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Restaurants We have selected 25 restaurants, which we have divided into five categories: Gastronomic, Business, Trendy, Budget and Personal Recommendations. The restaurants are listed alphabetically within these different categories, which serve as guidelines rather than absolute definitions of the establishments. Sydney has a Goods and Services Tax (GST) of 10%. Menus will usually say ‘Prices include GST’. It is highly unlikely that the extra 10% would be added to the bill as an extra at the end. However, on public holidays, many establishments add a 15% service charge to the bill. Tipping is still far from obligatory in Sydney but good service should be rewarded with a gratuity of up to 10%. If the service has been unsatisfactory, it is not necessary to tip anything. The prices quoted below are for a three-course meal and a bottle of house wine or equivalent; they include the GST but do not include a service charge or tip. Many restaurants in Sydney are unlicensed but operate a BYO (Bring Your Own) policy. This (and the relevant corkage fee) is listed below. Gastronomic Catalina Rose Bay Catalina Rose Bay is a must for lovers of seafood and ocean views – every year the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race begins under the very noses of its patrons. Japanese and Spanish influences alternate over a range of fish and shellfish creations that melt in the mouth, such as crépinette of crab and snapper, tartlet of seared sea scallops and mushroom stuffed poussin. The food’s presentation rivals the architectural elegance of this terrific restaurant. 1 Sunderland Avenue, Rose Bay Tel: (02) 9371 0555. Fax: (02) 9371 0559. E-mail: catrest@ozemail.com.au Website: www.catalinarosebay.com.au Price: A$85. Wine: A$40. Edna's Table When the craving for emu tartare, crocodile sushi or kangaroo fillet gets too much, Edna’s Table beckons. Comfortable modern decor, Aboriginal artworks and authentic bush ingredients, including bunya nuts, Kakadu plum and eucalyptus oil, contribute to Edna’s truly unique style. A Native Australian dégustation menu is also offered with a selection of Australian wines for A$135. 204 Clarence Street Tel: (02) 9267 3933. Fax: (02) 9264 9002. E-mail: ednas@acay.com.au Website: www.ednastable.com.au Price: A$70. Wine: A$30. Guillaume at Bennelong The only Sydney restaurant that is also a world architectural icon, Guillaume at Bennelong is the smallest of the three soaring structures making up the Opera House. Recently taken over by Guillaume Brahini, a three-Michelin-starred chef, the restaurant’s new menu embraces local produce cooked with French techniques, such as wild oysters braised in a butter curry, ocean trout rolled in scallops and salad of figs with goat’s cheese. Dining doesn’t get much more glamorous than this, although booking well ahead is essential. Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point Tel: (02) 9241 1999. Fax: (02) 9241 3795. E-mail: enquiries@guillaumeatbennelong.com.au Website: www.guillaumeatbennelong.com.au Price: A$65 (pre-theatre menu 1730-1900), A$85 (à la carte). Wine: A$35. Quay The best French cuisine on the continent can be enjoyed along with the best view. The Opera House and the Harbour Bridge (in close-up) compete for attention with fat and succulent oysters and a legendary roasted Kangaroo Island chicken, in an upholstered modern ambience. Patrons should be sure to leave room for dessert as Quay’s three-layered chocolate cake is legendary. Overseas Passenger Terminal, West Circular Quay Tel: (02) 9251 5600. Fax: (02) 9251 5609. E-mail: gm@quay.com.au Website: www.quay.com.au Price: A$90. Wine: A$60. Tetsuya’s Tetsuya Wakuda became a local legend in the suburb of Rozelle with his obligatory ten-course meal of Japanese/French fusion delights, and he has since relocated to the centre of town. Bookings must be made at least one month in advance but the wait is worth it to experience some of Sydney’s most decadent gastronomy. The set menu consists of small dishes, such as the now famous confit of Tasmanian ocean trout with ocean trout roe, or lobster ravioli with seaweed vinaigrette and shellfish essence or double-cooked deboned spatchcock with braised daikon and bread sauce. 529 Kent Street Tel: (02) 9267 2900. Fax: (02) 9262 7099. Price: A$155 (set menu). Wine: A$32. Business Banc One of Australia’s most acclaimed restaurants, conveniently located in the CBD, Banc’s luxurious modern interior of marble columns and mirrors is home to the most discerning diners. The menu applies deft twists to traditional haute cuisine, such as baked truffles, tart Lyonnaisse and assiette of lamb, and the cellar boasts over 900 wine labels. 53 Martin Place Tel: (02) 9233 5300. Fax: (02) 9233 5311. E-mail: eat@gpobox.com.au Website: www.banc.citysearch.com.au Price: A$80. Wine: A$50. Bayswater Brasserie The reliable choice for a civilised lunch, stylish dinner or a few friendly beers, Bayswater Brasserie serves modern Mediterranean-style fare, such as goat’s cheese tartlet, braised lamb shanks or pan-fried sardine fillets, in an elegant home-style venue. Features include a leafy outdoor dining area and cocktail bar. 32 Bayswater Road, Kings Cross Tel: (02) 9357 2177. Fax: (02) 9358 1213. Price: A$30. Wine: A$20. Bonne Femme A beacon of sophistication among the grungy terrace houses of East Sydney, Bonne Femme has an elegant minimalist fit-out, a boutique wine list (BYO also allowed) and mouth-watering, modern French cuisine. Dishes include duck liver parfait, venison choux farcé with truffled lentils or seared scallops with potatoes and bacon. The roast carrot purée comes highly recommended. The ideal venue for an intimate tête-à-tête, business dinner or Friday lunch, it also has a private room seating up to 35. 191 Palmer Street, East Sydney Tel: (02) 9331 4455. Fax: (02) 9331 4577. E-mail: bonnefemme@onenet.net.au Price: A$50. Wine: A$30. Salt A fugue of white plastic and metal, Salt contrasts severity of design with sumptuousness of menu. Fish and game, such as tempura of quail or roasted fillet of hare, are specialities in a venue that has attracted gourmands and serious business folk – as well as the achingly hip – since opening in 1999. 229 Darlinghurst Road, Darlinghurst Tel: (02) 9332 2566. Fax: (02) 9332 2530. E-mail: info@saltrestaurant.com.au Website: www.kirketon.com.au Price: A$80. Wine: A$40. The Summit The world’s largest revolving restaurant, The Summit has 360 degree views of Sydney, hearty, no-nonsense cuisine and a good-times atmosphere. Dishes will be simple but tasty things like grilled snapper fillet, sirloin steak or Caesar salad. A seafood buffet is available for Sunday lunch for A$53. Level 47, Australia Square, 264 George Street Tel: (02) 9247 9777. Fax: (02) 9251 2539. E-mail: thesummit@tpg.com.au Website: www.summitrestaurant.com.au Price: A$70. Wine: A$30. Trendy Bill’s There’s no better start to a Sydney day than a Bill’s breakfast – ricotta hotcakes, creamy scrambled eggs, towering muffins and fresh fruit platters. The enormous communal table is covered with magazines and adds a friendly touch to an all-too-trendy part of town. Lunch is also served, ranging from a prawn salad to a steak sandwich. No dinner. 433 Liverpool Street, Darlinghurst Tel: (02) 9360 9631. Fax: (02) 9360 7302. E-mail: bills@billsrestaurants.com.au Price: A$20. Wine: BYO (free corkage). Hugo’s Erstwhile haunt (in happier days) of Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, Hugo’s is the place to be in Bondi. An intimate restaurant and bar, it boasts sweeping views of the entire beach and exceptional Asian fusion cuisine, such as Japanese sweet grilled eel, roast Moreton Bay bug tails (a kind of crayfish) in a sweet corn soup or steamed barramundi with lime and coconut sauce. The weekend brunch is the hottest ticket on the East Coast and consequently very crowded – a Hugo’s Breakfast costs A$14. 70 Campbell Parade, Bondi Beach Tel: (02) 9300 0900. Fax: (02) 9300 0922. E-mail: hugos@bigpond.com Price: A$65. Wine: A$35. Longrain A meal at Longrain is like a visit to the halls of Valhalla – its converted warehouse space has long wooden dining tables, polished floorboards and a Scandinavian ambience. The Thai-tinged menu is fit for demigods: betel leaves with trout roe and crispy Barossa chicken are two of the highlights. Bookings are not taken so arrival before 1930 is advised. 85 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills Tel: (02) 9280 2888. Fax: (02) 9280 2887. Price: A$50. Wine: A$30. Mezzaluna Keanu Reeves, Samuel Jackson, Mariah Carey, Brendan Fraser ... when the stars come to town, they head straight for this lively Italian restaurant with its famous view of the Sydney skyline. Sunset is the best time to enjoy a meal or cocktails on the large balcony (covered by tall awnings and heated in winter) but dining here is never less than an occasion, with dishes such as veal fillet served with juniper berries and parsley, ocean trout with ricotta, baked scampi with saffron and chilli dressing. 123 Victoria Street, Potts Point Tel: (02) 9357 1988. Fax: (02) 9357 2615. E-mail: mezzaluna@mezzaluna.com.au Website: www.mezzaluna.com.au Price: A$55. Wine: A$30. MG Garage Restaurant If an MG convertible symbolises the good life, then it makes perfect sense to see several of them parked among the tables and chairs of one of Sydney’s most acclaimed new restaurants. The plush leather, steel and wood decor is inspired by the automobile, but the highly original menu adds Greek influences to foodstuffs like tripe sausage, guinea fowl and barramundi. Despite the high-concept trappings, the place is refreshingly unpretentious. No dinner Saturdays. Closed Sundays. 490 Crown Street, Surry Hills Tel: (02) 9383 9383. Fax: (02) 9383 9384. E-mail: jkyritsis@mggaragesydney.com.au Website: www.mggaragesydney.com.au Price: A$95. Wine: A$35. Budget Arthur’s Pizza Nothing satiates the hunger from a day’s shopping in the chi-chi boutiques of Paddington like a big traditional pizza (or pasta) at Arthur’s. If the place is full – and it often is – staff are prepared to go and fetch people from the pub next door when a table becomes free. 260 Oxford Street, Paddington Tel: (02) 9231 5257. Price: A$30. Wine: BYO (corkage A$3 per person). BBQ King Peking duck hangs in the window and it is Peking duck that attracts the crowds to the authentic (if slightly tatty) BBQ King on the northeastern border of Chinatown. The menu includes a superb suckling pig and plenty of out-there Chinese delicacies, but other than that the places doesn’t have many frills. Open until 0200. 18-20 Goulburn Street Tel: (02) 9267 2433. Fax: (02) 9267 2001. Price: A$26. Bottle of beer: A$4.50. Bill & Toni’s The word ‘institution’ doesn’t really cut it for this cheery East Sydney trattoria that has been offering pasta, schnitzel, meatballs and not a whole lot else for a quarter of a century. Big baskets of bread and orange cordial are free, while coffee in the downstairs café is probably the best (and most potent) in Sydney. 74 Stanley Street, East Sydney Tel: (02) 9360 4702. Price: A$20. Wine: BYO (free corkage). Harry’s Cafe de Wheels Not a restaurant but a waterfront meat pie stand, Harry’s has been serving the Aussie staple to sailors, hoodlums and late-night party casualties since 1945. Consequently, it has become a tourist attraction, decorated with photographs of famous visitors (including, oddly enough, Colonel Sanders). And the pies? Bloody good tucker, mate. Open until 0400 Friday and Saturday. Cowper Wharf Road, Woolloomooloo Tel: (02) 9357 3074. Price: A$3.80 (pie with peas, mash and gravy). Unlicensed. Wok Station One could live happily for a year on Wok Station’s A$9 pad thai, so it is a good thing there are also outlets in Glebe, Pyrmont, Darlinghurst and Leichhardt. For cheap, fresh and delicious Thai food in respectable surrounds, it is the best option. 230 William Street, Kings Cross Tel: (02) 9326 9343. Price: A$20. Wine: BYO (corkage A$1 per person). Personal Recommendations Bodhi’s Yám cha (lunch) doesn’t have to mean pork bun and prawn rolls. This cool minimalist vegan restaurant offers a satisfying Chinese experience minus the meat. A Vegan Peking Duck substitutes gluten and tofu for the duck; other dishes include fresh vegetables wrapped with lettuce, or steamed spinach or celery and nut dumplings. The special sauces make the dishes delicious. Service may be a little rough, but the price is right. 10/730-742 George Street; also Cook & Phillip Park, 4 College Street Tel: (02) 9212 2828. Fax: (02) 9211 3815. Price: A$30. Wine: A$20. Chinta Ria The Temple Of Love A gigantic Buddha forms the centrepiece to this large-scale Malaysian eating experience in Cockle Bay Wharf. A shrine to good, inexpensive laksa (a spicy sour soup) and noodles, the restaurant serves them up in a carnival atmosphere of chattering diners and steaming woks. Level 2, 201 Sussex Street, Cockle Bay Tel: (02) 9264 3211. Fax: (02) 9264 1411. Price: A$25. Wine: A$25. Kam Fook Patrons hoping to sample Sydney’s best yám cha (lunch) had better arrive before 1000 or face a 90-minute wait (getting a table at dinner is less of a struggle). This 800-seater is as crowded with people as its enormous tanks are with mud crabs and barramundi, and the pace is pure Hong Kong. Acclaimed specialities are shark’s fin soup and deep fried duck. Level 3, Market City, 9-13 Hay Street Tel: (02) 9211 8988. Fax: (02) 9211 8882. Price: A$25. Wine: A$20. Oh! Calcutta! Despite the vaudevillian name, Oh! Calcutta! has won the Sydney Morning Herald’s best Indian restaurant award seven years in a row. Why? A captivating menu of unusual dishes from North India, Afghanistan, Pakistan and northwestern China; the best local produce and meats from camel and goat to kangaroo and crab; stylish mosque-meets-minimalism interior design; and a charming host. 251 Victoria Street, Darlinghurst Tel: (02) 9360 3650. Fax: (02) 9331 3701. Website: www.calcutta.citysearch.com.au Price: A$60. Wine: BYO. Thai Pothong King Street, Newtown seems to have more Thai restaurants than Bangkok but Thai Pothong is the biggest and the best value. Standards, such as chicken cashew nut and tom yung soup, are as good as they come, the service is swift and attentive, and the restaurant is filled with the constant buzz of people who know they are eating well at a very reasonable price. 294-298 King Street, Newtown Tel: (02) 9550 6277. Fax: (02) 9519 8050. Website: www.thaipothong.com.au Price: A$25. Wine: A$20. |
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