The Best Local Restaurants in Sydney

With a unique approach to seafood, Saint Peter offers an exceptional dining experience. The dishes are known to highlight the quality of the ingredients, with each bite revealing a new layer of flavor. The informal yet intimate counter dining setting adds a unique dimension to the overall experience, making it memorable.

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Zennon Christain Wijlens

Chef – Auckland, New Zealand

Exceptional meal from start to finish, every course was delicious and eye opening,

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With an impressive selection of Australia's finest wines, Bar Copains offers a thoughtful and delicious food menu in a superbly vibey setting. The spot is known for its wine-friendly salumi, chicken liver parfait, and whippy cod's rose with potato crisps, all served in a natural, textural, and moody atmosphere. In addition to their wine and food, the bar also hosts various events, making it a dynamic and engaging place to visit.

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Beau Clugston

Chef – Copenhagen, Denmark

A wine bar with care. A wonderful local wine bar that has some of Australia’s best wine selections. Food that is thoughtful and delicious. Super hosts and superb vibe.

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Continental Deli Bar Bistro offers a casual and intimate dining experience with a large selection of wines. The menu includes a variety of flavorful and balanced small plates, with a standout dessert option being the 'Flan in a Can', a unique and fun treat prepared on-site. In addition to dining in, the bistro also provides an array of tinned fish available for purchase to enjoy at home.

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Christina Wood

Pastry chef – Seattle, United States

Casual, intimate bistro with small plates and a large wine list Every dish was super flavorful and balanced. My favorite part of the meal was dessert; they offer a Flan in a Can, which they make on site. They open the can and press the flan custard out, letting rhe caramel spill over the sides and onto the plate. Very clever and fun. You can purchase a wide selection of tinned fish to take home as well.

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Known for its exceptional baked goods, Flour and Stone is a small bakery that has made a big impression. The panna cotta lamington is a crowd favorite, with recommendations suggesting it's the best to be found. Other standout items include the quince and custard tart, rocher cake, and fine apple tart.

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Thomas Carr

Journalist – Melbourne, Australia

I'm calling it. The best bakery in Sydney. Utterly extraordinary. Everything Nadine touches turns to gold or, in this case, sweet sweet magic. You will have likely heard of her panna cotta lamington. Yes, the rumours are true, it's the best you'll ever have. Quince and custard tart, rocher cake, the lemon dream, fine apple tart....honestly, all of it is incredible. Let yourself loose, order it all. Return the next day and do it all over again. The bakery is across two storefronts, both are tiny. So dont plan on a table. Just get takeaway and go to a neighbouring garden.

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Specializing in pastries and bread made from locally sourced flour and produce, Goodwood Bakeshop Marrickville offers a unique selection of baked goods. Their laminated pastries are known for their freshness and the use of interesting flours, such as whole wheat in rough puff. Additionally, their spelt rye bread is described as being flavorful and not overly dense.

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Christina Wood

Pastry chef – Seattle, United States

Pastry and bread shop using locally sourced flour and produce Their laminated pastries were fresh and seasonal. They used interesting flours, such as a whole wheat in the rough puff, and let the local produce shine. I also purchased a loaf of spelt rye bread that was divine. Not too dense, very flavorful.

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Offering an intelligent modern take on authentic Malaysian cuisine, Ho Jiak Town Hall is a place where you can enjoy the delightful flavors of dishes like nasi lemak, curry laksa, chicken satay, chilli crab, and wagyu beef rendang. Chef and co-owner Junda Khoo brings his inspired touch to these dishes, ensuring a memorable dining experience. The restaurant's top recommendation is the laksa dumplings, a unique fusion that's worth trying.

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Jill Dupleix

Food writer – Sydney, Australia

Intelligent modern take on real down-home Malaysian With its mound of fragrant coconut rice, crisp anchovies, peanuts, spicy sambal and chicken curry, the nasi lemak here is like having the buffet all to yourself (the only way to have a buffet these days). Chef and co-owner Junda Khoo brings his own inspired take to all the Malaysian dishes we’ve been missing, from curry laksa and chicken satay to chilli crab and wagyu beef rendang. Best dish: laksa dumplings.

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This eatery offers a classic Australian café experience, with a menu featuring smashed avos, scrambled eggs, flat whites, and more. The food selection is diverse, with options like the bunless chicken sandwich, sourdough pancakes, and an array of salads and sandwiches. The café is situated in a lovely part of town, ideal for people-watching and leisurely strolls.

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Beau Clugston

Chef – Copenhagen, Denmark

Classic Australian Breakfast. A classic Australian cafe to get your smashed avos, scrambled eggs and flat whites. In a lovely part of town to people watch and stroll the streets.

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This restaurant, known as Re -, is focused on sustainability, making use of recycled materials and waste products. The establishment prides itself on its innovative approach to recycling, with the interior featuring materials recycled from 84,000 milk bottles and lamp shades made from discarded mushroom casts. The food and drinks menu is just as inventive, incorporating waste products from the local community, such as cake trim, tasting wines, and fruit and vegetable scraps.

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Monty Koludrovic

Chef & Culinary Director – Los Angeles, USA

Clever Drinks in a Clever Space with an important message. Matt Whiley has always been known gor World Class cocktails. Coming to fame with Scout London then Scout Sydney, Whiley has now woven an important and inspiring message into the day to day of a new world bar. Re is all about re using and re cycling in the name of a better world. The whole place is clad with a material which recycled 84’000 milk bottles. The lamp shades from discarded mushroom casts… it doesn't stop there tho… the cocktails also masterfully utilises waste products from the community around it. Cake trim, tasting wines, fruit and vegetable scraps all find a home on this truly ingenuitive menu via the Re lab aka distillery. The food is as creative and delicious as the drinks, this place should be on your list for Sydney, just like its on the Worlds 50 best bar list!

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Refettorio OzHarvest Sydney is a unique social enterprise that serves free, nourishing three-course lunches to those in need, created by chefs and volunteer staff. The restaurant, part of a global initiative founded by Massimo Bottura and Lara Gilmore, also offers the public an opportunity to experience the same vegetarian dinner on certain occasions. The restaurant's philosophy is centered around zero waste, transforming rescued ingredients into gourmet vegetarian meals, reflecting its commitment to fighting food waste.

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Jill Dupleix

Food writer – Sydney, Australia

This is a restaurant for those who cannot even dream of looking up a special place to dine on World of Mouth. Restaurants are meant to restore, to feed, to nurture. Refettorio OzHarvest is a very special social enterprise in Sydney (part of a wider global group founded by Massimo Bottura and Lara Gilmore) that charges its diners nothing. Chefs and volunteer staff create nourishing three-course lunches - and a lot of cappuccinos - for those in need. And at regular intervals the paying public can book for dinner and eat the same vegetarian dinner as they do. And it's delicious! Put your money where their mouths are, and help spread the joy of hospitality.

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Tucked behind The Corso in Manly, Rollers Bakehouse is known for experimenting with the humble croissant, creating new and exciting flavor profiles. The bakery is recognized for its top-notch croissants that are incredibly light, flaky, and have the right amount of crunch on the outside. In addition to their delightful pastries, they also serve a variety of savory options and damn good coffee.

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Christina Wood

Pastry chef – Seattle, United States

Top-notch croissants in a relaxed beach town setting. Incredibly light and flaky croissants with the right amount of crunch on the outside. Their savory options are very creative and well executed. Lamination is top-tier. I traveled from Seattle to try these and they did not disappoint.

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With a unique twist on French croissants, Tenacious Bakehouse offers a fusion of French and Korean flavor profiles. The pastries, featuring interesting flavors like kimchi cheddar and black garlic, are known for their impeccable lamination and eye-catching presentation. Complementing the wide selection of savory pastries, the restaurant also serves excellent coffee, including carefully crafted pour-over coffees and espresso.

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Christina Wood

Pastry chef – Seattle, United States

French croissants with a Korean flavor profile and really good coffee. The pastry flavors are really interesting (kimchi cheddar, black garlic, grape, etc) with impeccable lamination and eye-catching presentation. A much wider selection of savory pastries than most croissant shops. Customer service is great as well! Very friendly folks. Attention to detail with pour-over coffees and espresso.

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