Sydney’s restaurants are getting ready to open their doors again. Floorplans have been reworked, footpaths reclaimed and staff retrained in a bid to bring the city’s vibrant dining culture back to life. If you’ve missed dinner dates, long lunches and bottomless brunches – or just need a break from the takeaway – the good news is, you’ll soon be able to sit down at an actual restaurant again.
Chef-owner Alessandro Pavoni has loosened the sails of his Italian fine diner to create a relaxed Riviera-inspired seafood restaurant and gelato bar. The menu reveals breezy Italian plates from bruschettina with Cantabrian Sea Angelachu anchovies to a grissini-crumbed tuna cotoletta, with Italian ice cream sundaes for dessert. Ormeggio at The Spit is taking bookings from October 20. Book now at ormeggio.com.au.
Neil Perry’s highly anticipated new restaurant Margaret will open to the public for the very first time from October 20. Margaret will serve a modern Australian menu, that will be influenced by the kinds of food that Neil ate when growing up. The kitchen will revolve around a wood fire oven and rotisserie, with some of Australia’s best produce cooked over the flames. Make a booking here margaretdoublebay.com.
Roxy’s brings fresh, flavoursome Middle Eastern fare to Pallas House in Double Bay. Prepared to be charmed by the warm, earthy interiors, where gleaming rows of fermented and pickled veg add a dose of country homeliness. Make some room on the table for the golden spiced charcoal chicken with cardamom yoghurt and quince and the pickled beetroot with soft egg and green tahini. Roxy’s is taking bookings from October 20. Book now at roxysdoublebay.com.au.
This Sydney institution needs no introduction with its sparkling views over Bondi Beach and relaxed Italian vibes emanating from Alex Prichard’s kitchen. Perch yourself at the bar for a pre-dinner drink and take in the sunset. This is one view you’ll never tire of. Iceberg’s Dining Room & Bar is taking bookings from October 15. Book now at idrb.com.
Historic Surry Hills hotel the Forrester’s has been given a Latin lift. Following a $1.5 million renovation, the pub has been recently renovated to reveal a lush new Latin look and feel. The venue’s major drawcard is its new restaurant, Phylli’s, which dishes up classic Cuban eats, from beef cheek empanadas to lamb barbacoa with warm corn tortillas. The Forrester’s opens for bookings from October 18. Book here now forresters.com.au.
Bopp & Tone is a 1940’s inspired restaurant and bar, named after the owners’ grandfathers. Within the space you’ll find an alfresco dining terrace, private dining room and an abundance of greenery, with dark timber furnishings and marble accents throughout. The menu focuses on honest and generous fare, from free-range spatchcock to pasture-fed Brooklyn Valley steaks. Bopp & Tone is open for bookings from October 20. Book now here boppandtone.com.au.
Nestled amongst the backstreets of Potts Point, an eclectic oasis lies waiting with a panoramic view of the Sydney city skyline from the terrace. Ibero-American cuisine is accompanied by an extensive wine list and inspired cocktails. The Butler is open for bookings from October 18. Book now here butlersydney.com.au.
Poised on Sydney Harbour, with the grand sails of the Opera House to stage right, Aria really knows how to set the scene for a date with the city. You can opt for the seven-course tasting menu and let Thomas Gorringe take you on a journey through Australia’s unique in-season ingredients, or choose your own adventure. Either way, each course is masterfully created, visually stunning and worth the high price of admission. Aria is taking bookings from October 18. Book now here ariasydney.com.au.
Sydney’s moodiest venue has stepped out of the shadows and into a fresh new site on Hunter Street in the CBD. The newly launched lunch menu includes a refined selection of salads, steaks and sandwiches that go beyond the usual cafe fare. In the evening, the restaurant reverts back to its slinky self, with a sophisticated selection of wine and snacks. Monopole is open for bookings from October 20. Book now here monopolesydney.com.au.
The reign of the Hemmes dynasty continues with Mr. Wong, an opulent Cantonese diner set within the lower floors of the Establishment building. Bamboo steamers rule the daytime, with each thatched lid hiding a trio of stuffed and bundled treasures. The rest of the menu falls under the jurisdiction of executive chef Dan Hong, who has taken centuries-old dishes and thrust them into the modern age. Mr Wong is open for bookings from October 11. Book now here merivale.com/venues/mrwong.
Matt Moran’s Chiswick is Sydney’s answer to the Hamptons. It’s as crisp a fit-out as they come with white bentwood chairs surrounded by white-panelled windows looking out to a pristine lawn. Whilst the menu is exciting for its impeccable display of best-in-class ingredients, it’s the kitchen garden that calls the shots here. If it can’t grow in that garden, it won’t appear on the plate. Chiswick is open for bookings from October 19. Book now here: chiswickwoollahra.com.au.
Sun, surf, sand and sauvignon blanc: the beachside suburb of Coogee has it all, thanks to the launch of a dedicated wine room where locals can follow up a day at the beach with chinking glasses and Mediterranean-style share plates. Coogee Wine Room is taking bookings from October 19. Book now here coogeewineroom.com.au.
From the sun-drenched dining room to its vibrant take on Lebanese cuisine, it’s little wonder that Surry Hills restaurant Nour has been named after the Arabic word for light. Diners can expect the unexpected, from slow-cooked camel sambusak pastries to hummus topped with softly shredded smoked goat. Nour is taking bookings from October 19. Book now here noursydney.com.
There’s nothing beige about this plant-based bistro by Bentley boys Brent Savage and Nick Hildebrandt. Yellow does something few restaurants manage – that is, get diners excited to eat their greens. Head chef and vegetable virtuoso Brent Savage has put together a menu devoted to the leaf, root, seed and stem, allowing the stuff of salads and sides to take centre stage for a change. Yellow is taking bookings from October 20. Book now here yellowsydney.com.au.
Pasi Petänen heads up this European-accented bistro that trades in inventive share plates that run seamlessly from small to large. France’s famed Paris-Brest dessert is reimagined as a ruffle of velvety chicken-liver parfait sandwiched in crisp choux pastry with sweet-savoury onion jam. The devilled eggs, meanwhile, are destined to be a fan favourite, the buttery filling precisely spiced and topped with a briny hit of trout roe. Cafe Paci is taking bookings from October 18. Book here now cafepaci.com.au.
