From harbourside dining rooms with a view worth booking ahead for, to unassuming neighbourhood spots that has locals coming back weekly, Sydney’s restaurant scene rewards the curious. Whether you’re planning a special occasion, a first date, or simply refuse to eat in tonight, these are the tables worth reserving right now.
Now Book It has you covered with a curated list of the top 75 restaurants in Sydney to book right now.
15 Best Restaurants in Sydney to Book Right Now
1. New Yamanishi
All the jazzy fun and flavours of ’80s and ’90s Japanese izakayas play out at Iwao Yaminishi’s second foray into restaurants — meet New Yamanishi. In the evening, classic izakaya dishes like yakitori, sashimi, and house pickles sprawl the menu alongside familiar favourites like the power-packed spicy tuna tacos. Pouring a range of highballs, boozy slushies, and select Aussie wines, this is one to add to your dinner and drinks shortlist.
Now Book It tip: Lunch is walk-ins only, so if daytime ramen’s the goal, arrive early and be ready to wait.
Location: 98 Falcon St, Crows Nest
Hours: Mondays, Thursdays & Fridays 5:30 – 10pm,
Saturdays & Sundays 11:30am – 2pm and 5:30 – 10pm
2. The Bat & Ball Hotel
Located adjacent to the Sydney Cricket Ground – hence the name —, the vintage charm of this pub remains long after its recent refurbishments. Now under the helm of five friends who have cut their teeth in hospo, it’s no wonder there’s so much to love about the good old-school bones and funky fit outs at Bat & Ball. To start, it’s always happy hour in here. Expect smart and refined pub grub like the quinoa-coated chicken schnitty, a solid Porterhouse steak and beautiful pasta plates.
Now Book It tip: Cheap and good pasta Tuesdays are a local favourite — worth building a midweek plan around.
Location: 495 Cleveland St Sydney
Hours: Tuesday to Thursday 3pm – midnight;
Friday 3pm – 2am, Saturday 12pm – 2am & Sundays 12 – 10pm.
3. Cafe Paci
Finnish chef Pasi Petänen built his name on a menu that refuses to sit still — Scandinavian instinct, Vietnamese brightness and Italian technique all showing up on the same plate with a refined approach. Expect fermented carrots with ‘nduja on rye, Skull Island king prawns, and a sourdough pasta with pear and pecorino that somehow sings when put together.
Now Book It tip: Groups of six or more dine from the $100pp set menu, so if you’re planning a bigger night out, call ahead.
Location: 131 King Street, Newtown
Hours: Monday to Saturday 5.30pm – 10pm; Saturday 12pm – 2.30pm
4. Homer Rogue Taverna
Homer Rogue Taverna does Athens by way of Cronulla — bare concrete walls, graffiti tags, and a plaster bust of the Greek poet himself watching over the room. Brothers Harry and Mario Kapoulas researched this one properly, eating their way through 44 restaurants across Athens before landing on the menu. Expect smoky pork souvla, charred octopus and a slow-baked moussaka, alongside playful twists like a bifteki yiros finished with a Big Mac-style sauce.
Now Book It tip: Weekend service kicks off from 11.30am, making this an easy call for a long, sunny lunch that rolls into evening.
Location: 3/3 Surf Road, Cronulla
Hours: Tuesday to Thursday from 5pm till late;
Friday to Sunday from 11.30am till late
5. Porkfat
Porkfat is tiny, intense, and entirely unbothered by trend-chasing. Chef Narin “Jack” Kulasai — a Nahm and Long Chim alum — cooks Thai street food and home-style dishes the way his family in Saraburi always has, using pork fat instead of commercial oil. The menu is short by design: think grilled pork jowl in aged fish sauce, tamarind chicken wings, and a Phuket-style curry built around Queensland tiger prawns.
Now Book It tip: Bookings are capped at 90 minutes and à la carte is limited to groups of four — for five or more, you’ll be moved to the set menu, which is honestly the better way to try everything.
Location: 33 Ultimo Road, Haymarket
Hours: Wednesday to Friday 5 – 10pm; Saturday & Sunday 12 – 3pm, 5 – 10pm
6. Kindred
Kindred’s dining room used to be chef-owner Matt Pollock’s actual living room, and it still feels that way — warm, unfussy, and entirely unconcerned with pretence. This is rustic Italian food made almost entirely from scratch, right down to the bread, butter and gelato. The carrot triangoli in brown butter and the beef shin mafaldine are the pastas people drive across town for, while the chicken liver parfait with pickles is a generous, can’t-skip starter.
Now Book It tip: It’s a small neighbourhood room, so book ahead — especially on weekends.
Location: 137 Cleveland Street, Darlington
Hours: Tuesday to Saturday 5:30pm – late; Friday & Saturday 12 – 2:30pm
7. Ruse
Named after Parramatta’s first free settler, Ruse trades on fire — a Josper oven and Basque grill doing the heavy lifting across a menu built around quality protein. Walk in and the open ice bar of fresh fish and oysters is the first thing that greets you. Don’t skip the mud crab on toast to start, or the torched beef with mushroom purée and a “beef cracker” made from beef fat. For something bigger, the whole Margra lamb rack or the 800g rib eye are built for sharing.
Now Book It tip: Bookings for 10 guests or fewer can be made online; anything larger needs an email to the events team.
Location: 4 Parramatta Square, 12 Darcy Street, Parramatta
Hours: Monday 5:30 – 10pm; Wednesday to Friday 5 – 10pm, Saturday & Sunday 12 – 3pm, 5 – 10pm
8. Manon Brasserie
Tucked inside the Queen Victoria Building, Manon is what happens when a slice of Paris lands in the middle of Sydney’s CBD. Marble floors, an oyster bar with its own resident shucker, and a menu that moves seamlessly from croissants to cassoulet across a full day of service. Baked camembert and a bottle of something French is a very good idea here too. Lunch bookings cap at eight guests and require food orders, so it’s not the spot for a drinks-only catch-up — but it’s an excellent one for a proper long lunch.
Location: Queen Victoria Building, 455 George Street, Sydney
Hours: Monday to Friday 7am–late; Saturday & Sunday 8am–late
9. Mexicano
Mexicano keeps things simple: fresh produce, hand-pressed tortillas, and a menu built entirely around sharing. It’s the kind of place where the fiesta starts the moment the first quesadilla hits the table. Snacks, tapas and tacos dominate the menu, all portioned for passing around the table — order a spread and let everyone dig in.
Now Book It tip: Function catering is available for private events across Sydney, so it’s worth keeping in mind beyond a regular night out.
Location: Shop 2, 209–211 Ocean Street, Narrabeen
Hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 6pm
10. Barbetta
Barbetta brings the Cipri family’s love of all things Italian to a corner of Paddington, and does it from breakfast right through to dinner. Think a bustling Italian cafe transplanted wholesale, right down to the deli counter stocked with pasta, cheese and cured meats to take home. Start the day with Sicilian buckwheat pancakes and crushed cannoli, come back for the lasagne at lunch, and don’t sleep on the dinner service Thursday to Saturday.
Now Book It tip: The deli section makes this an easy stop for takeaway pantry staples if you’re cooking Barbetta-style at home later in the week.
Location: 2 Elizabeth Street, Paddington
Hours: Monday to Wednesday 7am – 4pm; Thursday & Friday 7am – 4pm & 5.30pm – 10pm;
Saturday 7.30am – 4pm & 5.30pm – 10pm; Sunday 8am–4pm
11. Bistro Papillon
Two Frenchmen met working a restaurant in Bath, became best mates over a few too many wines, and eventually brought that friendship to a Clarence Street hideaway in the Sydney CBD. Xavier Hultorel and chef Ludovic Geyer have been running Bistro Papillon since 2010, and it still feels like a genuine slice of Paris tucked away from the Wynyard rush. The menu doesn’t stray from the classics — snails, pâté, coq au vin, and a tarte tatin worth saving room for. Sit outside under the Ricard umbrellas if the weather plays along.
Now Book It tip: Saturday is dinner only, so if lunch is the plan, stick to weekdays.
Location: 98 Clarence Street, Sydney
Hours: Tuesday to Friday 12 – 2pm, 5:30 – 10:30pm;
Saturday 5:30 – 10:30pm
12. Ogni
Ogni means “fire” in Bengali, and it’s the guiding idea behind this Surry Hills spot from former Masterchef contestants Sarah Tiong and Rashedul Hasan. Everything gets a lick of flame here, folding South and Southeast Asian cooking into a single, wildly creative share-style menu. Start with the fuchka — a crisp shell filled with chickpea and potato — before moving into charcoal-grilled calamari with green mango salad or the porchetta with Thai basil pesto peanut sauce.
Now Book It tip: It’s a small diner in a former restaurant space on Devonshire Street, so bookings are worth making ahead of a weekend visit.
Location: 204 Devonshire Street, Surry Hills
Hours: Wednesday to Saturday, from 5.30pm
13. Annata
North of the Harbour Bridge, Annata has quietly built a reputation as the Lower North Shore’s most serious wine destination — now settled into a new home in St Leonards after a decade in Crows Nest. The four-course Chef’s Set Menu is the move, though the à la carte “Abbondante” holds its own. With more than 200 bottles on the list — over 40 available by the glass — the sommelier-led wine program is the real drawcard.
Now Book It tip: Wednesday nights are BYO, as is lunch on Fridays and Saturdays — handy if you’ve got a bottle worth sharing.
Location: 66 Chandos Street, St Leonards
Hours: Tuesday to Thursday 5.30pm – 10pm;
Friday & Saturday 12pm – 10pm
14. NEL Restaurant
Chef Nelly Robinson has cooked for the Queen and NEL is where his classical British training collides with native Australian produce. This is degustation-only, tucked below street level on Wentworth Avenue, and it changes its theme every 14 weeks. Recent menus have reimagined British comfort classics — think Heinz-style tomato soup with bush tomato, or fish and chips brightened with finger lime — as part of an 11-course tasting journey.
Now Book It tip: The last Saturday lunch of each month is the “Test Kitchen” — a 12-course preview of dishes still in development, for those who like to be first.
Location: 75 Wentworth Avenue
Hours: Tuesday to Friday 5 – 11pm; Saturday 12 – 11:30pm
15. Queen Margherita
Queen Margherita of Savoy holds the title of one of only a handful of Sydney pizzerias certified by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, and has plenty best pizza awards under its belt — proof this Cronulla favourite takes its Neapolitan pizza seriously. The room is timber-lined and always buzzing, whether it’s a big family table or a couple settling in for date night. The wood-fired pizzas are the obvious order, but don’t overlook the daily specials board for seasonal toppings that don’t make the standard menu.
Now Book It tip: Open six nights a week and closed only on Mondays, in case you’re planning an early-week visit.
Location: Shop 9, 2–8 Surf Road, Cronulla
Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, from 5pm
Best Restaurants in Sydney by Cuisine & Occasion
Featured Restaurant Stories in Sydney
FAQs about Booking a Restaurant in Sydney
What are the best restaurants in Sydney for a special occasion?
Sydney’s east and CBD do special occasions best — think harbour views, hatted menus and a wine list worth lingering over. NEL, Annata, Ruse, Manon Brasserie are all solid picks for anniversaries, birthdays or the “we’re celebrating something” dinner. Book well ahead for weekend tables.
What are the best restaurants with a harbour view?
Circular Quay and Barangaroo are your best bet for a water view with your meal. Grab a table on the terrace at Nick’s Seafood Restaurant for Opera House sightlines, or head to Harbourfront in The Rocks for sunset over the harbour.
How far in advance should I book a restaurant in Sydney?
For popular venues, two to three weeks ahead is a safe bet, especially for Friday and Saturday nights. Some of the city’s most in-demand tables get booked out a month or more in advance, so if there’s a date you can’t miss, lock it in early.
What are the best restaurants for a big group booking?
Look for venues with relaxed service, kids’ menus and a bit of noise tolerance — pubs and casual bistros tend to do this well.
Do Sydney restaurants take walk-ins, or should I always book ahead?
Some casual venues and pub bistros happily take walk-ins, but Sydney’s more popular restaurants fill up fast — especially on weekends. Booking ahead is the safer move if you’ve got your heart set on somewhere specific.