Best Fine Dining in Sydney

It's only fitting that Sydney's most iconic structure is also home to its most iconic restaurant. Bennelong at the Sydney Opera House has re-opened its doors following a multi-million dollar makeover and its 99-seat dining room is more spectacular than ever. The exposed ribs of the building are still on display and the harbour outlook continues to make diners' views picture-perfect. What's new is celebrated Chef Peter Gilmore's menu, which is simpler, more produce-driven and relaxed. Bennelong Bar on the top tier of the Restaurant is perfect for signature drinks and snacks.

Lunch Friday-Sunday and dinner Monday-Saturday

Restaurant Lunch Friday-Saturday and dinner Wednesday-Saturday

Bennelong Bar Wednesday-Friday from 5.30pm & Saturdays-Sundays from 12pm. Walk-ins only

ARIA's curvaceous dining room overlooks Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House with sweeping views of the harbour. At ARIA you are guaranteed to be presented with food that's as good as the view. Executive Chef, Joel Bickford is Aria’s first new Executive Chef in 19 years. Growing up on a property on the outskirts of a rural Blue Mountains town, Joel’s less-is-more approach to cooking is rooted in a lifelong connection to nature and a deep reverence for his ingredients and their unique regional qualities. Joel’s reinterpretation of the menu at Aria allows him to embrace a cooking style highlighting a superb variety of seasonal Australian ingredients. 

Tetsuya Wakuda's name has become synonymous with exceptional dining in Australia. His heritage-listed Kent Street restaurant is a temple of restrained elegance and refined French-Japanese culinary masterpieces. The degustation menu is constantly evolving in the acclaimed chef's on-site "test kitchen" – it turns out dishes so extraordinary guests are advised to book a table well in advance.

Photography: Nikki To

Quay's superb location, between the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House, is not all that makes this restaurant such a success with discerning diners. Its dishes will seduce you with high quality produce and impressive technique. The new incarnation of Quay brings a welcome change; a chance to create a more personal, interactive passage for diners through Peter Gilmore’s culinary evolution. 

Sydney stalwart Glass Brasserie is a Modern Australian restaurant by chef Luke Mangan. Residing in the Hilton Sydney hotel in the heart of Sydney’s CBD, Glass has stood the test of time with its consistently excellent menu served in a beautiful grand dining space. Glass includes a stunning chef’s table, giving those lucky eight-10 people a front row seat to the action in the kitchen. Glass is open for dinner seven days a week and lunch from Monday through to Friday.

The very elegant Brasserie 1930 is in Sydney's newest boutique hotel, the beautifully appointed and heritage listed Capella Sydney in Bridge Street.  Veteran restaurateurs behind Sydney institutions Bentley and Monopole, Brent Savage and Nick Hildebrandt are at the helm, having created a menu of classic dishes with a Modern Australian inspiration and of course using the very best local produce. The wine list includes over 400 choices, both Australian and European, many by the glass.

Open Tuesday-Saturday from 6.30pm

Photography: Courtesy of Capella Sydney

Perched on the edge of the water in Sydney's Rose Bay, the Catalina dining room offers unobstructed harbour views coupled with exceptional food. Dishes on the seafood-inspired Modern Australian menu are beautifully cooked and presented and visitors can join the well-heeled crowd watching sea planes take off and land on the water. Catalina's kitchen remains open from midday till late. Resident pelicans visit every afternoon hoping for remnants of the premium quality fish. 

Bursting with character and charm is the fusion of old and new world dining at Ursula's in Sydney's leafy inner suburb of Paddington. The two-story terrace house is home to downstairs and upstairs dining sections, where the interior is minimalist yet welcoming. Led by head chef Phil Wood, the menu is inventive and fresh, with influences from all corners of the globe. Some of the iconic standout dishes include the mussel schnitzel and LP's smoked mortadella. Don't forget to leave room for the clever take on the peach melba for dessert.

An art deco dining room, private theatrette, a wall of wine and a baby grand piano all come as standard at Restaurant Hubert. The venue, from hospitality heavyweights the Swillhouse Group, brings late-night dining back into the CBD. The huge space has been carved into seven distinct areas, with Beatrix Dining Room offering bistro classics and a French vibe. Just peckish? Hang out at the wine and charcuterie bar for a bite and a cocktail.

This restaurant is aptly named "good memories," which is exactly what diners have been taking away from Buon Ricordo since it opened its Paddington doors in 1987. Today, waiters in trim white jackets fuss over patrons who sample the glory of classical Italian hospitality. The cuisine is traditional, with authentic Italian flavours and techniques on display. The wine list is Italian-based to round off your European dining experience.

From the team that brought you much loved wine bars Vini, Berta and 121BC comes Ester, a quirky, chic restaurant tucked away in Chippendale. The cavernous space is dimly lit by low hanging globe-shaped lights, with arched openings affording diners a view to the bustling kitchen. A wood fired oven spurs much of the menu, with everything from crab to cauliflower feeling the blaze at some point during cooking. The eclectic wine list is short but sweet.

Indulge and experience welcoming charm, impeccable service and traditional Italian cuisine at chef Alessandro Pavoni's a'Mare at Crown Sydney. Like the season's the menu is ever-changing, crafted with the finest local produce and injected with Italian and Australian flavours. Translating to 'by the sea', a'Mare focuses on showcasing Sydney seafood paired with its fitting harbourside location. The decor takes its inspiration from old-school Italy with plush seating, rich velvet furnishings and an ornate ceiling display. Explore Italian dining reinvented at a'Mare today.

Inspired by their global travels and gastronomical adventures, culinary couple Ross and Sunny Lusted have created a sensory dining experience opening Woodcut at Crown Sydney. With a menu that changes daily, dishes are cooked uniquely with only wood, charcoal and steam. Expect to find freshly selected local seafood, cured meats, ash grilled prime cuts and an imaginative vegetarian menu. The decor channels an earthly vibe with minimal, elegant shapes and shades. For special occasions, there are two private dining room options which are sure to impress