Eat Your Way Around Sydney: Top Dining Spots, Farmers Markets & Unforgettable Dining Experiences

From distinguished restaurants like Quay and Bennelong to Sydney’s best farmers markets and Insta-famous eats, here are our top tips for eating your way around Sydney.

Bennelong Restaurant, Credit: Destination NSW

Renowned Sydney restaurants

Sydney is brimming with iconic restaurants and immersive eateries, but there are a handful that top the list.

Led by legendary Australian Executive Chef Peter Gilmore, the three-hatted Quay is one of the trailblazers of Sydney’s fine dining scene. Featured on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list multiple times, this elegant restaurant serves six and ten-course tasting menus starring bespoke produce and unrivalled views of the Sydney Opera House.

Across the Harbour, within the iconic Sydney Opera House, Bennelong is Quay’s sister restaurant - also with Executive Chef Peter Gilmore at the helm. Australian produce and wine take centre stage at Bennelong; don’t miss the famous Bennelong Pavlova which is inspired by the sails of the Opera House itself.

Just a stone’s throw away, Aria by notable Australian chef Matt Moran is another premium dining experience which pays homage to the best of Australian produce.

In Sydney’s culinary hotspot of Surry Hills, Chef Lennox Hastie’s Firedoor is a celebration of seasonal ingredients cooked solely by fire. The open kitchen uses no gas or electricity and allows diners a clear view of the wood-fired action.

Around the corner in a sleek converted warehouse, NOMAD Sydney serves flame-grilled and smoked dishes inspired by the cuisine of Spain, Morocco and the Middle East.

Mr Wong, Credit: Destination NSW

International cuisine in Sydney

Global cuisine is what Sydney does best; visitors can find international eats around every corner.

Several Sydney restaurants have made a name for themselves as institutions for multicultural cuisine, including Restaurant Hubert in the heart of the city, which serves up French bistro classics in a vintage-style underground dining room that plays live jazz music every night of the week.

Nearby is the 240-seat Mr Wong, which serves a mouthwatering array of Cantonese-style dishes that pay homage to classic Chinese influences in a contemporary style.

For fine-dining Japanese, it’s hard to go past Nobu in Crown Sydney, which blends Japanese tradition with local produce and seafood to present innovative dishes with views of Darling Harbour, alongside an inventive beverage list starring sake, wine, and cocktails inspired by native botanicals.

In Potts Point, The Apollo is a contemporary Greek taverna that’s famed for its sophisticated take on Greek classics like saganaki served with fresh oregano and bush flower honey from the Blue Mountains.

And in Surry Hills, Pellegrino 2000 is an intimate garage-style trattoria serving Italian staples including house-made pasta and fresh burrata, alongside a diverse Italian-Australian wine list.

Oncore

Hotel drinks and dining

Sydney is known for its array of premium accommodation, which serve as equally impressive places to drink and dine.

Those seeking a rooftop experience must try the new 29/30 rooftop bar which is split across two levels at the W Sydney, boasting a stylish fit out featuring bold interiors and open-air cabana lounges.

Meanwhile, on the top floor of the Shangri-La Sydney, Blu Bar on 36 serves up theatrical cocktails and timeless classics in a glowing bar with dazzling views of Sydney Harbour.

At the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth – Australia’s first international hotel –Tilda and Bar Tilda offer earthy interiors inspired by desert landscapes and a menu that captures the essence of contemporary Australian dining, while bustling Vietnamese-French restaurant Delta Rue on level five blends the old-world elegance of 1920's Hanoi with a vibrant modern influence.

Meanwhile at Capella Sydney, Brasserie 1930 offers an elevated dining experience showcasing exceptional Australian produce that highlights small-batch farmers and growers.

And on level 26 of Crown Sydney, Oncore by Chef Clare Smyth - the first and only British female chef to hold three Michelin stars in the UK – pays homage to Smyth’s famous London restaurant ‘Core’, which champions exceptional dining using sustainable ingredients.

Jonah's, Credit: Destination NSW

Uniquely Sydney dining experiences

For an unforgettable dining experience, there is no better place than Sydney.

A collaboration between renowned Australian chef Luke Mangan and BridgeClimb, Luke’s Table at the Pylon Lookout is a unique experience that allows 20 guests the privilege of dining 87 metres above sea level, at sunset, inside one of the pylons of the Sydney Harbour Bridge itself.

For those who’d prefer to dine on the water, The Jackson Sydney is a luxury superyacht offering full private vessel hire for up to 650 guests, as well as regular ticketed events like Chandon Harbour Long Lunch and Veuve Cliquot in the Sun.

Also overlooking Sydney Harbour is Midden by Mark Olive, a new culinary experience with celebrated Indigenous Australian chef and Bundjalung man Mark Olive at the helm. ‘Midden’ is a nod to the area’s rich seafood resources – especially oysters – the shells of which were discarded by the First Nations people to form ‘middens’ around Sydney Harbour.

Another unique Sydney experience is to fly to lunch by seaplane. Sydney Seaplanes transports guests from Rose Bay to places like Jonah’s Whale Beach in Sydney’s iconic northern beaches, or Cottage Point Inn on the Hawkesbury River.

Also on the Hawkesbury is Sydney Oyster Farm Tours, where guests can learn the evolution of sustainable oyster farming and current cultivation methods, before donning a pair of waders and sampling freshly shucked oysters at a white-clothed table in the water.

And lastly, it wouldn’t be a trip to Sydney without a visit to Bondi Beach, where a sun-drenched lunch at Icebergs Dining Room & Bar overlooking the famous Bondi Icebergs ocean pool is a must.

Black Star Pastry, Credit: James Horan / Destination NSW

Instagrammable eats in Sydney

From watermelon cakes to juicy burgers, some of Sydney’s signature eats have become a social media sensation in recent years.

The strawberry watermelon cake at Black Star Pastry –home of ‘the world’s most Instagrammed cake’ is layered with fresh watermelon and rose scented cream. This Insta-famous cake is topped with strawberries, pistachios and dried rose petals and is available from Black Star Pastry’s various outlets, from the Sydney CBD store to Chatswood and Newtown.

In North Bondi, Speedos Café holds the title of ‘the world’s most Instagrammable café’, dishing up picture-perfect brunches packed with colourful, fresh ingredients and a side of ocean views.

In Sydney’s trendy foodie suburb of Newtown – also available at other outposts – Mary’s Burgers is famed for its juicy handcrafted hamburgers, from classic cheeseburgers to indulgent creations that push the boundaries of burger perfection.

Also in Newtown is Tokyo Lamington, which has taken the humble Aussie lamington to new heights with inventive (and highly Instagrammable!) concoctions like yuzu meringue, fairy bread with popcorn buttercream, and raspberry mango trifle.

While you’re on the dessert train, don’t miss Gelato Messina – the benchmark for gelato in Australia – made from super creamy jersey milk from the company’s own dairy farm. There are several stores around Sydney, each showcasing 40 different gelato flavours: 35 traditional and five rotating weekly specials.

Sydney Fish Markets Tours Credit Destination NSW

Sydney Fish Markets, Credit: Destination NSW

Sydney's fresh food markets

In a city obsessed with fresh food, a trip to a produce market is the quintessential way to live like a local.

The weekly Carriageworks markets are some of Sydney’s most popular; they’ve become a beloved institution showcasing the freshest seasonal produce and artisanal delights from local growers and producers across the state.

Paddy’s Markets in Flemington is the largest farmers market in Sydney, with produce stalls that will fill more than three football fields every Saturday.

Two more unmissable markets are the Orange Grove Organic Markets which specialise in certified organic produce, and the Bondi Farmers Market where visitors can browse the fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables, organic meat and poultry, just-picked flowers, artisanal breads, homemade jams, farmstead cheeses, seafood, olive oils, herbs, spices and more.

For seafood enthusiasts, Sydney Fish Market at Blackwattle Bay is a working fish market on Sydney Harbour showcasing seafood retailers, cafes and restaurants, and behind-the-scenes tours of the working wharf and wholesale auctions. It’s also home to Sydney Seafood School, where guests can taste and learn about Australian seafood through innovative hands-on cooking experiences. The Sydney Fish Market site is undergoing a significant transformation to be revealed in 2025, with a new building that’s set to be Sydney's most significant harbourside development since the Sydney Opera House.