1: Bennelong
Diners in Bennelong (Tobias Rowles / Destination NSW)
Bennelong was founded by local chef Peter Gilmore and enjoys one of the most iconic spots in Australia. It is located in the Sydney Opera House.
Tables are set under high ceilings and the entirely Australian menu is defiantly modern, although the restaurant takes its name from the spot where it sits and was used long ago for Aboriginal gatherings. There are special pre and post theater options for those attending a show at a venue.
2: Bondi invoices
It is rare that there is no line outside of Bills, which says a lot about the popularity of this Bondi eatery. The owners have two other branches in Sydney, Darlinghurst and Surry Hills, but the beachfront location of their Bondi outlet makes it a first choice.
It’s open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and serves great food throughout. Treat yourself to a ‘Fresh Aussie’ breakfast, try the calamari salad for lunch, or opt for the Wagyu burger for dinner, which is washed down with a cocktail or two.
3: Gewürzgasse
Hawker-style street food on Spice Alley (Tobias Rowles / Destination NSW)
Spice Alley is a stylish street food oasis that is largely modeled on Singapore’s famous hawker centers. It serves a fine selection of Asian food stalls. The quality is high and the choice is wide. Choose from Chinese dumplings, Vietnamese pho, Thai chicken, Japanese fish dishes, Malaysian rotis, and more.
The market draws large crowds in the courtyard behind the Kensington Street Laneway in Chippendale. Stalls include the Hong Kong Diner, Bang Luck Thai Street Food, and the Malaysian-influenced Alex Lee Kitchen.
4: Showbox Coffee Brewers Manly
Sydney takes its coffee seriously. Nowhere is this better represented than at Showbox, where specialty breweries are the norm.
Located in the beachfront suburb of Manly, it is a cafe and music venue with trendy decor, an alternative mindset, and a good daily menu. If you’re here for brunch, try the pegg roll with crispy serrano ham and “scrambled eggs”. Cold pressed juices are another strong point. The cafe is just a few blocks from the beach.
5: Café Sydney
Fish dish in Cafe Sydney, Circular Quay (Brett Hemmings / Destination NSW)
Café Sydney has been a staple of the city’s dining scene since the start of the millennium and a long-standing favorite with travelers and locals thanks to its stunning location overlooking Circular Quay.
But it’s not just the view in this rooftop restaurant that inspires people. The food is just as impressive, with an ever-changing, upscale menu that focuses on seasonal produce. The fish dishes are particularly good. There is also an extensive Australian wine list.
6: CHISWICK in the gallery
Dining at Chiswick (James Horan / Destination NSW)
Acclaimed Australian Chef Matt Moran There are a number of top-notch restaurants in Sydney, including the waterfront Opera Bar, elegant ARIA Sydney and seafood-centric North Bondi Fish. Just as pleasant as any of them, however, is CHISWICK in the gallery, which has a plum location in the New South Wales Art Gallery.
Part of the appeal is the view with the contemporary dining room overlooking Sydney Harbor. Equally important, however, is the high quality food, mostly sourced from the restaurant’s vegetable garden. Moran’s great attraction is so great that he has also helped create in-flight menus for Singapore Airlines and regularly attend international events.
7: Carriageworks Farmers Market
Organic stand at Carriageworks Farmers Market (James Horan / Destination NSW)
This award-winning farmers market comes to life every Saturday between 8am and 1pm in a former factory in Eveleigh. It’s a real foodie rush with more than 80 producers from across New South Wales and dozens of organic and biodynamic stallholders.
The product range is enormous. Hazelnuts, sausages, crepes, avocados, cheese, chocolate, truffles, lamb, pasta, falafel and pistachios are among the riches on offer, with fresh juices and real coffee.
8: Tetsuya
Tetsuya’s is another world-renowned Sydney restaurant. It is owned and operated by Japanese-born Australian chef Tetsuya Wakuda.
It combines Asian, French and Australian flavors with exquisite effects and serves a fixed tasting menu. It is known for its sea trout and roe confit, which has been called “the most photographed dish in the world”. The restaurant is one of the most refined, delicate and downright delicious gourmet experiences in Australia.
9: Quay Restaurant
Dessert at the Quay Restaurant (Penelope Beveridge / Destination NSW)
Quay has been repeatedly named to San Pellegrino’s list of the world’s best restaurants and calls itself the most distinguished restaurant in Australia. The good news is that if you can get a table – and that’s often a big if – it’s worth the hype.
The menus are meticulous, quickly evolving, and original (someone for Master Stock Duck with pickled pink beetroot, XO miso, and burnt amaranth leaf?). The harbor location is one of the many things that make a meal here a truly special occasion.
10: Kings Cross Farmhouse
This petite venue in Rushcutters Bay offers a simple concept that has been implemented very well. The seasonal five-course menus are served at communal tables. The meetings take place either at 6.30 p.m. or 8.30 p.m. On Sundays you can have lunch at 2 p.m.
The menu changes completely every month. There is also a wine list with an emphasis on French and Australian wines. The food itself is more about flavors than frills, but the standard is consistently high. A sloping wooden roof and rustic decor help the place live up to its name.
This article was supported by Destination NSW (Sydney.com) and Singapore Airlines (singaporeair.com) but it’s impartial and independent, just like all Wanderlust editorials.
Main picture: Bennelong Restaurant Chef preparing food (Tobias Rowles / Destination NSW)
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