The best restaurants in Sydney
1. Quay
Upper Level, Overseas Passenger Terminal, The Rocks, Sydney 2000
Quay is one of the country’s most celebrated restaurants; the creation of leading Australian restaurant group, Fink, and Executive Chef Peter Gilmore.
The restaurant is an organic space reflective of Peter Gilmore’s nature inspired cuisine. The interplay of textures and colour brings life and a vibrance that embraces the restaurant’s place in the dress circle of Sydney Harbour. An ode to the Australian landscape, from the vast ocean floor, to the cracked bark of a paperbark tree, every detail from the ground up has been thoughtfully considered.
Quay is a progression of rare and beautiful ingredients where texture, flavour and harmony is paramount. Continually inspired by nature, the creative process for chef Peter Gilmore begins in working closely with the farmers, fishermen, producers and artisans who cultivate bespoke produce exclusively for Quay. For each dish, the growth of every element and the selection of every ceramic piece is carefully considered and crafted for its role in the dining experience. Quay brings a personal, interactive passage for diners through Peter Gilmore’s culinary evolution.
2. Lankan Filling Station
Ground Floor/58 Riley St, East Sydney NSW 2010
Lankan Filling Station, a small and bustling inner-city Sydney restaurant with food inspired by traditional Sri Lankan flavours.
This is a casual eatery with a focus on hoppers: a bowl-shaped savoury pancake made from a fermented batter of rice flour and coconut milk with crispy, latticed edges and a soft doughy crumpet-like centre. Torn, folded or dipped, our hoppers are made to be eaten with an array of the curries and sambols on our menu. The drinks selection is concise with a range of wines, cocktails and some stray and interesting drinks to suit our spicy food. See more: New York Times Review
3. Saint Peter
362 Oxford St, Paddington NSW 2021
Discover a showcase Australian sustainably sourced seafood, expertly prepared and served simply. This Sydney restaurant works closely with fisherman around Australia to source only the best seafood. All of their fish is purchased whole and processed in our custom designed Fish Butchery just down the road from the restaurant. Some species of fish are dry aged in custom designed coolrooms, allowing the flavours to intensify and clarify as well as achieve maximum skin crispness.
Their sustainable approach and appreciation of Australian fish is displayed by their use of the whole fish, including offal where appropriate. The attention to detail in all things fish, flows down into everything they do; from our vegetable preparations, to exquisite tarts for dessert and an Australian wine list.
4. Sixpenny
83 Percival Rd, Stanmore NSW 2048
With raw wooden surfaces smoothed by local craftsmen and understated linen curtains, the decor of this intimate restaurant hints at the food to come. Produce-led tasting menus conceptualised with confidence and executed with aplomb are the order of the day. Chefs James Parry and Dan Puskas have impressive backgrounds, with stints at renowned international restaurants such as Noma, Alinea and Mugaritz under their belts, and approach home-grown ingredients with modern techniques. Menus change daily, although mud crab intriguingly paired with macadamia milk and camomile has become something of a signature. The organic and biodynamic wine list alone justifies the journey to this sleepy Sydney suburb.
5. Ester Restaurant & Bar
46-52 Meagher St, Chippendale NSW 2008
Cherished by off the clock culinary specialists, Ester returns to nuts and bolts in the most ideal manner. The fit out is insignificant, disposition casual and determination of wood-terminated little plates savagely smoothed out. Tangle Lindsay – who sharpened his specialty at Sydney top choices Billy Kwong and Rockpool – has the certainty to allow privately sourced fixings to do a large portion of the talking. Mark dishes incorporate a blood frankfurter sandwich and lord prawns splashed in matured shrimp spread. Natural and biodynamic wines portray the astute beverages list, which additionally brags an intriguing choice oranges wines. Sack yourself perhaps the most smoking seat in Sydney.