SYDNEY RESTAURANTS CONTINUED...
CITY CENTRE
BODHI IN THE PARK, Cook and Phillip Park, 2-4 College Street.
This is a wonderful place to come for lunch on a sunny day, or for dinner on a summer's night, when you can sit outside. You will be amazed by the realistic vegan versions of fish and chicken. The sang choy bau (not-pork) is excellent, as is the signature dish, a skin-and-all vegan Peking duck. There is also a good wine and cocktail list.
Tel: 93 - 60 - 25 - 23
Price Range: Under $35
MOTHER CHU'S VEGETARIAN KITCHEN, 367 Pitt Street.
A cheap and cheerful restaurant that offers big serving of hearty food by blending the flavours of Taiwan, China and Japan. It's often full of students and arty types enjoying the warm Buddhist hospitality. They offer delicious stir-fries and curries you can trust are really vegetarian. Do not be put off by the canteen decor.
Tel: 92 - 83 - 28 - 28
Price Range: Under $35
DIETHNES, 336 Pitt Street.
A Sydney institution, Diethnes has been in the same basement spot for 35 years, and you can tell. But get past the kitsch decor, and you will find huge portions of hearty meals. With dozens of meat dishes, pastas, rice, salads and traditional Greek fare such as tzaziki and spanakopita, there is something for everyone.
Tel: 92 - 67 - 89 - 56
Price Range: $35 - $60
ENCASA, 423 Pitt Street.
Near Central Station, this casual Spanish restaurant is one of Sydney's best. If you intend to try their signature dish, Romesco de Peix, a Catalan seafood stew, it is best to let them know in advance. Served in an earthenware bowl, the prawns, squid and fish swim in a traditional, hazelnut sauce. Their standards of tapas, paella and sangria are great.
Tel: 92 - 11 - 42 - 57
Price Range: $35 - $60
GPO WOODFIRED PIZZA, Lower Ground Floor, 1 Martin Place.
Serving a regular pizza for $15 makes this city diner fabulous value, meaning you can dine in the restored GPO building for a fraction of the cost of neighbours Prime and Post. The pizzas have crispy bases and the freshest toppings. Try a salame piccante with classic toppings of tomato, mozzarella, salami and olives.
Price Range: $35 - $60
SLIP INN, 111 Sussex Street.
This is the gentrified pub where Australia's Mary Donaldson met her husband, Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark. During the day, two menus offer modern Australian and Thai fare, best devoured in the sunny courtyard. At night, a short and sweet selection of pizzas keeps the customers happy.
Tel: 82 - 95 - 99 - 99
Price Range: $35 - $60
POST SEAFOOD BRASSERIE, Lower Ground Floor, 1 Martin Place.
Every fish that comes through the Post kitchen has been spiked, in the ikijimi method. This means that even dishes such as chargrilled tuna or roasted blue eye trevalla are made with sashimi quality fish. There are plenty of non-fishy options on the menu too, including vegetarian pumpkin ravioli, braised lamb shanks and duck confit.
Tel: 92 - 29 - 77 - 44
Price Range: $60 - $85
SKY PHOENIX, Attic, Level 3, 77 Castlereagh Street.
Yum cha means to drink tea, and while green or jasmine tea will accompany your lunch, the real attractions are the trolleys laden with dumplings. These include gow gee, dim sum and steamed buns, which might be filled with pork, green vegetable or prawns. The staff will be happy to explain the ordering system and each dish's content.
Tel: 92 - 23 - 88 - 22
Price Range: $60 - $85
SUSHI E, Level 4, 252 George Street.
Located inside the exclusive Hemmesphere Bar, there are so many magnificent sushi and sashimi dishes on offer here; it is impossible to list them. Ordering the set of little Asian spoons, each with a different delicious morsel, is a good idea. You might follow this with a nigiri sushi set or test your taste buds with a chili-loaded dynamite sushi roll.
GLASS BRASSERIE, Level 2, 488 George Street.
When the Hilton completed its renovations in mid-2005 it became the snazziest hotel in Sydney. This restaurant aims to find a happy medium between the comfort and familiarity of a hotel bistro and the quality and excitement of chef Luke Mangan's previous restaurant, Salt. The menu is filled with classics such as steak tartare and duck a l'orange.
Tel: 92 - 65 - 60 - 68
Price Range: $85 - $110
INDUSTRIE - SOUTH OF FRANCE, 107 Pritt Street.
This is just not a restaurant but a cafe, bar and club too. It's anything you want it to be. There's breakfast, dinner, drinks and dancing, and it's all infused with the flavour and spirit of the French Riviera. Vodka appreciation courses are held on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, and there are DJ's from Wednesday to Saturday.
Tel: 92 - 21 - 80 - 01
Price Range: $85 - $110
BECASSE, 204 Clarence Street.
Once a tiny bistro, Becasse recently moved into this swanky city space. Chef Justin North does wonderful things with less popular cuts of meat, as well as luxe updates of classics such as smoked haddock soup with quail egg and oscietra caviar. Luckily, the very rich food is served in small portions. Diners are offered several complimentary nibbles.
Tel: 92 - 83 - 34 - 40
Price Range: Over $110
EST, Level 1, 252 George Street.
The Establishment complex houses a lively ground level bar and a more restrained lunge above. In between, this dining room provides the setting for a luxurious meal. There are no views but the food shines as bright as the city lights. Don't miss the blood orange souffle with blood orange sorbet. Booking is recommended.
Tel: 92 - 40 - 30 - 10
Price Range: Over $110
FORTY ONE, Level 42, 2 Chifley Square.
The old Sydney favourite offers impressive views of the city and the harbour. Chef Dietmar Sawyere's blend of European and Asian flavours is a winning combination. Specialities include roast wild hare with Israeli cous cous, chorizo and Medjool dates and Armagnac veloute. A vegetarian menu is also available.
Tel: 92 - 21 - 25 - 00
Price Range: Over $110
OMEGA, 161 King Street.
The menu at this snazzy modern Greek fine diner reads like a recipe fro exotica. Mains include duck pie with celeriac skordalia and black olive sauce; and herb-crusted whiting in kataifi pastry with crab, cavolo nero and savoro sauce. For dessert, a baked nougat tart is served with orange blossom custard, candied sour cherries and Iranian fairy floss.
Tel: 92 - 23 - 02 - 42
Price Range: Over $110
PRIME, Lower Ground Floor, 1 Martin Place.
There are plenty of non-meaty options on the menu at this stylish steakhouse but really, everyone comes for the steak. Your pick of cuts can be grilled as little or as much as you wish and is served with a tomato confit, potato puree or gratin and a jus or sauce. They also have a separate menu for wagyu, the highest graded beef.
Tel: 92 - 29 - 77 - 77
Price Range: Over $110
TETSUYA'S, 529 Kent Street.
Internationally revered and widely considered Australia's best restaurant. Tetsuya's serene space puts the emphasis on the food and wine. The degustation menus fuse Japanese flavours with French technique. Wines can be matched to each course and vegetarian degustations are available on request. Ask to meet the chef for a tour.
Tel: 92 - 67 - 29 - 00
Price Range: Over $110
DARLING HARBOUR
PASTEUR, 709 George Street.
Finish your $9 bowl of beef and rice noodle soup and you may not need dinner. Pho is a Vietnamese speciality, which may come with chicken or beef. These float in fragrant broth, served with a pile of mint and basil leaves, chili and fish sauce. Fresh spring rolls are another delicious snack, filled with pork and prawns, which you can order here.
Tel: 92 - 12 - 56 - 22
Price Range: Under $35
BBQ KING, 18-20 Goulburn Street.
A large eatery with abrupt service and non-existent decor. Despite this it has long held cult status. To understand why, try dining late at the end of a big night and you will discover just how welcome this hearty food can be. Almost everyone orders the same thing, barbecued duck and Chinese beer. Open until 2am on weekends.
Tel: 92 - 67 - 25 - 86
Price Range: $35 - $60
CHINTA RIA: THE TEMPLE OF LOVE, 201 Sussex Street.
Feelings of happiness are brought into this lively restaurant by the giant Buddha that takes centre stage. Its reasonable prices and fun atmosphere make it popular with a young crowd. The fresh and spicy Malaysian food is great for sharing and may be an aphrodisiac. Bookings are not taken for dinner, so expect long queues.
Tel: 92 - 64 -32 - 11
Price Range: $35 - $60
REGAL, 347-353 Sussex Street.
Away from the bustle of Dixon and Hay Streets, the Regal is decked out with glittering chandeliers and private rooms. Waiters pushing dim sum-laden trolleys make it reminiscent of the yum cha places of Hong Kong. Cantonese seafood is popular, as well as roast suckling pig, steamed fish chosen from the tank and Peking duck.
Tel: 92 - 61 - 89 - 88
Price Range: $35 - $60
WAGAMAMA, 49 Lime Street.
Sometimes when a restaurant is part of a multinational chain it is a good thing; especially if like Wagamama, the brand focuses on bringing diners healthy, cheap food. This outlet has the same big bowls of filling noodles and refreshing juices, plus those Darling Harbour views. There are also restaurants on Crown and Bridge streets.
Tel: 92 - 99 - 69 - 44
Price Range: $35 - $60
ZAAFFRAN, Level 2, 345 Harbourside Shopping Centre.
The pick of Darling Harbour's eateries, this Indian restaurant is heaven for vegetarians. The food goes beyond the standards, to offer eggplant and okra with coconut and tamarind. Carnivores will be satisfied by an aromatic lamb shank stew, chicken biryani or the excellent tandoori prawns. There are also god value set menus.
Tel: 92 - 11 - 89 - 00
Price Range: $35 - $60
GOLDEN CENTURY, 393-399 Sussex Street.
The menu is huge, the staff are friendly and the selection of live seafood, including crab, abalone, lobster, parrot fish, barramundi and coral trout, is enormous. But what is truly amazing about this restaurant is that its kitchen stays open until 4am. It is not unusual to find the place full of other chefs relaxing after work.
Tel: 92 - 12 - 39 - 01
Price Range: $60 - $85
JORDAN'S SEAFOOD RESTAURANT, 197 Harbourside.
Jordan's Seafood Restaurant overlooks Darling Harbour and offers quality fresh seafood. Sushi, sashimi, char-grilled baby octopus, salmon, deep-fried snapper and calamari are all available. Splurging on a deluxe platter for two, you will be served a hot-and-cold selection of the market's best catch, including lobster. Excellent cocktails.
Tel: 92 - 81 - 37 - 11
Price Range: $60 - $85
KINGSLEY'S STEAKHOUSE, 17 Lime Street.
This is one of three restaurants of the same name in the CBD. Each has a relaxed atmosphere and a bevy of good quality steaks to choose from, as well as a sprinkling of fish dishes and plenty of shellfish. All three also offer a cheap "biz" lunch on weekdays. The King Street Wharf venue has one extra: fantastic views of Darling Harbour.
Tel: 92 - 79 - 25 - 25
Price Range: $60 - $85
KOBE JONES, 29 Lime Street.
Decorated in stylish black and red, this modern Japanese restaurant avoids being too touristy, despite front-row views of Darling Harbour. The large menu includes signature dishes such as a trio oyster shooters, each with a distinctive flavour, and seared smoked salmon marinated in green tea with wasabi mash and nori cream. Great cocktails too.
Tel: 92 - 99 - 52 - 90
Price Range: $60 - $85
MARIGOLD, Levels 4 & 5, 683-689 George Street.
A truly enormous restaurant, Marigold takes up two floors atop a shopping arcade. Long considered Sydney's best yum cha, a meal of dumplings served with tea at lunchtime. At dinner, groups of six or more can choose form banquet menus, which offer excellent value dishes such as king prawns with vegetables and crispy-skinned chicken.
Tel: 92 - 81 - 33 - 88
Price Range: $60 - $85
NICK'S SEAFOOD RESTAURANT, The Promenade.
Nick's offers a menu full of crowd-pleasers and a fabulous spot to bask in Sydney's sunshine. At night, Darling Harbour's lights sparkle on the water. There is a cheap kids' menu of fish, calamari or chicken with chips, followed by vanilla ice cream. Grownups might try char-grilled tuna or octopus, served with chips and salad.
Tel: 92 - 64 - 12 - 12
Price Range: $60 - $85
COAST, 201 Sussex Street.
Eating fresh local seafood by the water is a quintessential Sydney experience. Business lunches by cay and big groups at night pack this popular spot on the city side of Darling Harbour. The Italian-leaning menu focuses on seafood, with live lobsters available from the tank and a selection of shellfish offered as anti-pasta.
Tel: 92 - 67 - 67 - 00
Price Range: $85 - $110
BOTANIC GARDENS AND THE DOMAIN
PAVILION ON THE PARK, 1 Art Gallery Road.
Good versions of cafe standards including baguettes with Brie and quince paste or chicken, bacon and avocado, soups, salads and cakes. There is also Shepherd's pie, pastas, plenty of yummy cakes and a comprehensive breakfast menu. Outdoor tables look out over The Domain, where office workers play soccer at lunchtime.
Tel: 92 - 32 - 13 - 22
Price Range: $35 - $60
BOTANIC GARDENS RESTAURANT, Royal Botanic Gardens.
Set among the lush greenery, this excellent value lunch venue opens on to a terrace, letting in the sounds of the gardens, even the squawks of the famous bats. Serious gourmets might try the delicious grilled beef tenderloin with caramelized tomato tart. Weekend brunch is lovely too, and there is a cafe next door.
Tel: 92 - 41 - 24 - 19
Price Range: $60 - $85
THE ART GALLERY RESTAURANT, Art Gallery Road.
Open only for lunch daily and also for brunch on weekends, this restaurant provides a sophisticated place to discuss the latest exhibition. The menu is small but should please most. There is also a more casual cafe on the lower level, which is great for kids, offering little cardboard boxes with sandwiches, a drink and a chocolate.
Tel: 92 - 25 - 18 - 19
Price Range: $60 - $85
KINGS CROSS AND DARLINGHURST
BILL AND TONI'S, 74 Stanley Street.
A Sydney stalwart loved for its strong coffee, old-fashioned feel and checked tablecloths. Upstairs you will find basic but delicious home-style Italian fare, such as spaghetti Bolognese and bistecca, and fast, friendly service. Afterwards, head downstairs for macchiato and gelato. An excellent place to bring kids, with pinball and racing games.
Tel: 93 - 60 - 47 - 02
Price Range: Under $35
GOVINDA'S, 112 Darlinghurst Road.
Dining at this Indian vegetarian restaurant means piling up a plate of delicious curries, breads and salads from the all-you-can-eat buffet. Many of the dishes are Indian, but pastas and casseroles are available too. For a little extra you can see a film in the upstairs movie room, and it is best to eat afterwards to avoid drifting off in the comfy couches.
Tel: 93 - 80 - 51 - 55
Price Range: Under $35
DISHY, 68 Stanley Street.
Widely recommended as a great place to take children, this cafe is in the fun Stanley Street strip. The kids' menu is reasonably priced and includes fish and chips, spaghetti Bolognese, chicken schnitzel, kids' brekkie and more. There is plenty on the menu for mums and dads too, from cafe classics to Asian-fusion dishes.
Tel: 83 - 54 - 03 - 22
Price Range: $35 - $60
FU MANCHU, 249 Victoria Street.
A small, hip Chinese noodle bar, serving Northern Chinese and Southeast Asian hawker-style, home-cooked dishes. This is a fun place for a quick dinner at a communal table. The menu offers fresh and tasty dumplings, soups and stir-fries. Recently renovated it now features the Suzy Wong Banquet Rooms, which accepts credit cards. Dinner only.
Tel: 93 - 60 - 94 - 24
Price Range: $35 - $60
OH CALCUTTA, 251 Victoria Street.
Serving modern Indian food with remarkable complexity of flavour, this small, stylish restaurant manages to offer the cuisine of a fine diner at almost cafe prices. The tasting menu is good value, allowing you to try three entrees and three mains, plus rice, accompaniments and bread. There are also pre-theatre deals. Booking is recommended.
Tel: 93 - 60 - 36 - 50
Price Range: $35 - $60
BAYSWATER BRASSERIE, 32 Bayswater Road.
This veteran of Kings Cross is famous for its freshly shucked oysters and friendly service. The modern Australian minu changes with the availability of the best produce, which may include blue swimmer crab lasagne with tomato beurre blanc or rhubarb creme brulee. Everything is handmade here, such as bread, pasta, ice cream and pastries.
Tel: 93 - 57 - 21 - 77
Price Range: $60 - $85
FISHFACE, 132 Darlinghurst Road.
In a tiny space which seats just 26, this restaurant offers the best value fish in town. The beer-battered fish and hand-cut chips are famous, and there is also a sushi bar. The menu is full of appealing choices, including the signature dish of blue-eye trevalla topped with thin rounds of potato shaped into scales. No bookings after 7pm.
Tel: 93 - 32 - 48 - 03
Price Range: $60 - $85
JIMMY LIKS, 188 Victoria Street.
The no-bookings policy at this buzzing, modern Asian joint means you can count on a lengthy wait for a seat at the communal table. Those who stick it out, dine on Southeast Asian treats such as betel leaves with chicken and smoked eggplant and good-sized mains. The adjoining bar offers 21 Asian-inspired and award-winning cocktails.
Tel: 83 - 54 - 14 - 00
Price Range: $60 - $85
LOTUS, 22 Challis Avenue.
Chef Genevieve Copland has been behind many of Sydney's best restaurants, and here she cooks simple and hearty food. The small blackboard menu might include roasted lamb rump with beans, tomatoes and olive sauce or warm salad of duck livers with globe artichoke, crispy bacon and walnuts. A smart little bar is hidden out the back.
Tel: 93 - 26 - 90 - 00
Price Range: $60 - $85
MAHJONG ROOM, 312 Crown Street.
This modern Chinese Restaurant, packed with a young crowd, is very different form the big Chinatown diners. Dishes such as bang bang chicken with century eggs and stir-fried prawns and snow peas are served at mahjong tables in a series of small rooms. Double the experience by sharing the reasonably priced dishes.
Tel: 93 - 61 - 39 - 85
Price Range: $60 - $85
TILBURY HOTEL, 12-18 Nicholson Street.
The Tilbury Hotel was refurbished recently, resulting in its transformation into one of the trendiest pubs in Sydney. The restaurant offers excellent Italian fare, and the daily menu might include gnocchi with chicken, sausage, barlotti beans and fennel. Also has a cafe serving wraps, bagels and coffees. Jazz on Sunday afternoons in the bar.
Tel: 93 - 68 - 10 - 41
Price Range: $60 - $85
YELLOW BISTRO, 57 Macleay Street.
Van Gogh yellow walls make this, one of the most famous buildings in the Cross, stand out. In the 1970's it was an artists' commune, which housed Brett Whiteley. Today creative genius is obvious in the food. The brunch menu is lovely but nothing beats the celebrated date tart created by pastry chef, Lorraine Godsmark. It also has a food store.
Tel: 93 - 57 - 34 - 00
Price Range: $60 - $85
MANTA, 6 Cowper Wharf Road.
in a great pairing, chef Stefano Manfredi creates Italian flavours from Australian seafood. Diners don bibs to devour lobster and mud crab cooked straight from the tank, or order the signature roasted Murray cod. As many as five types of oyster may be available, including, in season, the superb native Angasis. Fantastic Italian desserts too.
Tel: 93 - 32 - 38 - 22
Price Range: $85 - $110
OTTO, 6 Cowper Wharf Road.
Otto is a piece of Melbourne brought to Sydney's waterfront and is so appreciated that it often draws celebrities, from footballers to Kylie Minogue, to its dark and handsome surrounds. Italian fare is jazzed up with local ingredients, such as fillet of Mandagery Creek venison with celeriac parsnip puree, pancetta, green beans and juniper jus.
Tel: 93 - 68 - 74 - 88
Price Range: $85 - $110
PELLO, 71-73 Stanley Street.
This is a hip restaurant, with tables on the terrace or in a small courtyard, as well as in the dining room. There is also a great little bar, where you can drink without dining (rare in Sydney), London trained chef, Thomas Johns, uses the freshest ingredients to serve vegetables such as celeriac, salsify and Jerusalem artichoke in fabulous combinations.
Tel: 93 - 60 - 46 - 40
Price Range: $85 - $110
PADDINGTON
PHAMISH, 354 Liverpool Street.
Its no-fuss attitude means Pharmish offers no wine, desserts, lunches, bookings or website. Never mind, hordes of diners still flock here for the excellent, cheap food. You can bring your own wine, devour the large servings of fresh and spicy modern Vietnamese food and then walk up the hill to Victoria Street for a mouth-cooling gelato.
Tel: 93 - 57 - 26 - 88
Price Range: Under $35
PADDINGTON INN, 338 Oxford Street.
This perennially popular pub in the heart of the Paddington strip is especially busy on weekend afternoons, when hip locals meet over beers and tapas-style plates. Pub classics such as bangers and mash and fish and chips are given a restaurant touch. There are also plenty of lighter meals, such as salads and chicken on couscous. Great for lunch.
Tel: 93 - 80 - 59 - 13
Price Range: $35 - $60
BISTRO MOORE, 308 Moore Park Road.
Across the road from the Aussie Stadium and the Sydney Cricket Ground, this bistro serves excellent modern Italian food. There are just four or five entrees, pastas, mains and desserts on the seasonal menu, but you will feel spoilt for choice because each dish is so appealing. The pasta is handmade, the coffee spot on, and puddings delicious.
Tel: 93 - 61 - 63 - 15
Price Range: $60 - $85
BUZO, 3 Jersey Road.
Buzo is another piece of evidence showing that bistro food is booming in Sydney. Bookings are essential at this restaurant, just off Oxford Street. Carnivores will delight in the meaty menu, offering roast lamb, char-grilled steak and even various offal dishes. You will need to order some side dishes to accompany your main.
Tel: 93 - 28 - 16 - 00
Price Range: $60 - $85
FOUR IN HAND, 105 Sutherland Street.
Acclaimed chef Mark Best owns the fine diner Marque, which consistently takes top honours in Sydney restaurant awards. He oversees this pub dining room, inside Sutherland Hotel, allowing those on a budget to have a taste of his superb dishes. These might include a tomato and goat's cheese souffle or brasserie classics such as boudin blanc.
Tel: 93 - 62 - 19 - 99
Price Range: $60 - $85
LOCAL, 211 Glenmore Road.
This bar and restaurant is not called Local for nothing. It is the kind of place everyone wants to live next door to, open daily for snacks, wine and coffee. The please-everyone menu is designed so that most of the entrees can be eaten as main course and vice versa and offers dishes of Spanish, Italian, French and Moroccan flavours.
Tel: 93 - 32 - 15 - 77
Price Range: $60 - $85
BISTRO LULU, 257 Oxford Street.
Located in the heart of the Oxford Street shopping strip, this charming French-influenced, neo-bistro serves specialities including duck confit with aligot, caramelized pear and hazelnut salad and sirloin steak served with cafe de Paris butter and pommes frites. Oysters can be dressed three ways, most impressively with a Bloody Mary granita.
Tel: 93 - 80 - 68 - 88
Price Range: $85 - $110
BISTRO MONCUR, 116 Queen Street.
A stroll down Queen Street from the main strip, Bistro Moncur has been an eastern suburbs favourite for more than a decade. The menu lists such French classics as sirloin cafe de Paris, French onion souffle gratin and pork sausages. No bookings, so arrive early or to start with a drink in the bar, where top jazz bands play on Sunday evenings.
Tel: 93 - 63 - 25 - 19
Price Range: $85 - $110
BUON RICORDO, 108 Boundary Street.
Ask a Sydney chef where he goes on nights off and the answer is likely to be this small restaurant. The decor is old-fashioned and the food is often Old World. So is the service, which sees the signature dish of fettuccine with Parmesan, cream and truffled egg tossed at table. Dishes here are said to be better than at most places in Italy.
Tel: 93 - 60 - 67 - 29
Price Range: Over $110
CLAUDE'S, 10 Oxford Street.
A Sydney icon for nearly thirty years, this intimate restaurant in a converted terrace house seats just 40 people. In season, the set-price menu features fresh Tasmanian truffles. Dishes sound simple on paper but are actually as close to works of art as food can get. Bookings recommended. Ring the doorbell when you arrive.
Tel: 93 - 31 - 23 - 25
Price Range: Over $110
LUCIO'S, 47 Windsor Street.
Lucio's is right in the middle of the area of Sydney's art galleries and the walls of the restaurant display a collection of contemporary Australian artists such as John Coburn, Gary Shead and Tim Storrier. There is art on the plate too, the expertly cooked Italian food varies according to what is in season.
Tel: 93 - 80 - 59 - 96
Price Range: Over $110
Sydney escorts, female escorts, independent escort, aussie, australian models, top sydney escort, australian escorts
