Some of Sydney’s most popular restaurants are casual eateries where you can pop in for lunch with friends. But when you’re looking to celebrate a special occasion, treat yourself or a loved one or just want to try something a little fancier, the best fine dining restaurants in Sydney are the place to go.
From robust flavours served in one of Australia’s most iconic buildings to a unique, organic restaurant that brings views of the harbour, Sydney’s fine dining gems have plenty of extra perks.
A few extra-special omakase restaurants are always a unique experience and a luxurious cocktail bar is the perfect spot to wind down the night. So, put on your favourite smart casual outfit and get ready for a night to remember.
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Keep reading for the best fine-dining restaurants in Sydney
For one of the best fine dining restaurants in Sydney, with a menu that changes often, visit Margaret in Double Bay
With four decades of hospitality experience, Neil Perry AM is an icon of Australia’s restaurant industry, as both a restauranteur and a philanthropist. He named this Double Bay gem after his late mother, and it’s her caring nature that inspires the ethos of Margaret. Its commitment to looking after suppliers, staff, community and customers helps create the warm, welcoming environment that greets every diner. Margaret is a fine dining neighbourhood restaurant with a sense of, in Perry’s words, “comfort, generosity and cosiness”.
While you can check out the menu before you visit, the dishes change slightly each day to best use the freshest seasonal ingredients. Seafood is the star of the menu, and there’s no better way to start things off than with a black pearl white sturgeon caviar tartlet. Expect a range of fresh grilled fish from the wood fire, such as John Dory served with an invigorating peanut, chili and tomato salsa.
The dessert menu offers rich puddings like a crème caramel served with Blue Mountains honey alongside select Australian cheeses. If you happen to be celebrating a special romantic milestone, Sam and Neil’s wedding cake is an easy thematic choice.
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For a unique omakase experience book a table at Kobo in Circular Quay
From learning at his grandmother’s side to refining his skills at Sydney hotspots like Marble BBQ and Tokki, hatted chef Jacob Lee has years of experience with Korean, Japanese and Australian cuisine. Kobo showcases his skills with an intimate – and exclusive – omakase experience.
Combining traditional Korean dishes with Japanese influences and modern Australian twists, Kobo is an expression of chef Jacob’s life and culinary experiences. The eight-seat omakase offers just two sittings each day, so booking a spot in advance is crucial.
Make your way down Quay Quarter Lanes, behind the heritage Hinchcliff House, and take your seat at Kobo’s central solid marble table. The chef, as much as the food, makes an omakase experience special, and chef Jacob is always a passionate host. He’ll take you through the unique flavours and expressions of each “episode” as he shares his own culinary memories through an ever-changing menu.
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For Japanese omakase at one of the best fine dining restaurants in Sydney, book your seats at Tsuzumi in Barangaroo
Sushi, rhythm and sake are all part of the experience at this omakase restaurant in Barangaroo. The understated interior has room for just 12 diners, seated around the chef’s workspace. Simple decor and seating ensure that the focus is entirely on the skill of the chef and the flavours of the food. Smart casual is the required dress code but Tsuzumi encourages evening attire, so it’s the perfect opportunity to dress up in your finest.
The chef takes diners through each ingredient and dish, explaining its origin and preparation. The tsuzumi (or 鼓) is a traditional Japanese hand drum, and this restaurant keeps a steady beat as it guides you through each course. With seatings for lunch and dinner, Tsuzumi uses seasonal ingredients sourced sustainably to offer the best dishes. This means the menu is always a little different, but expect a wide variety of sushi and sashimi, flights of sake and unforgettable flavours.
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For an inventive menu by one of Australia’s best chefs, book at Quay in The Rocks
Quay offers one of the most unique fine dining experiences in Sydney. With a dining space that extends out onto the water, you take in incredible views of Sydney Harbour, the Bridge and the Opera House at this creative restaurant.
Executive chef Peter Gilmore is one of the most decorated chefs in Australia, receiving three Chefs Hats eighteen years in a row among numerous other accolades. At Quay, he’s worked alongside restaurant group Fink to create a relaxing, organic atmosphere that evokes Australia’s incredible biodiversity, with both its dining space and its menu.
The restaurant has carefully considered every aspect of the experience, from the ingredients and dishes to the individual ceramic pieces that bring them to your table. With dishes like smoked eel cream served with sea cucumber crackling and confit pig jowl with a roasted onion jus, you won’t find a menu like this anywhere else in Sydney. An extensive wine list ensures you can find the perfect complement (and if the choice is overwhelming, just ask the sommelier).
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For one of Sydney’s best fine dining hotspots, head to the Sydney Opera House – Bennelong Restaurant in Sydney’s CBD
When he isn’t working on the creative menu over at Quay, executive chef Peter Gilmore brings his talents to Sydney’s most iconic building. Head through the entrance under the Monumental Steps and inside the sails of the Sydney Opera House. It might take a while to go through the menu as you bring your gaze to the harbour and the city lights. This restaurant is perfect for a pre-show meal, just be sure to allow ample time for the full experience.
Bennelong Restaurant à la carte menu aims to celebrate the best Australian produce and culinary traditions. Start with the intense flavours of a pickled cherry, confit tomato and liquorice kombu salad before digging into a Wagyu fillet served with a smooth oyster mushroom truffle purée. For dessert, satisfy your sweet tooth with Aussie favourites like fluffy lamingtons (made with cherry jam) or an extra special chocolate crackle.
The restaurant’s Distillery Down Under project puts some of the best boutique distilleries in the country front and centre on the drinks menu. Enjoy the local products neat or in a special cocktail unique to the distillery of the month.
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For one of the best fining dining restaurants in Sydney, try The Dining Room by James Viles in the Sydney CBD
The Sydney Opera House comes back into view at The Dining Room by James Viles. Casually elegant, rugged yet refined, The Dining Room’s pared-back menu lets each ingredient shine. Housed inside Park Hyatt Sydney, dim, warm lighting in its elegant dining space helps emphasise the breathtaking view outside.
For lunch, aged soy jelly adds a unique flavour to the Coffs Harbour tuna, while steamed Murray cod comes in an aromatic broth. Book a table for dinner and start things off with some Sydney rock oysters served with a spicy mignonette. Bites of Gulf prawn toast and calamari are perfect for sharing, and you can order the roast Sommerland chicken half or whole. The strawberry gum ice cream uses Bennelong’s own honey, and the chocolate tart uses 70% Valrhona for a rich, velvety taste. Peruse the cocktail menu and pair your meal with the bubbling, citrusy flavours of a Yuzushu fizz or a classic old-fashioned made with Michter’s rye.
The Dining Room also offers a unique breakfast experience. It includes a continental buffet with unlimited muesli and smoked salmon, alongside an à la carte menu of fluffy ricotta pancakes and hearty sashimi breakfast bowls.
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For an excellent service and a private dining space in Sydney, secure a table at Ursula’s in Paddington
Ursula’s Paddington welcomes you into an intimate, colourful space that maintains a home-style feel with its decor and menu.
Start things off with an Ursula’s Negroni for an aperitif and a plate of natural oysters with a Champagne mignonette. A gazpacho shot is sure to get your tastebuds tingling, ready for a plate of caramelised halloumi or Moreton Bay bug pasta. You can share the large plates of Wagyu or bass and they pair perfectly with a side of fresh peaches and Iberian ham. Strawberry sorbet served with white strawberries and champagne cream always feels extra special, while the golden syrup dumplings with malt cream are a cold-weather favourite.
Alongside the excellent food, Ursula’s Paddington has warm, attentive service from the waitstaff. It’s this personal touch that creates a comfortable, neighbourhood feel in an elegant space that keeps diners returning again and again. For extra special occasions, book the private dining space, The Blue Room, upstairs. In warm weather, gather out on the balcony and look out over Paddington towards the harbour.
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Date nights, anniversaries and other special occasions are easy to celebrate at the best fine dining restaurants in Sydney. Share delicious cocktails, fresh seafood and the finest cuts of meat. Plus, take in some of the best views in Sydney, over the harbour and under the bridge.
