We should let you in on a little secret. We flew all the way from the Philippines to Sydney for 6 days only so that we could devour the insanely delicious food Sydneysider’s rave about. Having a local to house and drive us around was an added incentive and rest assured our days in the city were spent eating breakfast, brunch, lunch, cocktails, more cocktails, a few more snacks, pre-dinner drinks, dinner drinks, drinks, post-dinner cocktails and a good ol’ night cap before collapsing on our beds.
Our fun and delectable food guide below explores Sydney’s hotspots and CANNOT BE MISSED when in the city. Plan your days around your meals (as we do) and you won’t be disappointed. Let the tummy rumbling begin:
Pro tip: Send in the cavalry, food is best enjoyed when you get to try as much possible from the menu. Sharing is much enjoyed in Sydney!
- Opera Bar: 🍹
Your first day in Sydney will unknowingly be near the famous Opera House and harbour. No visit should be pronounced complete without having drinks at Opera Bar. Sure, you will find loads of tourists here but it is 100% worth it for the view you are granted. Situated right by the water and known to be one of the best beer gardens in the world, Opera Bar has it all with its fresh oyster raw bar, meat & cheese room, live entertainment beers on tap and unimaginable cocktails.
What to have: 🍹 – Sydney Sling No. 2, Wine coolers and Opera Bar Pale Ale
How much to give away: $$$
Opening hours: 10 AM – 12 AM
Address: Sydney Opera House, Macquarie St, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
- Hacienda Bar 🍹
Super chic with incredible décor is Hacienda Bar. Located in the Pullman Quay Grand Sydney Harbour, Hacienda boasts a breathtaking view of Sydney’s iconic Harbour Bridge all from the comfort of an air-conditioned hot spot. Known for their rum infused cocktails, Hacienda promises some interesting appetizers to pair with your cocktails.
What to have: 🍽️ – Mojito sliders and smoked fried wings. 🍹 – Coco Daiquiri & Pomelita
How much to give away: $$$$
Opening hours: 12 – 10 PM
Address: 61 Macquarie St, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
- Doyles on the Beach 🍽️
You cannot visit Sydney and not pay tribute to Doyles. Established in 1855 by an Australian family, Doyles on the Beach first opened doors in Watson Bay offering the freshest seafood in the city with views of Sydney glistening in the evenings. Our meal was nothing short of spectacular and we ordered almost everything the menu had to offer ranging from fresh Oysters and Calamari to Salmon and Paella. Special mention to those Kilpartick Oysters – you made my life!
What to have: 🍽️ Kilpatrick Oysters, Mornay Oysters, Doyles mixed plate, Doyles famous fish & chips, Paella, John Dory Snapper, Scallop and Prawn Pie (okay everything)!
How much to give away: $$$$
Opening hours: 12 – 11.30 PM
Address: 11 Marine Parade, Watsons Bay, Australia
- Miss G’s 🍹 + 🍽️
Besides its sassy name, Miss G’s brings to you mouthwatering delicacies from Vietnam, Korea and China. Miss G’s happened to be our first stop before a very long night of food and drinks. In order to pace ourselves we only tried a handful of goodies with our cocktails. The ambiance here is very hipster chic with wall mounted tables having Sriracha chilli sauce just casually lying there along with a few communal style dining tables specially designed for us millennial’s to get off our phones and exchange pleasantries with fellow diners.
What to have: 🍽️ Crystal Bay Prawn Ceviche, Burrata, Gyoza 🍹 – Miss G’s famous Yuzu Slushee & Aloe Vera cocktail
How much to give away: $$ – $$$
Opening hours: 5 PM – 12 AM
Address: 155 Victoria Street Potts Point 2011, Australia
- The Roosevelt 🍹
The Roosevelt will take you back in time to an era when whisky drinking was taken very seriously, martinis and cocktails were savoured and music low and melancholic just enough for you to sway to. The Roosevelt first open doors during World War 2 and soon became the place where American service men took their Australian girlfriends for a rendezvous. Come 1947 it became Abe Saffron’s first nightclub and helped him earn the title “The King of the Cross”. The Roosevelt has seen the likes of Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Junior perform and thus has grown in popularity over the years. Today they’re home to a 12 page whiskey list, 4-page whisky infused cocktail list and some excellent finger food.
What to have: 🍹 Whisky..lots and lots of it!
How much to give away: $$$
Opening hours: 5 PM – 12 AM
Address: 32 Orwell Street Potts Point NSW 2011, Australia
- The Butler Potts Point 🍹 + 🍽️
Welcome to this eclectic little spot neatly tucked away in the backstreets of Potts Point with its botanical wall coverings, indoor and outdoor seating arrangements and some expansive views of the city. The Butler was one of our favourite eats in Sydney as it had everything to offer in a very unpretentious setting. The head chef who hails from New Zealand has taken traditional Ibero-American techniques blending them seamlessly with modern flavours and methods.
What to have: 🍽️ Duck Liver Pate, Ruby Tuna, Pork Belly Tostadas, Slow Cooked Pork, Scotch & Wagyu Striploin. 🍹 Flaming Juan, Rain Dance & Please & Thank you.
How much to give away: $$$ – $$$$
Opening hours: 12 PM onward
Address: 123 Victoria Street, Potts Point Sydney, Australia
- Eau De Vie 🍹
Remember how we mentioned nightcap at the start of our guide? We were not kidding. Sydney sure doesn’t sleep early and neither were we so it only made sense to head to another venue for drinks before calling it a night. Enter Eau De Vie, a 1920’s influenced bar with crafted cocktails, an unbelievable wine list and heavily moody lighting creating a perfect end to an unforgettable evening. This jazz infused speakeasy has friendly hosts and talented bar tenders that whip up delicious cocktails from their extensive menu. Want more? Masterclasses are also head in the Whisky Room if you are looking to hone your skills or simply spend a fun drunken evening.
What to have: 🍹 Night Owl, Hollywood Bowl, Carmen & Marshmallow Fizz
How much to give away: $$$$
Opening hours: 6 PM – 1 AM
Address: 229 Darlinghurst Rd, Sydney NSW 2010, Australia
- Parida Bondi 🍹 + 🍽️
Wakey wakey because it’s time for brunch! Breakfast and brunch are two very important meals for Aussies with countless options available for each. We picked Parida at Bondi because it was fabulously located right on the promenade (lots of eye candy – hello surfers) and had a fantastic healthy menu to begin the day with.
What to have: 🍹 Bloody Mary 🍽️ Avocado & Feta Smash, Paleo Escobar & Tahini Eggs
How much to give away: $$$
Opening hours: 7 AM – 3 PM
Address: The Pacific Building, Shop G08A, 180 – 186 Campbell Parade, Bondi Beach NSW 2026, Australia
- Icebergs Dining Room & Bar 🍹
Sydney has some seriously iconic spots that simply cannot be missed. While this list may seem extensive, it is important to suck it up (literally) and eat all that you can possibly consume because you will never eat such scrumptious food ever again. How to make it out alive? WALK. Walk everywhere, along the promenade, Sydney Harbour, CBD, everywhere and work up and appetite for your next food stop. We made it to Icebergs at the southern end of Bondi after a long stroll along the walking path. No trip to Sydney is complete without taking a dip in their pool offering infinite views of Bondi beach followed by drinks at the bar.
What to have: 🍹 Some Oz wine and sangria
How much to give away: $$$$
Opening hours: 11 AM onward
Address: 1 Notts Avenue, Bondi Beach NSW 2026, Australia
- Coogee Pavillion: 🍹
Another absolute favourite is Coogee Pav or “The Pav”, located at the end of Bondi when doing the Bondi to Coogee beach walk and housed in the iconic and formerly known Beach Palace Hotel. The Pav seems to be the ultimate social spot for Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs and cannot be missed when in the city. We chose to climb the gorgeous staircase to be seated at the rooftop and enjoy the powerful Aussie sun on a hot summers day.
What to have: Freshly Squeezed Juices, Chameleon Mojito, Pornstar 3.0
How much to give away: $$$
Opening hours: 7.30 AM – 12 AM
Address: 169 Dolphin St, Coogee NSW 2034, Australia
- Zeus Street Greek 🍽️
Australia is a melting pot of cultures resulting in cuisines from all over the world leaving a mark in every neighbourhood and thus we stumbled upon Zeus Street Greek.We went straight for the good stuff from the spit meaning 200 gm of meat rubbed with a special spice mix cooked on a spit over hot coal. Sounds incredible – it was!
What to have: 🍽️ Lamb shoulder from the spit (The Zeus), Apollo and some classic Tzatziki
How much to give away: $$
Opening hours: 11.30 AM – 9 PM
Address: 2/69-81 Foveaux St, Surry Hills NSW 2010, Australia
- The Baxter Inn 🍹
You know the place is serious when you go nuts trying to find it. Begin your evening at a whisky bar that is located in the basement of a building at the back of an unmarked alleyway off a busy street. Don’t let the moody interiors deter you from spending an enjoyable evening here with it’s hundreds of whisky’s to pick from along with whisky infused and regular cocktails. No food is available here so drink up!
What to have: Whisky with freshly squeezed apple juice and any of the fancy whisky’s offered
How much to give away: $$$
Opening hours: 4 PM – 1 AM
Address: 152-156 Clarence St, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
- The Barber Shop 🍹
If you thought The Baxter Inn was a hole in the wall, we now take you to The Barber Shop, Australia’s best gin bar! Situated behind a fully functional barbershop (no kidding) is of course, The Barber shop housing an impressive collection of over 750 gins from all over the world. The cocktail list is maddening ranging from classics to sample gin “flights” which feature a range of 4 small servings of gin paired with tonic water to allow folks to try gins from across the globe. Safe to say, we left the barber shop with a full head of hair and a lot of gin in our bellies.
What to have: Gin flights and gin cocktails
How much to give away: $$$ – $$$$
Opening hours: 4 PM – 12 AM (Sunday closed)
Address: 89 York St, Sydney NSW 2000
- The Lobo Plantation 🍹 + 🍽️
From Whisky to Gin, we now take you to an underground rum bar in the city. Named after the sugar baron Julio Lobo, The Lobo Plantation has quirky interiors featuring banana palms, flamingo tiles and authentic Cuban charm. Cocktails are a must here along with flaming appetizers and bar snacks to wash those cocktails down. The cocktails were some of the best we have ever had owing to the flair and technique displayed by the bartenders.
What to have: Cocktails – 🍹 Old Grogram, Colonial Sour & Rude Boi. 🍽️ Empanadas & Cuban sandwich
How much to give away: $$$
Opening hours: 4 PM – 1 AM
Address: 1/209 Clarence St, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
- Chin Chin 🍽️ + 🍹
Chin Chin is a magnificent dining experience and one that cannot be missed when in Sydney. Combining the freshest Asian ingredients with just the right hint of spices and exotic herbs is Chin Chin producing an outstanding blend of dishes in a quiet neighbourhood of Sydney. Housed in a historic building with a hot pink neon bunny strategically placed at the entrance, Chin Chin is relaxed with the happiest and most carefree ambiance ever seen in a restaurant. Unable to limit our ordering from the 60 dish menu, we decided to opt for a selection of the restaurants favourite dishes for AUD 70 and what a feast it was!
What to have: 🍽️ The AUD 60 menu has everything imaginable 🍹 Pair your food with wine
How much to give away: $$$$
Opening hours: 11.30 AM – 10 PM
Address: 69 Commonwealth St, Surry Hills NSW 2010
- The Soda Factory 🍹
From Asian to American we take you to The Soda Factory dishing out American style retro vibes with its quirky interiors and old school cocktails and ice cream sodas. This place is bustling on most days with liver performers, bands and cheap booze/snacks on certain days of the week. This place has major #throwback vibes going for it.
What to have: 🍹 Hollywood Scandal, The Candy Shop & Bourbon & Vanilla Cherry Coke.
How much to give away: $$ – $$$
Opening hours: 5 PM – 2 AM
Address: 16 Wentworth Ave, Surry Hills NSW 2010, Australia
- Big poppas 🍹 + 🍽️
In case you’re looking to have a good meal in Sydney at 3 AM, Big Poppas is the place to go to. offering a tiny restaurant along with a dimly lit bar is Big Poppas serving some seriously good Italian meals from Lamb Ragu to home-style pastas. Whether you choose to hang downstairs at the hip-hop style bar or scurry upstairs for a full-fledged meal, Big Poppas has great food and entertainment for a long night.
What to have: Handcut pappardelle, Burrata & Tagliata
How much to give away: $$$
Opening hours: 5 PM – 3 AM
Address: 96 Oxford St, Darlinghurst NSW 2010, Australia
- Shady Pines Saloon 🍹
Sydney takes underground bars to a completely new level. You may enter this Darlinghurst dive-bar by descending a flight of stairs where you soon have to adjust your vision to the underground dimly lit room having floors laden with peanut shells. This American-themed saloon serves a variety of whisky’s, whisky cocktails and other regulars and is extremely popular with locals huddling in groups belting down whisky’s as they lean against their bar stools.
What to have: Whisky with fresh apple juice
How much to give away: $$ – $$$
Opening hours: 4 PM – 12 AM
Address: 4/256 Crown St, Darlinghurst NSW 2010, Australia
- The Boatshed, La Perouse 🍽️
Not as popular and teaming with tourists is this quiet area in southeastern Sydney known as La Perouse. La Perouse has aboriginal significance and was named after a French navigator resulting in immense historical significance to Australians. Although quiet, La Perouse offers a range of activities such as heritage walks, scuba diving and golf tours. In this area, you can find the The Boatshed, perched on a hillock overlooking the ocean and offering a casual dining experience to those visiting the area. We highly recommend beginning your day here with a good breakfast.
What to have: Brekkie – The Boatshed Big Breakfast & Gourmet Bacon & Egg Roll
How much to give away: $$
Opening hours: 7 AM – 3 PM
Address: 1609 Anzac Parade, La Perouse NSW 2036
- Gelato Messina 🍦
No visit to Sydney is complete without paying homage to Messina. We visited Messina about 4 times in 6 days and even took some “to-go” dessert because it truly is difficult to stop with one flavor. From apple pie, bounty, dark chocolate, Macadamia crunch, Italian nougat to Milk chocolate with choc peanut fudge, Passion fruit, Pannacotta to Pandan and Coconut; it is impossible to make a decision without wanting to gobble it all up.
What to have: As much ice-cream as you can take 🍦
How much to give away: $
Address: Across Sydney
HAPPY EATING!