Gavin Green
For the time-poor savvy diner, lunch specials are the ultimate life hack for sampling some of the best menus in the city for less. Not only are they designed to have you wined and dined in record time, they’re also an economical way to tick off some of those must-try places on your culinary hit list.
From revamped institutions serving off-menu items to rooftop bars that make it worth your while to eat away from your desk, these are some of the best fine-dining lunch specials in Sydney to know about this year.
The best lunch specials in Sydney in 2026
White Horse
These days $55 won’t get you far, but at the revamped White Horse in Surry Hills it unlocks a four-course menu centered on lobster, duck and seasonal produce. Round out the meal with Adelaide Hills brie ice cream served with strawberries and pistachio – and call it a day.
Morrison’s Oyster Bar and Grill
Morrison’s Oyster Bar and Grill rewards those in the know with an off-menu wagyu sirloin half pound cheeseburger. Inside a soft brioche bun, premium wagyu is layered with an 18-month Comté and steak sauce, and served alongside hand-cut chips. Available on Fridays from 11:30am, the off-menu burger is $42.
Poetica
Continuing the lunchtime burger trend is North Sydney’s Poetica, who are offering their flamed grilled cheeseburger served with herby fries and a choice of house wine, beer or soft drink for just $25.
Jōji
Whether you’re closing deals over lunch, wooing clients or simply looking for a city escape, the rooftop at Jōji is the place to be. At $65 per head, you can enjoy an express lunch menu with a curated selection of Jōji’s best dishes. Bookings are encouraged in this small CBD oasis.
Woodcut
Woodcut’s signature brick chicken has been reimagined as a chicken burger with chips, available at the Hickory Bar from noon until 3pm, Tuesday to Friday, for just $27. Also on the cards is a Moreton Bay bug brioche roll and a French dip-inspired roll starring roast beef, pastrami and bresaola doused in pepper jus. Walk-ins only.
Aalia
To experience a quick taste of Paul Farag’s wood-fired Middle Eastern menu at Aalia, try the express lunch option, where $70 will get you a snack and a choice of entrée and main to share — including Murray cod masgouf or lamb neck shawarma.
King Clarence
This much-loved neon-tinged hotspot wins bonus points for its lunch set menu. For under $50, you can get the best of King Clarence’s fare – including the famed fish finger bao on Nigella’s hit list.
The Wine Bar at The International
City slickers rejoice, this trendy wine bar will have you feasting on excellent $15 pizza made with 72-hour fermented sourdough and a rotating roster of $25 handmade pastas. Plus, $10 glasses of wine. “Proper lunch” runs from Tuesday to Saturday, noon until 3pm, weekly.
