The Best Restaurants in Sydney CBD

Tucked away in a hidden Sydney laneway is the trendy and cosy Esteban. Inspired by Mexican and South American flavours, this isn't your everyday tacos and cocktails. Crafted by a creative team who have lived and travelled throughout South America, this is where you will find original dishes that hail from their homeland. The moody dark timbers and warm lighting create an opulent space that's perfect for celebrating with someone special or sharing with a close group for a good time.

Morena Sydney is an elevated Latin American dining experience by Executive Chef Alejandro Saravia. Celebrating the rich culinary heritage of the region, the menu showcases bold, authentic flavours from Peru, Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela, Argentina and Brazil. With a focus on warm hospitality, seasonal ingredients and vibrant traditions, Morena offers a refined yet soulful take on Latin American cuisine — bringing the spirit of the region to life in the heart of Sydney. 

Photography: Courtesy of Morena

Santa Catarina serves an ancestral cuisine of Oaxaca, from south-west Mexico and is perfect for mezcal sommeliers and anyone who loves fine dining with flavour

Open Tuesday-Saturday from 4pm

In Angel Place in the CBD, just opposite the City Recital Hall, Ragazzi is a neighbourhood wine and hand made pasta bar from the Love, Tilly Devine and Dear Sainte Eloise crew. The 38-seat wine bar showcases small Italian producers and Australian wines that use Italian grapes in a tiny, intimate setting. Snag a table at one of the 10 seats at the bar and let the seasoned waiters guide your evening. Start with anchovies on toast with chilli oil before selecting one of the six hand-rolled pasta on the menu.

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 with Executive Chef Tom Gorringe'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. 

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.

At Matteo Downtown you will find a true Northern Italian ristorante experience, with a buzzing vibe and authentic Italian flavours in a contemporary urban setting. The design of The Bar, The Dining Room and The Terrace will transport you to Italy, with contemporary meets classic-cool interiors perfectly balanced with the menu. Downtown has two imported wood-fired ovens from Italy, one for Roman-style pizza, and the second dedicated to meats and specialty dishes. Matteo Downtown can cater for up to 275 guests cocktail-style and 120 guests banquet-style.

Alfie’s reimagines the steakhouse with swagger at Sydney’s CBD edge, perfect for serious lunches and not-so-serious drinks. The moment you step in, grime-washed beats mingle with the scent of Riverine sirloin sizzling on a custom grill. Sides are clever, cocktails are swagger-filled and the vibe hums with raw energy. It’s not just dinner—it’s a rush of flavour and attitude you won’t forget.

The Quay Quarters dining precinct at Circular Quay is the home of the third Lotus Dumpling Bar in Sydney, famous its for steamed and fried dumplings also wok style dishes designed for sharing. Can't decide? Try the Classic Tasting menu or the Quay Banquet menu allowing you to try all of the Lotus Dumpling Bar favourites. Lotus Dumpling Bar Circular Quay is ideal for the family, and pre theatre dining.

Oborozuki proudly sits within the luxurious Opera Residences in Macquarie Street, in Sydney's CBD. Oborozuki specialises in a refined Japanese-French fusion a la carte menu and private Teppanyaki Terrace. Coupled with views over the the Harbour Bridge and Circular Quay makes this Japanese dining experience one of the best in Sydney. 

Alegre is not your average Mexican bar — it’s a harbourfront hideout built for indulgence. he menu marries Mexican soul with Aussie native flair: mole madre on wagyu, Mayan-spiced king prawns, lamb barbacoa slow-smoked over charcoal. Whether it’s bottomless brunch, a team celebration or sunset cocktails after work, Alegre is the kind of place that sticks in memory.

Ibushi is a stylish Japanese yakitori and robata grill restaurant in Sydney's exciting Japanese dining hub, Prefecture 48, bringing smoke and flame to centre stage. Skewers of chicken, beef, seafood, and vegetables are grilled over traditional binchotan charcoal, resulting in bold, smoky flavours. The menu also features izakaya favourites like miso eggplant, sashimi platters, and sake-marinated black cod. The interiors blend timber, dark stone, and moody lighting, offering a warm, modern setting. With an impressive list of Japanese whiskies, sake, and craft cocktails, Ibushi is a sophisticated yet approachable spot for lovers of Japanese food and fire-cooked fare.

Located on the ground floor of the Radisson Blu hotel in Sydney CBD, Bentley Restaurant and Bar offers a stunningly designed dining room to set the scene for its innovative cuisine. Brent Savage's menu is cleverly crafted for the business crowd, with comfort classics like steak sitting alongside more adventurous dishes. Many come to Bentley for Nick Hildebrandt's reputation for an excellent wine list and it doesn't disappoint. The Bentley Bar has a fun bar menu that's perfect for a post-work or pre-theatre bite and a drink. Bentley Restaurant + Bar also has one of Sydney's best private dining rooms.