace Hotel Sydney, 53 Foy Lane, Sydney CBD

The rooftop dining room at Kiln, one of the best restaurants in SydneyImage credit: Kiln | Instagram

Kiln is the stunning rooftop restaurant at Ace Hotel Sydney, complete with spectacular views of Surry Hills, Central Station, and the city. Here, chef Mitch Orr is flexing his genre-bending skills with fiery native ironbark and assorted fruitwoods to flame and smoke a neat list of fun but inventive dishes.

The menu offers a variety of snacks and bigger dishes. Snacks include Jatz with smoked butter and anchovy; bigger dishes look like grilled Abrolhos Island scallops with preserved lemon butter, and Marron with desert lime and long pepper.

The Details
  • Expect to spend: Snacks $7-$26, larger plates $28-$34, banquet menus $90pp-$220pp
  • Urban List says: Grab a martini at the lobby bar before you head upstairs. 
  • Read more

Quay

Overseas Passenger Terminal, The Rocks, Sydney CBD

A table with a view of the Sydney Opera House at Quay, one of the best restaurants in SydneyImage credit: Quay | Instagram

Like Bennelong, Quay is another titan in the Aussie foodie scene and is headed 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. That’s not to mention the expertly crafted wine list that features some of the country’s best alongside world leaders.

The Details
  • Expect to spend: Eight-course menu $355pp
  • Urban List says: One of Sydney's great special occasion venues. 
  • Read more

For more of Sydney's best, check out:

Image credit: Brasserie 1930 | Instagram

Urban List Best Of: has our highest stamp of approval—curated lists of the very best recommendations for you to eat, do, see, buy, or book, carefully chosen by our Editors.

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