Our 2026 guide to the best restaurants in New South Wales

Murwillumbah’s shining star hasn’t dimmed since opening in 2022. This cosy restaurant continues to champion the Northern Rivers’ finest produce, from Boon Luck Farm’s vibrant greens to Stokers Siding mushrooms and its signature Moreton Bay bug with curry leaf butter. House ferments, pickles and preserves add verve, while a thoughtful wine list champions small-scale producers.

Special-occasion dining may be increasingly rare, but Allta makes a compelling case for it. Blending Korean flavours with French technique, executive chef Jung-Su Chang delivers an elegant 11-course menu full of quiet precision. Impeccable tea pairings and warm, attentive service complete one of Sydney’s most refined dining experiences.

Every time you blink, Anna and Alessandro Pavoni’s Maestro Hospitality unveils another venue. This year, the focus was A’Mare, their waterfront Italian at Crown Sydney, with the addition of Pizza’Mare on the mezzanine, plus a new bar and all-day café. As ever, the food is generous, polished and unmistakably Italian.

A no-bookings policy can feel like a roll of the dice, but it’s worth taking the risk for this eternally excellent, dimly lit sake bar and restaurant on Newtown’s King Street. The casarecce and leatherjacket cheek katsu sandwich are standouts, while more than 85 sakes on pour make this a destination for both curious drinkers and connoisseurs.

The views are what you notice first – the sandy curve of Balmoral Beach, the silver-blue waters of Middle Harbour, maybe a whale if you’re lucky. But Aaron Ward’s food soon draws your attention back to the table. His thoughtful, produce-driven cooking, backed by more than 350 bottles, makes the seven-course tasting menu one of Sydney’s great special-occasion meals.

The fermented carrot and ’nduja on rye at Cafe Paci has been on the menu since day one, and may it remain so forever. It’s one of Sydney’s truly memorable dishes – crisp, spicy and creative – and emblematic of chef-owner Pasi Petänen’s commitment to food that constantly surprises. Boutique wines and a playful, energetic atmosphere complete the experience.

“Go to Sydney for Hungarian food” isn’t something an outsider might expect to hear, but send them to Corner 75 and they’ll understand exactly what you mean. Crisp schnitzel, caraway cabbage, paprika sausages and lecsó showcase the cooking, while Furmint and sour cherry pálinka make the meal sing. One of Sydney’s greats.

In a crowded field, Eleven Barrack has emerged as the standout of Sydney’s steakhouse scene. The Bentley Restaurant Group’s restrained offering follows a classic grill format, with shareable meats, five expertly handled steaks and a cellar of dreams from Nick Hildebrandt. Pascale Gomes-McNabb’s colourful, quirky interiors add to the appeal.

Fire-fuelled before fire-fuelled was cool, Chippendale’s Ester has been serving up some of Sydney’s edgiest eats since 2013. Vegetables remain a strong pick, from coal-blistered cauliflower to roasted cabbage with curry leaf butter, while the blood sausage sanger has fans around the world. Chef-owner Mat Lindsay’s flames still burn brightly at the mothership.

You certainly don’t go to EXP. Restaurant in the Hunter Valley for the views. Squidged into a strip mall, it’s fine, because all attention is focused on the artistry of the kitchen team and its unfailingly delicious tasting menu. Native ingredients such as kangaroo and pepperberry lead memorable dishes, while the Temperance pairing is as intriguing as the wines.

The team behind Pellegrino 2000, Neptune’s Grotto and Clam Bar sure knows how to create worlds. Grandfathers is an opulent, sizzlingly cool Chinese basement bar, all crimson lighting and neon-blue fishtanks. The menu blends Guangdong and Sichuan cuisine with unexpected turns, from Sichuan tuna sashimi to shatter-crisp prawn toast, with dumplings, banquets and Riesling rounding things out.

The wondrous Margaret steak. However many times you try it, a fillet of Blackmore Mishima or CopperTree Farms Speckle Park, grilled by Neil Perry or one of his chefs, never gets old. At 69, the hospitality veteran still treats every dish like he’s cooking for a king. No wonder Double Bay treats Margaret as an extension of its lounge room.

All hail the legendary reign of this modern-day institution, now in its 14th category-dominating year. If you’re after big, bold, glamorous Cantonese with an extensive wine list, this is the place. Dumplings are the captains of the ship, but the XO mud crab and kung pao chicken are beauties, too. Come to see and be seen.

Every city needs a restaurant that feels equal parts decadent and delicious, with just a little bit of “party” thrown in. For Sydney, Olympus fits the bill. That pizza-sized spanakopita is still crisp, creamy and fragrant, while fried lamb brains remain one of the city’s most energetic snacks. Add Greek wines, ouzo and chef Ozge Kalvo’s assured cooking, and Olympus is Hellenic heaven.

This Northern Rivers gem continues to shine in its uniquely polished, rustic, sustainable way. Menus shift seasonally, revolving around seafood and hyper-regional ingredients, while the day of the week dictates the offering from the open kitchen. Whether six-course, eight-course or à la carte, technical finesse, meticulous presentation and warm service are guaranteed. The Australian-focused wine list, including adorable 75ml half-glasses, seals the deal.

The porky times with fine wines continue at Porcine, thanks to the seemingly limitless skills and imagination of chef-owner and last year’s Gourmet Traveller Chef of the Year, Nik Hill. From pâté en croûte to cretons, the vibe is elegant French but entirely without stuffiness. Hill’s food is as good-looking as it is delicious, with charming French attic vibes to match.

Celebrating its 10th year, Josh and Julie Niland’s temple to the sea is more exciting than ever. The dishes seem to become more inventive by the week, while the commitment to flavour never falters. The salt and vinegar mackerel remains the signature, but wild barramundi, pumpkin swordfish and spangled emperor are equally remarkable. A new lunchtime set menu makes the Saint Peter genius easier to reach.

Where do chefs take other chefs when they’re showing off Sydney? Almost universally, it’s Sean’s. The reasons are easy to count: sweeping views of Bondi Beach, slightly madcap “Mum’s lounge room” décor and, most of all, comforting, home-style cooking. This is honest, hand-on-heart food that perfectly captures the way Australians love to eat.

Can’t get a table at this minuscule bistro on the less-travelled end of King Street? Every food lover west of Broadway has beaten you to it. South End is low-touch, high-flavour, relentlessly seasonal cooking, led by three hospitality veterans with Ester and Fred’s on their CVs. If you can’t book, show up at doors-open and grab a bar seat.

Three Blue Ducks’ most ambitious offering to date opened in June near Bowral, with Andy Allen, Darren Robertson and ex-Quay head chef Troy Crisante leading the food across three venues. The restaurant menu showcases produce from the farm and nearby, from Pambula oysters to fire-roasted lamb. Warm, rustic design and strong regenerative principles add a feel-good factor to beautifully executed cooking.

“Consistent” may sound boring, but at Vin-Cenzo it means excellent, all the time. Led by co-owners Nathan Sasi, Sali Sasi and Morgan McGlone, the team nails modern Italian flavour, from veal cotoletta with perfectly seasoned tomato sauce to fennel mostarda alongside duck liver parfait. A rare restaurant that gets it right, over and over again.

At Watermans, chefs Brent Savage and Darryl Martin explore the generosity of Eastern Mediterranean cooking, with every dish a rainbow of colour and flavour designed to be shared. Breads are pulled apart at the table, while smoke, spice and sweetness run through the menu. Exceptional desserts, a Med-leaning wine list and rust-red interiors make this another standout from The Bentley Restaurant Group.