Sydney's Most Romantic Restaurants

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. 

There is something alluring and charming about French bistro-style restaurants, and Bistro Rex in Sydney's Elite suburb of Potts Point is no exception. It is a journey through Paris and the former French colonies utilising Australia’s best produce and native ingredients. Designed with copper trimmings inside and out, the space is chic and inviting and also a place where even the four-legged friends are invited. The menu focuses on a concise but definitive menu of classic French dishes created with high-end quality produce. Wine lovers will enjoy the wine list, which is a bespoke collection of Australian, French and other world-leading varieties. 

Photography: Courtesy of Bistro Rex

Forty-seven floors above Sydney is one of Sydney’s best bars offering sweeping views of the city, harbour and beyond. O Bar is Sydney's loftiest landmark, but with neighbourhood warmth. While the world's best panoramas roll by, friends and colleagues gather at the fabulous bar to enjoy shared plates and creative cocktails. Dazzling and intimate; buzzing but private; hedonistic yet healthy.

Restaurant and Lounge Bar open for lunch Wednesday-Saturday from 12pm and dinner daily from 5pm

Hamish Watts and Ben Carroll, the double act from Bondi Hardware and The Botanist in Kirribilli, are behind one of Sydney's most popular restaurants, The Butler in Potts Point. Tropical wallpaper and jungle murals together with cane and rattan furniture seal the colonial-inspired fantasy. The  setting amongst verdant greenery on the broad terrace to enable spectacular city views from every table. From a Sunday long lunch with the girls , a romantic date night or just a group get together, The Butler is the perfect choice. A banquet menu includes Butler favourites from Head Chef, Amber Doig’s Ibero-American influenced menu

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.

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

Icebergs Dining Room and Bar possesses one of the most coveted locations in Sydney, with its second story site hovering above the ocean pool, with a view out over south Bondi's crashing waves. Unsurprisingly, seafood is the star of the menu that showcases seasonal produce, cooked with a regional Italian bent. The teal and glass dining room offers cushions and hammocks that invite guests to relax and enjoy the uninterrupted views of the beach.

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.