Best Restaurants, Must Try Places in New South Wales

"The slick bar operators from Swillhouse Group (the Baxter Inn, Shady Pines Saloon) have pulled out the big guns to recruit star chef Daniel Pepperell (formerly of 10 William Street and Tetsuya’s) to their new eatery. Pepperell’s famous sardine katsu sando may have been retired in this French bistro, but be ready to be consumed by smart reinventions of classic French recipes like chicken fricassee with shiitake or melon en surprise, the dessert of the year. It’s food that likes wine, and sommelier Andy Tyson’s wine list backs it up big time."

"Restaurant Hubert oozes old school l'amour with French cuisine and swoon-worthy jazz performances. Topping it all off, this place offers an extensive selection of fine wine, Champagne and signature cocktails."

"Restaurants French Sydney"

"Quay sets the standard for fine dining in Sydney with modern, sophisticated Australian dishes that look as fabulous as they taste. Take your pick from their four-course dinner or the multi-course tasting menu and don’t forget to opt for the wine pairings. The menu is entirely seasonal and largely sourced from Chef Peter Gilmore’s own back garden where the behind the scenes magic comes together to create an incredible fine dining experience."

"The restaurant also offers breathtaking views of Sydney Harbour|© Courtesy of Quay / Credit: Nikki To. With a plethora of awards including Restaurant of the Year by The Australian Gourmet Traveller, the dishes served at Quay are forefront examples of artistic gastronomy. Experimenting with rare plants and organic ingredients, Peter Gilmore crafts his meals into stunning sculptures inspired by nature."

"It goes without saying that Quay epitomises fine dining in Sydney’s CBD and is the ultimate restaurant to impress your clients. Let chef Peter Gilmore guide you and your guests through a menu that celebrates Australia’s diverse landscape; the Harbour Bridge and Sydney’s Opera House floating in the background. Be sure to reserve a table, Quay books out weeks in advance."

"If you're treating yourself to lunch at Bennelong in Summer 2021, make it a Sunday when they're running the Live at Bennelong' concert series on a Sunday afternoon. An extra $30 concert fee on top of your set menu will ensure your repast is paired with live ragtime, blues and tango from curator Phillip Johnston (Microscopic Septet, Wordless!) and friends. Pro tip: A walk around the Botanic Gardens is socially distant, beautiful and a great way to finish your love affair with the city."

"Bennelong is back and better than ever after a 2015 revamp that brought celebrated Aussie chef Peter Gilmore aboard. There are multiple ways to eat here: an à la carte restaurant downstairs, the Cured & Cultured counter up a level, the theatrical Circle dining room, the bar at the top, and for a splurge, the exclusive chef’s table. It’s hard to go wrong, whatever you pick, when you’re dining inside the architectural majesty of the Opera House sails."

"World-renowned chef Peter Gilmore’s artful, imaginative interpretation of Australian cuisine, under the soaring sails of the Sydney Opera House. Why we love it: Much like a ride on the Manly Ferry or the coastal walk from Coogee to Bondi, eating inside the Opera House is a Sydney rite of passage. Both the food and the service are every bit as polished as the magnificent setting."

"Something of a Sydney celebrity in its own right, Saint Peter has gained international acclaim for its exquisite seafood and fish dishes. Head to this famed haunt for a special occasion or date night and tuck into an eclectic menu of salt and vinegar garfish, charcoal flounder and tuna cheeseburger with swordfish belly bacon."

"Restaurants Seafood Paddington"

"Beloved Bondi spot, Cubby’s Kitchen, co-owned by Toko Group’s Matt Yazbek and former NRL Player, Anthony Watmough, is the perfect new Lebanese spot. Family-friendly and low-fuss this Lebanese local is known for their rich flavours, generous servings and their lively atmosphere. Think baba gannoush with eggplant chunks, sweet miso and burnt seasame, smoked labne with pistachio crumbs and pomegranate oil, their CFC – Cubby’s fried chicken – served with zaatar and aioli and the traditional and tasty lamb kafta."

"Take your client to Cubby’s Kitchen and delve into an array of flavoursome Lebanese dishes. Located just off Bridge street in the CBD, Cubby’s Kitchen offers a modern take on traditional Lebanese dishes. The banquet menu will set you back $54pp for a 9 course feast or $69pp for the deluxe banquet."

"Known throughout Sydney as both quality purveyors and successful restaurateurs, the Salt Meats Cheese group is family-owned and has a deep passion for the honest cooking of Italy. There’s five locations in Sydney, but the flagship Drummoyne eatery is our favourite because it’s open from 7am. Yet regardless of which restaurant you visit, premium ingredients drive home a menu of Italian dishes which is always reliable."

"With a prime position in Circular Quay, this branch of Salts Meats Cheese combines a stellar view of the Sydney Harbour and delicious food. Contemporary Italian cuisine is the name of the game at this Sydneyside favourite, and most of it is designed to be shared. So when thinking of lunch plans, we recommend heading here with friends who don’t mind sharing."

"While Ben Milgate, Elvis Abrahanowicz and Joseph Valore have always infused their venues (Bodega x Wyno, Porteño, Continental Deli Bar and Bistro et al) with Italian ingredients, influences and dishes, this is the first time they’ve really leaned into it. Stracciatella, chickpea fritters and hunks of Parmigiano Reggiano pepper the antipasti menu, and there’s a decent list of silky house-made pastas – some of the best we’ve eaten all year. The room is pumping, the cocktails balanced and the service is effortless, making it a great addition to Sydney’s already strong Italian-food scene."

"Opening late last year amidst the COVID-19 restrictions, the Bodega Team's newest opening packs a flavour-infused punch. For a hearty feast, may we suggest ordering the bullhorn pepper stuffed with anchovy and salsa verde, the corn agnolotti with brown butter, capers and sage, and the stracciatella, paired with an Italian vino. Absolutely delicious!"

"A cool and casual restaurant in Sydney, Bastardo is the place to go for authentic Italian food in the heart of Surry Hills. Perfect for groups, you'll find them bringing a party atmosphere come the weekend as their Holt Street dining room packs out with friends getting their fill of fresh pasta, seafood and great wines."

"Pizzas, salads, desserts — you name it and Pizza Madre has it . 📍 Pizza Madre, 2/205 Victoria Rd, Marrickville NSW 2204"

"Ivy Pool Club is one of Sydney's most popular bars, found at the top of the Ivy complex in Sydney CBD. Recline in a private cabana or take a dip in the crystal clear water under the city skyline, with premium cocktails and Italian-style bites available if you get hungry."

"Inspired by the Italian coastline, this rooftop pool bar is a taste of the Mediterranean in the heart of the city. “I arrived here just 2 weeks before the lockdown and a lot of my friends told me that this venue was great!. So, I just want to live the experience as well!"

"Arguably the most luxurious drinking and dining destination in Sydney, Ivy Pool Club is a hotspot for rooftop dips and potent tipples. Head here for a day of poolside tanning and Aperol spritzes, before tucking into some light antipasti or a decadent pizza."

"This upscale Bondi diner may be closer to the sand than the pavements of the concrete jungle, but is there a more impressive place to shake hands than in the aqua-hued dining room perched on a cliff overlooking our most iconic stretch of coastline?. White-waistcoated staff pour wine and usher plates from the kitchen, which could be chef Monty Koludrovic’s signature ‘surf ‘n’ turf’ bruschetta of sea urchin and foie gras, black ink spaghetti with WA blue swimmer crab, or steak of the day with seasonal greens. 1 Notts Ave, Bondi Beach, idrb.com"

"Icebergs Bar & Dining is an iconic Italian style restaurant in Bondi. The menu here is full of Italian classics with a modern twist, with dishes such as pork belly with radicchio jam and beetroot, you can also try the fusilli with broccoli, anchovy and seaweed and many more tasty dishes. But that’s not all end your date with some amazing Tiramisù for two or taste some coffee sorbet."

"Restaurants Bondi Beach. Dining fashions may come and go, but drinking Spritzes with ocean views and a corps of Sydney’s most beautiful people at neighbouring tables will never go out of style. Even if the water is so cold you can’t feel your face, we still like to be near it, which is what makes Icebergs such a good-times triple threat."

"What makes it special: You get to experience absinthe in the charmingly professional way it was intended to with their nonpareil fountain equipment and the thrill of a new and lucid experience!. Regardless of whether absinthe is a mythical drink you’ve yet to encounter, or a good old friend you frequently venture with, the experts at The Absinthe Salon will treat you just right!. The one of a kind experience begins from their fancy yet skilfully engineered fountain filled."

"The Absinthesalon is an intimate little establishment that’s ideal for taking a trip back to la belle époque. This bar features 30 varieties of French and Swiss absinthe. The intoxicating green liquid is prepared in the traditional fashion, with ice cold water dripping gently over a sugar cube in your glass."

"274 Old Northern Rd, 2154, Castle Hill (NSW). 7.3 / 10 468 reviews"

"Situated on the historic Jones Wharf in Pyrmont, Cafe Morso is a fab idea for a long lunch. With sweeping views across the harbour to East Balmain and North Sydney, you’ll love dining at this industrial-chic venue. What could be better than dining al fresco and enjoying the fresh sea breeze as you feast on locally-sourced produce and perhaps indulge in an Aperol Spritz or two?"

"In Manly, walk down the palm tree-lined Corso towards the beach for an ice-cream, walk around to picturesque Shelly Beach, or grab a cold beer at Manly Wharf Hotel. Time your return ferry trip back to the Quay to coincide with the sunset behind the harbour bridge."

"Perhaps not exactly a donut in the typical sense of the word, we’re adding this one to the list for your own benefit. A traditional Hungarian pastry – sometimes referred to as chimney cake – kürtösh is a cylindrical donut baked until it reaches a golden, crispy state before it is topped with chocolate, nuts, spices or sugar for an incredibly indulgent take on the donut. Add some chocolate brandy balls and biscotti and you have the perfect recipe for your next day-date."

"Kurtosh is widely known for their Hungarian Chimney Cake – a pastry that is soft and fluffy on the inside and flaky on the out, with a handful of topping options to choose from including hazelnut, almond, chocolate, pistachio and more. Though that’s not all. Don’t look past their cake slabs, which can range from $4 per 100 grams."

"If you’re not at the Black Star Pastry for the Strawberry and Watermelon Cake, you should be, it’s that good. Real ingredients, real flavours and not a tin in sight. Owner, Christopher Thé, doesn’t do fakery, everything on the menu, from the lemon myrtle chiffon cake to the Tarte Tatins, is made by hand."

"(Large) Cookies N Cream Ultimate Shake - Vanilla ice cream with lots of cream filled chocolate cookie chunks throughout"