28 October 2024
27 mins Read
The dining landscape in this city is vast, varied and constantly evolving. From reimagined restaurants playing on the unique skills of world-renowned chefs to pretty-as-a-picture fit-outs and electrifying ambience, here’s our pick of the best Sydney restaurants.
Eastern suburbs | Inner West | Sydney CBD | Western suburbs | Northern suburbs
Flashy scenes to be seen complimented by elegant menus, elevate wining and dining to sophisticated heights.
The name Franca pays homage to lingua franca as the common language used for centuries to connect mainland France with the Mediterranean. And while the buzzy brasserie leans into classic sinful French fare such as a pomme puree with truffles (when in season) and upside-down tarte tatin, it’s also hailed as having one of the most budget-friendly menus in Sydney. The Potts Point restaurant slings out specials between 5pm and 6pm from Wednesday to Sunday each week offering an elegant and affordable escape from the seedier neon-lit streets of Kings Cross. The limited happy hour menu curated by chef Luke Davenport includes burgers and chicken liver parfait for a wallet-friendly $12 and chippies for an extra $6. Wash away your #cossylivs concerns with a few martinis for $5, beer for $7 and negronis for $12 in the Steel + Stich designed space decked out in marble and brass with leather booths with Kardashian curves. Viva la Franca.
Franca’s sister venue Parlar is just metres away, but rather than French fare, you’ll be spoilt with Catalan cuisine in a more intimate space. The menus change with the seasons, and rather than offering both a la carte and degustations, there’s just the latter, which solves the dilemma of what to order—just gauge your hunger! A 3-course-plus-snacks menu is available between 5-6pm, and the 5-course-plus-snacks Essence Menu and Adventure Menu ($129pp/$179pp respectively) take you on a more thorough culinary journey through northeastern Spain.
Alexander Calder’s artworks from the ’70s add retro flair to the space.
We can’t help but recommend the Adventure Menu which offers standout dishes like the uniquely presented loligo squid chorizo with cannellini beans, tomatoes, and smoked almonds. Pair your meal with Spanish takes on classic cocktails like the Palma Margarita with olive-infused Volcan Blanco Tequila, Parla Curaçao, honeydew, and citrus, or opt for a wine pairing and sample a brilliant range of Australian and international wines.
Loligo squid chorizo with cannellini beans, tomatoes, and smoked almonds
The design-led space is cosy yet sophisticated, showcasing a welcoming medley of warm neutral tones, Alexander Calder artworks, and brass accents.
Been yearning for your Chef Neil Perry fix ever since Rosetta in the CBD shut its doors? Same. This is just one reason why Margaret evokes instant cheeriness the moment you clap your eyes on it. Bright, light-filled and endlessly chic can best describe not just this gorgeous Double Bay fit-out but also the warm staff who greet you before guiding you through the culinary veteran’s refined modern Australian menu.
Pop into the light-filled dining setup at Margaret. (Image: Petrina Tinsley)
Start with small local catches splashed with Asian flavours like the spicy tuna tartare, trevally ceviche with chilli and coconut milk and the fried coral trout wings, before moving to larger wood fire entrees and mains meat lovers could possibly cry over —in signature Chef Neil Perry style, the steaks are always that good.
Relish in modern Australian cuisine with Mediterranean and Asian flavours at Margaret. (Image: Petrina Tinsley)
While this cosy corner trattoria popped up on many people’s radars once Taylor Swift dined there, Pellegrino 2000 has been rated by Sydney’s hospitality scene as the place to go if you’re in the know since it opened in 2022. The eatery dishes up some of the city’s most authentic Italian, including one killer prawn ravioli dripping with a brown butter and sage sauce that you’ll pray never ends. The team is slick and generous with their time before leaving you and your date to bask in the romance of red wine, good vibes and excellent food.
Try Pellegrino 2000’s signature Italian dishes.
The Fritto Misto is delicately battered to perfection, the artichokes are drenched just the right amount of herby oily goodness and the veal alla parmigiana will transport you straight to the shores of Sicily.
Pellegrino 2000 is a garage-style trattoria in Surry Hills.
A cosy neighbourhood hole-in-the-wall whipping up inventive, mouth-watering dishes utilising quality local produce, Jane is a Surry Hills favourite. Along leafy Bourke Street, the restaurant pops up out of nowhere, blending right into the multi-million-dollar terrace homes. But while it feels casual, the food itself is anything but.
Feast your eyes and palate when you dine at Jane. (Image: Cameron Carter)
Expect plenty of native ingredients paired with fresh seafood and top-notch meat, including the kangaroo tartare with bush tomato harissa and the beef dumplings with saltbush, chilli and yoghurt. Jane is delightful, personable and overflowing with personality.
Sink into exquisite meals at Jane. (Image: Cameron Carter)
Price: $$$
Best for: Italian done with understated elegance, every time.
Speaking of sensational Italian, 10 William Street is the long-loved neighbourhood bistro of your La Dolce Vita dreams. Squeeze inside the discreet shopfront to score a table either upstairs or downstairs and prepare to be spoiled in the way of food and vino at one of the best restaurants in Sydney.
Staff will be surprised if you don’t order the pretzel with whipped bottarga — a cult favourite — but other knockouts include the tagliatelle al ragu and the ocean trout with fennel and onion puree.
It would be a sin to neglect the heavily European wine list too. Allow one of the very knowledgeable team to help you pick the perfect match to send you soaring.
Address: 10 William Street, Paddington
Josh and Julie Niland have turned up the dial at their innovative sustainable seafood restaurant Saint Peter with their recent move to new premises at Sydney’s Grand National Hotel. The relocation to the Paddo pub expands capacity at the pioneering pescatarian fine diner from 20 to 85, which includes a 40-seat dining room, 20-seat bar and 15-seat private dining room.
This pescatarian fine diner made it into the World’s 50 Best longlist for 2024. (Image: Christopher Pearce)
Let the journey begin in the front bar with oysters, where the briny bivalves are shucked to order. Niland’s passion for seafood is also evident with the rock flathead grilled over coals and served with a rich and flavourful sauce Diane. King George whiting arrives in a pond of beurre blanc enlivened with pops of sudachi citrus, finger lime and tapioca. The Meyer lemon tart makes for a fine finish.
The Bergamot Meringue Tart is a must-try. (Image: Christopher Pearce)
Price: $$
Best for: Authentic Italian food that will transport you straight to Rome.
Sister restaurant of Surry Hills favourite Via Napoli, 170 Grammi has opened only 600 metres down Crown Street. While Via Napoli is famed for its Neapolitan-style pizzas, 170 Grammi is bringing Roman-style pizzas to the forefront. Made using only 170 grams of dough (hence the name), the pizzas are thinner, crunchier and oh-so-delicious. Owner Luigi Esposito has added his own creative flair to the menu, turning some of the most famous kinds of pasta into pizza toppings. Think cacio e pepe, carbonara and amatriciana.
170 Grammi is bringing Roman-style pizzas to the forefront. (Image: Trent van der Jagt)
Must-order items include the carbonara pizza with pecorino romano, guanciale, egg yolk and black pepper, and the melt-in-your-mouth parmigiana al tegamino (eggplant parmigiana). But a visit to 170 Grammi isn’t complete without a maritozzi. These fluffy, classic Roman-style desserts are soft and light and filled with whipped cream. Don’t mind if I do…
A visit to 170 Grammi isn’t complete without a maritozzi. (Image: Trent van der Jagt)
Address: 428 Crown St, Surry Hills
Tucked away in the postcard-perfect tree-lined backstreets of Paddington lies Ursula’s, a quietly confident Sydney restaurant local’s wish nobody knew about.
Feel at home when you dine at Ursula’s Paddington. (Image: Nikki To)
Focused on doing fine seasonal produce total justice through serious technique and flair (this is, after all, the brainchild of Chef Phil Wood, an ex-Rockpool rockstar), this best restaurant in Sydney dishes up endlessly chic comfort food.
Delight in a roast Sovereign lamb with green curry vinaigrette and braised eggplant, the popular chicken with creamed corn, vegetarian masterpieces and delicate seafood splashed with subtle Asian flavours.
Try the Moreton Bay bug pasta crustacean butter at Ursula’s Paddington. (Image: Nikki To)
White horses are mythic symbols, often imbued with extraordinary qualities. So too is The White Horse, a Sydney stalwart that’s been a beloved watering hole for close to a century. It’s transfigured over the years, from piano bar to live music venue and brasserie, reopening this year in its newest iteration after a cool $6 million makeover.
The Surry Hills fixture has received a slick, contemporary update. (Image: Gavin Green)
The Surry Hills fixture has received a slick, contemporary update with French oak tables, Scandi chairs and elegant quartz countertops. The White Horse isn’t quite a pub, nor is it a fine dining establishment, but a new entity that blends the best of both.
The building is an iconic landmark of Surry Hills. (Image: Gavin Green)
You can amble upstairs for a breezy beer on the luscious terrace or park yourself on a plush velvet ottoman at the bar. Or dine at the pared-back yet stylish restaurant downstairs, where dishes such as razor-thin snapper ceviche and succulent Manjimup marron with sweetcorn give the menu a fine dining slant, but at an affordable price point that knocks traditional high-end dining off of its high horse.
Price: $$$
Best for: Getting more pork on your fork in fabulous French flair.
The name says it all but there’s so much more to Porcine than sensational French food inspired by the kitchens of Europe. Sure, the daily menu features masterstrokes with pigs, like the double smoked pork jowl dressed in dainty micro blooms and floating in a sea of elderflower honey, the revolving door of stunning Pate En Croutes (pastry wrapped around pate), and mouth-watering Berkshire pork chops but they’re also doing wonders with seafood, seasonal vegetables and roast birds. Take a seat by the fireplace and strap yourself in — this is intelligent and inspired dining at one of the best restaurants in Sydney.
Dine classic, sensational French meals at Porcine.
Address: 268 Oxford Street, Paddington
Price: $$-$$$
Best for: Elevated plant-based dining.
A freshest-of-fresh menu at Alibi Bar & Dining in Woolloomooloo’s Ovolo Hotel has been spearheaded by renowned plant-based aficionado Shannon Martinez.
Alibi’s dining interior gives off a chic and sophisticated vibe.
Filled with a seasonal, colourful and innovative selection inspired by the Mediterranean, signature dishes include a Cotoletta Parmigiana, fried eggplant with toasted hazelnuts, grilled stone fruits with radicchio and garlic labneh and oyster mushroom pinchos.
Alibi has plenty of chairs plus good lighting.
For dessert (we know you’re interested), think quince-filled doughnuts, tiramisu and the delectable Crème Catalana.
Take your pick.
Address: Ovolo Woolloomooloo, 6 Cowper Wharf Roadway, Woolloomooloo
Spinning new takes on food influences from right around the globe, the Inner West excels at a variety of cuisines.
Price: $$$
Best for: Easy-going neighbourhood dining done right.
Who knew tinned fish and cold cuts were the stuff of hanger dreams? Just ask anyone who’s dropped into Continental Delicatessen, famed for levelling up the city’s lunch game with 12 tinned fish varieties slurped down alongside epic deli meats and cheeses.
The evening bistro menu steals hearts too with its lavish take on humble ingredients, and it’s that distinct out-of-the-box genius from the boys behind the marble-topped deli counter that lingers long after you’ve kissed this best restaurant goodbye.
Keep the good times rolling with the team’s canned cocktails (a ‘Mar-tinny’ is never a bad idea) or ask for Mike who’s often behind the bar knocking your socks off with his mad skills for shaking together big, bold, boozy liquid art.
Get hold of Continental Delicatessen’s grape and cheese platter. (Image: Destination NSW)
Address: 210 Australia Street, Newtown
Price: $$
Best for: Woodfired pizza and cocktails on a sunny rooftop setting.
The Imperial Hotel has long been a Sydney institution, and now there’s even more reason to settle in for a Sunday sesh or unwind over dinner. Popular food truck, Pizza Bros, has settled into the rooftop kitchen as its first brick-and-mortar location.
Watch brothers John and Jason Chammas make your pizza.
Run by brothers John and Jason Chammas, watch your pizza being prepared and cooked in the large, open woodfired oven as you sip on a cold beer or fun and fruity cocktail from the bar. Soak up the sun or stay cool under fringed yellow umbrellas as floating disco balls reflect the light around you.
The pizzas bring new, adventurous flavour combinations to that classic woodfired pizza taste – the Cacio E Pepe with double cream, truffle and pecorino is a must-try, while the Margho Picasso keeps it classic.
Settle into decor as fun as the pizzas. (Image: Kassia Byrnes)
Address: 35 Erskineville Rd, Erskineville
Move over, Melbourne. The beating heart of this city plays home to the most wonderous, envelope-pushing culinary experiences in Australia.
Founded by husband and wife Daero Lee and Illa Kim, underrated city gem SOUL Dining offers elevated Korean dining within an Australian context. The menu changes seasonally and blends traditional Korean flavours with a modern twist like the diner favourite dish Kingfish in Kimchi Water.
The 10-course tasting menu is the most popular dining choice, and for good reason. The flavour journey begins with small plates like the pillowy SOUL signature rice bread followed by heartier dishes such as the moreish yamba prawn tteokbokki with capsicum sambal and nduja. The meal ends on a high note with the dessert of the day like sweet potato pastry with ice cream and a kimchi chip.
Kingfish in kimchi water, scallop bori-bap, and Ox tongue donuts.
Korean childhood snacks inspire the cocktail list which features original tipples including the Melona and Sesame Sour. Can’t decide on what to drink? No problem! Sommelier Liz Dodd nails it every time with her wine pairing suggestions, and the bar can shake up a cocktail for you based on whatever flavour profiles you like.
The restaurant’s design complements the menu’s sophistication and features a chic blend of charcoal walls, marble accents, and metal finishes.
The eatery boasts a sophisticated aesthetic.
From Raggazzi to Dear Saint Eloise, the Love Tilly Group has had a massive impact on Sydney’s restaurant scene. Their largest venue, Italian eatery Palazzo Salato is an ode to Roman-inspired trattorias but with a modern edge. Expect velvety handmade pasta, a 600-strong wine list, top-notch seafood, and a dessert menu that will leave you delightfully torn—the light Torta Della Nonna is the perfect way to round off your meal.
Don’t miss the chance to order the Marron alla griglia and watercress sauce and the spanner crab, uni butter, chilli and sea blight—you’ll be thinking about both for the next week.
The menu showcases both traditional recipes and innovative twists. Image: Nikki To)
The cocooning interior features warm lighting, classic Thonet bentwood chairs, colourful artwork, and brass accents. Get cosy in one of the leather banquettes or perch yourself and the bar which features a Louis Wayling mural with Italian motifs.
The moodily lit space is lined with wine bottles. (Image: Nikki To)
Love or hate the $10 ‘fancy Jatz’ that sparked controversy when Kiln unveiled the appetiser on its a la carte menu at the end of 2022, this is a restaurant unlike anything else in Sydney’s CBD.
Found on the roof of Ace Hotel, 18 levels up, it’s literally elevating seasonal produce to unexpected new heights. The Jatz, topped with anchovy and smoked butter, is undeniably delicious as is everything else on the sophisticated menu including a whole flounder prepared with miso brown butter and a wagyu tartare with smoked mayo and mustard greens.
The vibe is rocking with a DJ spinning tunes and the glittering carpet of the city’s lights providing the ultimate backdrop to a guaranteed great time.
Opt for rooftop dining at Kiln. (Image: Anson Smart)
Australia’s finest culinary star Chef Peter Gilmore continues to stun Sydneysiders and visitors alike with his utterly refined Bennelong experience. Sure Quay’s spectacular overlooking the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour, but the intimate buzz of Bennelong, found inside the sails of the Opera House itself, cannot be replicated.
The award-winning food celebrates native ingredients and brilliant seasonal produce, all the way down to the must-order Cherry Jam Lamington which dances over spoilt tastebuds as you start dreading the fact it’s all about to end.
Chefs at Bennelong meticulously curate dishes. (Image: Destination NSW)
It’s incredible to think just one restaurant could present so many iconic moments. The location, smack bang in front of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House, is unrivalled yes but the food, oh the food.
Dine at Quay Restaurant while overlooking the Sydney Harbour Bridge. (Image: Nikki To/Destination NSW)
Home of the now-retired snow egg, God rest her soul, Quay Restaurant excels in crafting cult dishes to utterly rock Australia’s food scene. Pulling from the most excellent seafood to be found in our nation’s waterways, this is dining that continues to make waves right around the world.
You can go the four- or six-course menu but it’d be foolish to skip any of the eight courses on offer at this unforgettable space – a best restaurant in Sydney like no other.
Be at the beating heart of Sydney. (Image: Nikki To/Destination NSW)
Allta is a portmanteau of ‘all’, the Korean word for ‘right’ and ‘ta’ the slang word for thank you in English. And there’s a lot that’s right and a lot to be thankful for when it comes to this Korean fine diner in Sydney’s CBD. The sister venue to Funda recently received two hats in the Good Food Guide and is considered one of the best new restaurants to open this year.
Experience elevated Korean gastronomy.
Allta seats no more than 12 guests each night all of whom have ringside seats to watch Michelin-trained chef Jung-su Chang (ex Jungsik, Seoul) making sure everything is just so. Forget the #cossylivs crisis for a moment and commit to the intimate 15-course degustation while being waited on by venue manager John Kuak and sommelier Sebastian Brogren.
The dining room boasts modern elegance.
You’re offered the choice between five excellent champagnes or premium blends of tea in the elegant space, defined by handcrafted ripples of wood and marble. Highlights include the buttery toothfish on a bed of mussel-infused ‘porridge’ and a guk bap soup of beef shin served with grilled oyster mushrooms and sticky rice. Yep. Right. Ta.
Cuisine Korean
Price: $$$$$
Atmosphere: Sophisticated
Review: 5/5
Location: 62 Clarence Street, Sydney
Price: $$
Best for: A quality Southeast Asian pre-show feed.
Located inside The Star Sydney and right opposite the Sydney Lyric Theatre, Rumble celebrates the four classic flavours that permeate Southeast Asian culinary culture – sweet, salty, spicy, and sour. The menu is simple yet punchy, and the inventive cocktail list incorporates a range of spirits infused with spices, herbs, teas and fruits from across Asia.
Pick from an array of Southeast Asian dishes at Rumble. (Image: Steven Woodburn)
Don’t miss the Suea Rong Hai (crying tiger), a Japanese A5 wagyu sirloin with Nam Jim Jaew. Think melt-in-your-mouth and bursting with flavour. This winning spot is open for lunch, dinner, drinks and pre-show snacks, seven days a week.
Nab a spot at the dimly lit dining interior of Rumble, The Star Sydney. (Image: Steven Woodburn)
Address: Level G, Harbourside, The Star, 80 Pyrmont Street, Pyrmont
Arguably Sydney’s most underrated fine dining restaurant, Oborozuki is an eatery to take those you want to impress. Serving up a sophisticated menu of French-Japanese bites such as Glacier 51 Toothfish with pipis, fennel and Jurassic Quail with Shio koji, salsify, beluga lentils, kumquat, jus gras Shinshu miso, and celeriac terrine.
The restaurant offers glimpses of the Harbour Bridge. (Image: Steve Woodburn)
For the full experience, we recommend ordering a side of Sake with your meal – you can select your own delicate Sake crystal glasses from their Louis Vuitton case.
The sleek interior is equally as stunning as the menu and features a dramatic spiral staircase, slatted curved ceilings, and walls lined with sake magnums.
This refined restaurant serves Japanese-French fare. (Image: Steve Woodburn)
King Clarence is about as cool as Sydney restaurants come with its pink neon accents, industrial-chic aesthetic, DJ, and menu crafted by executive chef Khanh Nguyen (formerly Aru and Sunda). Nguyen presents a generous line-up of dishes that take inspiration from Korean, Japanese and Chinese flavours with an Australian twist; think Murray Cod teamed with ma la tang, sugarloaf cabbage, and peanut and Davidson’s plum ice served alongside matcha, blackcurrant, strawberry gum, and puffed rice.
Hiramasa Kingfish, Sweet Miso, Wasabi, Green Pea Furikake.
Stand-out dishes include the fish finger bao, an elevated and delicious take on Macca’s Filet-O-Fish, and the creamy mango pudding which makes a strong case for plant-based cooking.
Former Head Sommelier at Cirrus, Polly Mackarel has curated the wine list which features 40 drops by the glass and pays particular attention to rieslings, chardonnay and medium-bodied reds.
The 100-seat dining room was designed by Pascale Gomes-McNabb
For special occasions, the curved semi-private dining area will ensure the vibes are high with its playful spinning disco ball.
Price: $$$$
Best for: A civilised dining experience.
Helmed by chef and restaurateur Luke Mangan, the menu at Glass Brasserie provides guests with an exquisite culinary experience from the moment you enter the loft location above the Hilton Sydney’s lobby.
Be surrounded by floor-to-ceiling glass walls at Glass Brasserie. (Image: Destination NSW)
Just the interiors alone, designed by New York’s Tony Chi, are enough to get you excited. The 240-seat space features a 13-metre floor-to-ceiling glass wall and perfectly positioned booths that offer views of the Queen Victoria Building.
Serving modern Australian cuisine, emphasis is placed on local and seasonal produce. Kingfish sashimi and tiger prawns are entrée heroes, followed by an ‘off the grill’ section that will really start some dinner table conversation. The staff are warm, attentive, and helpful – writing the book on how elevated dining should be done.
Price: $$$$
Best for: A slick seafood dinner done differently.
If you’re yet to experience the flavour bombs of Italian cuisine splashed with Asian spices, you may be dubious learning it’s the basis of Lana’s culinary chops. But dive in and don’t look back because this is pure brilliance unleashed and Sydney is hooked.
Opt for a satisfying seafood dinner at Lana. (Image: Steve Woodburn)
While the dreamy, pastel-trimmed fit-out looks, the business blending exposed brick and dark timbers with slivers of gold, ocean blue and the restaurant’s signature blush pink, the atmosphere is light thanks to warm service and a menu that is relentlessly playful. Start with the very reasonably priced banquet and level up your experience with added extras, all exquisitely crafted and Instagram-perfect.
Pop into Lana, a dreamy, pastel-themed Sydney restaurant. (Image: Steve Woodburn)
Address: Level 1, Hinchcliff House, 5-7 Young Street, Sydney
Price: $$$$$
Best for: Impressing colleagues and clients in the middle of the city.
The CBD is spoiled for great business lunch spots but Aalia might just be our favourite. Treat your senses to a journey through the Middle East and North Africa with meals finessed to utter perfection.
Raw dishes include Persian caviar before moving on to delicious mezze plates you’ll struggle to avoid licking off the dish, stunning seafood creations and top-notch meats. And if you really can’t hold back on licking those plates, you’ll be quickly forgiven. The vibe here is relaxed and upbeat as opposed to stuffy, hence eliminating the awkward small talk that comes with every working lunch.
Cap off your busy week with a toast at Aalia. (Image: Jason Loucas)
Address: Shop 7.07 and 7.08, 25 Martin Place, Sydney
Helmed by Three Michelin-starred British chef Clare Smyth, Oncore is the successor to the esteemed London fine dining restaurant Core. Sitting pretty at twenty-six levels high in Crown Towers, diners enjoy sweeping 180-degree views of Sydney Harbour and unparalleled fine dining service.
Smyth and her team champion exceptional dining using sustainable ingredients.
There are two menus to choose from at Oncore; The Classic menu which highlights iconic Clare Smyth dishes with Australian influences such as ‘Potato and roe’ with seaweed beurre blanc, herring, and trout roe, or the Seasonal menu.
Attention to detail and sentimentality is showcased throughout the entire dining experience from the tableware which is embossed with Smyth’s fingerprint, to the delicate dishes that hark back to her Irish heritage.
The venue boasts spectacular Sydney Harbour vistas.
The city’s culinary heartland nails international flavours and techniques with total authenticity.
Price: $$-$$$
Best for: Tapas and charcuterie with serious party vibes.
A rooftop infinity pool, killer cocktails, pumping music and beautiful people everywhere. Have we stumbled into a Los Angeles rager? Theo’s Rooftop Bar is the place to be in Penrith, offering a menu of mouth-watering share plates to split with mates as you’re flooded by stunning Blue Mountains vistas.
Head to Theo’s Rooftop Bar if you love pasta.
Arrive before dusk to score a table as the sun sinks and build your spread from aged meats, excellent cheeses, and traditional tapas. Really hungry? A small list of mains includes modern Australian favourites done with plenty of love.
Pair your meal with a glass of wine at Theo’s Rooftop Bar.
Address: Level 8, Astina Suites, 21-25 Woodriff Street, Penrith
With more nature at its feet, Sydney’s Northern suburbs play home to legendary spots mastering exceptional local catches and produce.
North Sydney has had somewhat of a renaissance in recent years with fantastic eateries popping up in the area. One such gem is the one-hatted restaurant RAFI. Applejack Culinary Director, Patrick Friesen and Executive Chef, Matias Cilloniz (formerly Central) serve the freshest of menus inspired by the coastal elements of Sydney.
The menu is designed to share and, unsurprisingly, has a strong emphasis on seafood including ceviche, oysters, whole fish, lobster, and prawns. There are also ample choices for meat lovers and vegetarians including roasted free-range chicken with spinach, jus, pickled chilli, and lemon and Koji roasted pumpkin with lentils, cumin, and coconut.
The menu focuses heavily on fresh seafood. (Image: Steve Woodburn)
Our recommendation is to order the hummus with crispy chickpeas and green chilli and the South Coast tuna with tomato, tahini, and fragrant chilli oil – you won’t be disappointed.
And while the restaurant and bar generously seats 300 patrons, design firm Luchretti Krelle thoughtfully calved-out nooks that foster more intimate dining settings, making it perfect for dates or special occasions. There’s also a lush wraparound terrace for warm summer days.
Luchetti Krelle designed the richly layered space.
Located within a heritage-listed beach house in picturesque Freshwater, Pilu has been a local favourite on the Northern Beaches for the last 20 years. Executive Chef and owner Giovanni presents a menu that takes cues from classic Sardinian cuisine, re-interpreted using modern techniques.
There are plenty of seafood offerings that feel fitting given the beachside location, including spaghetti alla chitarra with calamari, Pilu bottarga, and preserved lemon, as well as mirto cured snapper with beetroot and sheep milk yoghurt. Vego options such as the Sardinian ravioli filled with potato, mint, pecorino, and burnt butter will delight even meat eaters, and finishing with the tiramisu for two served tableside will round off the meal perfectly.
Aside from the delicious bites, the Pilu team excel at being attentive, offering smart food and beverage pairings, and allowing you to fully enjoy your dining experience.
Enjoy oceanic views while you dine. (Image: Rachael Thompson)
Sitting by the windows in this white weatherboard house overlooking the ocean makes you feel like you’re on a beach vacation. And to make the experience even more special, if you book a lunch sitting during the whale migrating season, you can catch glimpses of these beauties breaching while you enjoy your meal.
If you’re looking for a more casual experience, Pilu’s sister cafe Baretto is next door and is a great spot to pick up good coffee and breakfast bruschetta.
The Sardinian ravioli filled with potato, mint, and pecorino, served with burnt butter and sage is a must-order. (Image: Rachael Thompson)
Just a 50-minute zip from the city is Berowra Waters Inn, a destination restaurant held alongside Australia’s best since its 1984 inception. Housed on Berowra Creek, the rugged gorges and gum-tree-lined site is only accessible to diners by boat or seaplane.
Head chef Brian Geraghty owns and runs the space, which boasts a frequently changing menu based on availability. If you’re a stickler for cuisine, however, you could say it’s a mix of classic French with modern Australian.
The degustation menu heroes the venue, explained ever so pleasantly by the delightful staff. And with floor-to-ceiling windows, every table has a window seat.
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