Whether you opt for top-of-the-line, a budget bite in Chinatown or Thaitown, or one of the buzzing eateries in the inner-city areas of Darlinghurst or Surry Hills, a meal in Sydney is almost always memorable. The good news is that restaurants here are generally easier to get into than those in London or New York (although you will still need to book ahead for one of the big names, especially on a Friday or Saturday night), and good value – particularly since all restaurants will serve you pleasant-tasting Sydney tap water free of charge.
Number One Wine Bar and Bistro
Tony Bilson has spent four decades as one of Sydney’s most acclaimed chefs, and his latest venture proves he still knows how to make diners happy. This cosy little eatery has a relaxed vibe, a bar counter that’s the perfect place for lone diners to perch, and a mouth-watering Mediterranean menu that covers all the bases, from small plates like truffled scrambled egg or duck parfait, to eel carpaccio and confit pork belly.
Wine aficionados will want to immerse themselves in the stellar wine list, which distinguishes itself by offering a number of wines by the glass around the A$10 (US$10.53) mark, as well as more delicate drops such as a 2000 Moulin de La Lagune for A$22 (US$23.17).
Where: 1 Alfred St, Circular Quay Tel +61 2 8252 9296 www.numberonewinebar
Chat Thai
If you want to eat Asian in Sydney, you have no end of choices: from high-end restaurants such as Spice Temple and Billy Kwong, to cheap and cheerful outlets such as this authentic eatery near Central Station. The queue outside tells you everything you need to know about the food inside, and the open kitchen means there’s plenty to watch while you wait.
The extensive menu includes dishes from different Thai regions, including the southern Muslim khao mok gai, poached marinated chicken on rice, and a range of dishes from Isaan, considered by many to have the best food in Thailand – try suep nohr mai, a warm salad of bamboo shoots flavoured with toasted sesame seeds, lime, dried chilli and onions.
Where: 20 Campbell St, Haymarket Tel +61 2 9211 1808 www.chatthai.com.au
Fish Face
At Fish Face, it’s not difficult to get into a conversation. Diners are packed so tightly into this tiny space that, whether you’re sitting at one of the five high tables, the window benches, the seven-seat sushi bar, or even one of the three outside tables, you can’t help getting drawn into whatever your neighbours are discussing.
So why are Sydneysiders willing to be squashed like sardines in a tin can? It’s the food, stupid. Superbly fresh seafood, cleverly prepared, keeps locals coming back. The menu is bigger than you’d expect from a restaurant this size, too. On any given night, you’ll be able to choose from dishes such as raw fish salad or scallops served with green pea puree and pancetta; the best market-fresh fish, such as seared tuna with coddled egg and anchovy; or the above-mentioned sushi. For traditionalists, there’s even an irresistible fish and chips, the chips served in a jaunty paper cone.
Where: 132 Darlinghurst Rd, Darlinghurst Tel +61 2 9332 4803
Sushi-E
Justin Hemmes made his name as Sydney’s bar tsar, creating a range of cool clubs for the city’s hip young things. He’s now expanded his empire to include a diverse range of restaurants, all of which have a few things in common. The décor is sleek and sexy, the waiting staff even more so, while the meals are on the expensive side – but worth it. Sushi-E is a case in point, serving some of the best sushi in town. By sitting at the white marble sushi bar, you get a floorshow thrown in for free, too.
While sushi is very much the star of the show, the kitchen also delivers a range of other dishes, with salmon tartare, steamed oysters with ginger and shallots, and mango and soft-shell crab salad all favourites. If dessert is your thing, leave room for the green tea cheesecake.
Where: Level 4, Establishment Hotel, 252 George St Tel +61 2 9240 3041
Bentley Restaurant & Bar
The Bentley may regularly feature in top 10 lists of Sydney’s best eats, but it’s always had a sense of fun about it – chef Brent Savage and sommelier Nick Hildebrandt are like two kids let loose in the sandbox. It’s evident in everything from the décor – the light fittings look like battered cardboard boxes – to the menu.
Both degustation and à la carte options are on offer, but it’s worth signing up for the long haul. Usually, working your way through a degustation menu on your own is an exercise in tedium. However, with Savage’s endlessly inventive array of soils and foam, dusts and tubes, there’s plenty to keep you entertained, and you’ll appreciate having the time to try to take each meal apart, like the long tube of foie gras parfait, which snaps, crackles and pops thanks to the pickled raisins and puffed rice strewn through it.
Where: 320 Crown St, Surry Hills Tel +61 2 9332 2344 www.thebentley.com.au
Table for 20
“It’s about the people first, then the food,” says Michael Fantuz of Table for 20, his get-to-know-you gourmet night, which offers Sydneysiders and visitors alike the chance to make new friends while enjoying a good meal.
The concept is simple. Whether you’re a single diner, a couple or a group, you call and make a booking for a given night (Wednesday through to Saturday only). Dinner starts promptly at eight, and is served at two large tables of 20 people each. The three-course set menu is designed for sharing and ice-breaking.
“The food is served on platters, so you have to pass it to the people sitting next to you, offer them the potatoes – it’s like a family dinner,” Fantuz says.
Well before main course, the vibe resembles a successful dinner party, with chatter and laughter echoing off the exposed brick walls. There’s no fear of going hungry either. The meal typically starts with a pasta dish, followed by hearty mains such as rack of pork with rosemary potatoes and a cherry tomato, basil and butter bean salad. Desserts are a bit more flamboyant, and might include green tea and date crème brulée.
Guests are typically aged between 25 and 45, although on any given night there’s no telling who you might end up sitting next to. “That’s the whole point,” says Fantuz. He’s thrilled that his evenings keep breaking down barriers – in five years, four couples who met at Table for 20 have tied the knot.
WHERE:182 Campbell St, Surry Hills www.tablefor20.com.au Three courses A$65 (US$68.45), bring your own wine or order at the restaurant. For reservations, call or text +61 4 1609 6916.
