Sydney Food-Restaurants

Sydney Food-Restaurants information

Fine Dining

Summit *** 47th Floor, 264 George St Tel: +61 (0)2-9247-9777 One of the city's best restaurants, the Summit is by far the most spectacular, as you dine with Sydney laid out around you on all sides. Superb international and modern Australian cuisine in the heart of the city. Doyle's *** Overseas Terminal, Circular Quay Tel: +61 (0)2-9252-3400 Doyle's is one of the best located restaurants in Sydney, offering an amazing view of the bay with Sydney Opera House on its right and Sydney Harbour Bridge on its left. It specialises in fish and seafood, all cooked superbly, and has a large wine list. The South Coast Snapper Fillets are particularly recommended. 360 *** Gallery Level, 100 Market St Tel: +61 (0)2-9235-2188 Renowned as the highest bar and restaurant in the southern hemisphere, 360 offers amazing views over Sydney. Its stylish décor makes it a luxurious place to savour a cocktail while perusing the predominantly Australian menu, which is influenced by French cuisine. There's a large selection of international wines on offer too. The 360-degree revolving floor allows you a bird's eye view of the whole city without moving from your seat.

French

Bistro Moncur *** 116 Queen St, Woollahra Tel: +61 (0)2-9363-2519 Rub shoulders with the great and the good (or simply the famous) of Sydney society in this modern French restaurant that has been setting the culinary pace since 1993. No booking and permanently packed so get there early or miss out. Tabou *** 527 Crown St, Surry Hills Tel: +61 (0)2-9319-5682 Tabou is located in one of the trendiest streets to eat in Sydney and shouldn't be missed if you're a lover of French food. The brasserie-style décor adds a traditional feeling to the place, and with authentic dishes like the Terrine Maison or Fillet de Veau you could be in France. There is a large selection of wine as you would expect, or you can bring your own if you prefer.

East Asian

Sailor's Thai **/*** 106 George St, The Rocks Tel: +61 (0)2-9251-2466 There are two separate styles to Sailor's Thai, which is located in the old Sailors' Home in The Rocks. There is the canteen, basically a noodle bar, on the ground floor, and then there is the restaurant in the basement. The food, though, is consistently superb and the atmosphere always convivial. Suan I-San * 1-4, 480 King St, Newtown Tel: +61 (0)2-9557-6722 You might find it a bit out of the way but it is worth the trip as Suan I-San serves delicious authentic Thai dishes, and is cheap! Located on trendy King Street, where restaurants abound, Suan I-San is very welcoming and offers comfy cushions to sit on.

Japanese

Hikaru * 52 Oxford St, Darlinghurst Tel: +61 (0)2-9358-5969 Located on buzzing Oxford Street, Hikaru mixes modern and authentic Japanese food very well. From sushi to tempura, sashimi to udon, there is plenty to choose from. A personal favourite is the Zaru Soba & Sushi set.

Chinese

Billy Kwong *** 355 Crown St, Surry Hills Tel: +61 (0)2-9332-3300 Ultra cool venue where fusion food still dominates the menu. Billy's is open for dinners Mon-Sat and no bookings taken, so try to arrive early if possible. It's bring your own booze - and you're best off sticking to simpler white wines considering the subtle tastes on offer.

Vegetarian

Harvest ** 71 Evans St, Rozelle Tel: +61 (0)2-9818-4201 This is probably the best-known vegan and vegetarian restaurant in Sydney, but is open only for dinners and is not licensed so bring your own booze if you want it. The food is of a very high standard, though, and well worth making the effort for.

International

Opera Bar ** Lower Concourse Level, Sydney Opera House Tel: +61 (0)2-9247-1666 Opera Bar is without doubt one of the best located restaurants in the world. With an unparalleled view of Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House, it has a great selection of dishes for both lunch and dinner. Some musical entertainment is provided throughout the week. The Meat & Wine Co *** IMAX Theatre Complex, 31 Wheat Rd, Darling Harbour Tel: +61 (0)2-9211-9888 The name says it all. The meat served here is of exceptional quality, and the wine list is hard to fault. Splurge on the melt-in-your-mouth fillet steak served with creamy garlic sauce for the optimum meat feast, with a starter of halloumi cheese. Hit the price tag above and print off the voucher for 10% off your bill.

Italian

Barzu * 121 Norton St, Leichardt Tel: +61 (0)2-9550-0144 Just one of many excellent Italians in the city. Barzu has a modern Italian feel, with elegant surroundings and very good food. You'll need to book ahead on weekends, and may have to order set menus for larger parties.

Indian

Zaaffran ** 345 Harbourside Centre, Darling Harbour Tel: +61 (0)2-9211-8900 One of the few good Indian restaurants in Sydney. The city hasn't really gone for the flavours of the Asian sub-continent in a big way, so it's nice to find a place passionate about top notch Indian cuisine.

Bars

The Aussies love to have a drink and you'll not want for opportunities to "blow the froth off a couple" whenever or wherever you are in Sydney. The typical Aussie pub is similar to a British or American bar. They are normally pretty lively places around the clock, although naturally they get busier as the night wears on and at weekends. The Aussie sports bar is a modern cultural phenomenon and it's well worth dropping in to one when Australia are playing either rugby or cricket anywhere in the world. It's as close as you can get to actually being there, although if you're English, South African or a New Zealander prepare to take a bit of stick - normally good natured unless Australia loses of course (on that score you're better off plumping for cricket - Australia never loses at that). One of the best sports bars in Sydney is located on George Street in the heart of the entertainment sector of Sydney. The cheesily named Cheers Bar has a giant screen showing everything from horse racing to the cricket and thirty monitors display the latest news from everywhere else in the world of sport. It's heaven for anyone who's ever admired a decent forward defensive stroke, and wants to talk about it over a beer with like-minded people. Once you've had your sports fix it's well worth exploring the rest of George Street; some of Sydney's best bars such as the famous Jackson's on George (Corner of Jackson & George Sts) are located here. Oxford Street in Paddington remains central to the night bar scene, with an eclectic mix of dance clubs, performance bars and simple drinking establishments. It used to be the seedy side of the city though and traces of that past can still be seen here and there. A more refined and quieter drinking experience can be found down on The Rocks. The old quarter has been done out in the last 40 years and a crop of period style pubs have become favourites with the tourist set. The Lord Nelson offers a good selection of beers while pubs like the Hero of Waterloo (81 Lower Fort St) have a strong seafaring history from the days when this was the rough end of town. If you want to escape this Who's Who of English pub names head for The Australian (100 Cumberland St) where the in-house brews have firmly established the pub as a favourite with tourists and locals alike. If you fancy a sundowner in sight of the Sydney harbour bridge and the Opera House you should head for Circular Quay, where bars are trendy, minimalist and expensive. Aqua Luna or ECQ are two of the current hotspots for the beautiful people.