Sydney’s Best Restaurants - A Whirlwind Tour

The wide range of restaurants, cafes and pubs that Sydney has to offer is a reflection of the city’s cultural diversity. There are so many choices that it’s almost like reading an atlas. You can choose from local Australian food, or European, Asian, Mediterranean, Italian, Japanese and lots more.

If you’d like to have a chance to try traditional Australian food, Harry’s Cafe de Wheels is a great place to try the city’s best meat pies. Select venues even offer bush-tucker - aboriginal Australian food featuring kangaroo and other meats. While this meat has been allowed in restaurants only since 1993, foreign visitors have become very enthusiastic about trying these meals.

As Sydney is located on the harbor, many restaurants consider seafood a staple, and some even serve it exclusively. Some of the best restaurants in town, like Five Dock Seafoods Cafe and Fishface offer almost entirely seafood. You’ll know your fish is fresh, too. The nearby Sydney Fish Market offers octopus, calamari, prawns, snapper, mussels and more to restaurants.

The king of seafood in Sydney is Doyles Hotel, the town’s oldest seafood restaurant. Its beach side location also means that this restaurant provides an amazing view of Watsons Bay.

For great Italian food, try Mezzaluna or Gelbison, though you shouldn’t forget to look for some of the best pasta in the city in Little Italy (Norton Street in the Leichhardt inner city). Sydney’s fashionable cafes also have a strong Italian influence. Check out some of these establishments on Potts Point, Bondi Beach, or Darlinghurst.

Some of the most popular, trendy spots in town are also great coffee places. Consider Tropicana, the Bills, La Buvette and Bar Coluzzi.

European influence can be spotted elsewhere, too. French restaurants include Sel et Poivre and Bistro Moncur. The Greek Mykonos and Spanish Capitan Torres are a hit with locals and visitors, and you’ll find the best in Eastern European food at Corner 75.

For Asian food, whether it’s cuisine from the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, India, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Singapore or Iran, there’ll be many options. Some of the best rated include Chinta Ria, Blue Elephant, Malaya and Lebanon and Beyond.

For those who love sashimi, sushi, teriyaki and tempura, or just a bowl of noodles, local Japanese restaurants are available to please. Raw Bar, Dragonfly, Sushi Suma and Shimbashi all offer great options.

For restaurant hoppers, each district offers a little something different. In the west suburbs, Turkish and Cambodian restaurants are great choices, while the south suburbs offer Lebanese and Greek food. In the north, expect great Japanese, African, and Indian restaurants, and European and Indonesian establishments to the south.

Want a great view as well as great food? The Summit, Catalina, and the Boathouse are excellent choices. For vegetarians, try Harvest and Govindas, and trendseekers may wish to investigate Hugos and Bayswater Brasserie Restaurant.