A few years ago two brave young chefs, James Parry and Daniel Puskas, threw caution to the wind, ignored advice and chanced their arm with a serious restaurant in the suburbs that challenged our ideals of what a truly Australian restaurant could be. The sleepy suburb of Stanmore probably didn’t realise what was on its doorstep, and nor did most of Sydney for a period of time. But bravery has its rewards. Parry may have moved on, but what Puskas and he created has evolved into perhaps the most definitive expression of Australian food, sentiment and persona. The former corner store and fish ‘n’ chipper was converted into a decorative offspring of mid-century Scandinavian swagger and Australiana. – though not in a naff way. Warm wooden tables, earthy green walls, framed native flora and a cute, kitsch drinks station at its centre create a natural, serene and respectful dining space. There are few lovelier restaurants — the sun is streaming in the inset windows after a long lunch. The wine list is a lesson in accessibility, adventure, brevity and precision in its ability to pair with the considered culinary nous of Puskas. His is a homage to local and native ingredients given rock solid technique and delivered a dissertation by the chef who made it. It’s what sets Sixpenny apart from our other high flyers. Mily macadamia combine with flecks of mud crab. Oyster enlivens in-season potato. Soft, earthy flathead gets a buzz out of nettles. Sticky, sweet pork jowl arrives adorned in apple slices. Spanish mackerel gets a bitter twang from radicchio leaves. Sixpenny is as extraordinary as it is welcoming to all. So, if you haven’t been, it’s time to make a booking. Must eat: Lightly smoked duck with witlof and plum

When it first arrived, it knocked our socks off. Influential chef and restaurateur David Chang brought his anarchic form of finer dining Down Under with chef Ben Greeno delivering the finger-licking umami goodness. Greeno has well and truly left the building, and the chef in his place, Paul Carmichael, has made his own indelible mark on the culinary landscape with a completely different direction. On the surface, much remains the same in regards to fitout. There’s the familiar theatre of calm chefs plying their trade, and omnipresent restaurant manager Kylie Javiar Ashton conducting the service. But the rock ‘n’ roll swagger has been replaced with a kind of Caribbean calypso. Carmichael’s food is a splendid mix of local ingredients and technique and combinations learnt from his homeland Barbados and education in NYC food culture. Davidson plum adds zing to creamy, raw scallop. Delicate, yet rich black pudding is crowned by cucumber and desert lime. Green mango and papaya colours slivers, meanwhile jerk chicken skin delivers a big spicy, salty bite. Then golden busted roti gets you licking your fingers and asking for more. Eat it with a chargrilled fish head and the chef’s own hot sauce, it just may be the best thing you ever eat. Carmichael is an unexpected, but exhilarating influence on our food culture. He has the ability to bring lightness, contrast and big flavours like few other chefs. His food is a joyous festival. Must eat: Chargrilled fish head, hot sauce, busted roti

There is no restaurant in Australia — perhaps the world — like Sepia. Sure there are many that share similar traits. Sophistication, avant-garde food, audaciousness , precision and an ability to leave diners breathless, but chef Martin Benn’s unique ability to combine the technical worlds of French and Japanese cookery with Australian produce is something completely else. Couple that with the New York brasserie meets Japanese kaiseki (albeit much more refined) atmosphere and a front-of-house machine run by Vicki Wild and you have quite a unique experience. Since inception in 2009 it has evolved from business-crowd bistro to one of the world’s best, and yet even with the string of accolades, owners Benn and Wild have not paused for breath — and continue to evolve even though they plan to move in 2018 for a new adventure. At Sepia the devil is in the detail. From the meticulous, personable service and intimidation-free flight through sommelier Rodney Setter’s wine list to the suspension of disbelief in Benn’s culinary creations. Yellowfin tuna sashimi is rolled and filled with jamon iberico cream. Sushi rice arrives adorned in black truffle. Sea urchin crowns bone marrow on toasted breadmilk. Meanwhile Japanese pickles counter the richness of slow-cooked then lightly charred David Blackmore’s wagyu karubi. Then before you know it, The Pearl lands like an out of space orb crashing on your plate and the infamous jewels of crunch, chew and cream in his signature chocolate forest just astound. No wonder Sepia is one of our most-awarded restaurants. Must eat: Bonito, flavours of roasted chicken, smoked soy sauce, caviar

The Bridge Room has only been around for a few years but already it feels like an institution that has altered our perceptions of fine dining. A serious restaurant that has helped set the agenda with atmosphere, theatre and food that’s stunning in its simplicity. Ross and Sunny Lusted’s vision of the ultimate Australian restaurant is, quite frankly, astounding. From the smart, sun-drenched Scandinavian-inspired feel of their re-imagined 1930s corner plot with French parquetry floors, deep mid-century Portuguese chairs and wide tables, to the textural and earthy succulents and felt placemats. It is art meets food without the snobbery. Mirrors bend and hug the room, quirky artwork jumps from the wall without interrupting the ambience. It’s one of the most beautiful, yet relaxed, dining experiences in Australia. It’s the perfect canvas for Lusted’s breathtaking food that’s underpinned by selective sourcing and astounding technical foresight, fuelled by the heat and delicate smoke of the robata grill to bring out the best of each ingredient. His food is layered, tactile and bursting with sunlight – just like the room during lunch. Cured pork gets a side-kick in steamed scallop mousse while grilled banana shallots dance around Rangers Valley wagyu skirt. Then Carrot puree provides the perfect puddle for ash-grilled duck breast, before melon mellows and Lusted’s signature whipped black sesame sorbet. Must eat dish: Whipped black sesame, toasted sesame powder, melon, puffed black rice, coconut sugar

Obligation is an odd word to use in regards to a restaurant, but there was a sense of it when The Fink Group — owners of Quay — were given the keys to Bennelong. Under the sails of the Sydney Opera House, there was a feeling that chef Peter Gilmore and his brigade had a duty to deliver something uniquely Australian and special. What has transpired is nothing short of spectacular. And given the versatility of experiences on offer, it’s pipped big brother Quay on our list. A smart drinking bar, pre-theatre dining space, the cure and cultured bar, the dining room proper and now a chef’s table in the kitchen too make it almost a perfect restaurant. At night melted bulb clusters enliven leather banquettes, deep red Acanto chairs and translucent Marblo and brass tables, but by day the sweeping views from Coat Hanger to cityscape silhouette wrap around its windows for the most spectacular of settings. An Australian-heavy wine list is an enlightening joy to peruse and the service is smart and sincere. In the kitchen Rob Cockerill and Peter Gilmore have designed a menu that is in one part seasonal, another technically astounding, big on flavour and a touch of nostalgia too. Manjimup truffles ripple atop pumpkin confit in butter. Meanwhile John Dory, the hero fish of NSW, is cooked on the bone then lathered in chef’s signature, and intoxicatingly delicious ‘umami butter. But it is the final act that will have them cheering in the stalls. A playful passionfruit pavlova wears dainty meringue wisps to mimic the building, while the humble Australia’s very own lamington gets a slick new look with shaved coconut parfait decorating it. Must eat: Macleay Valley Suckling pig, confit organic carrots, pickled onions, black & white garlic

Make no bones about it, Peter Gilmore is one of the most important chefs in Australia’s culinary history. A chef that is as innately connected to the produce he uses as he is in the knowledge of the best cooking techniques to let them tell their story. Quay has been on the World’s Best list many times for good reason — it is quite extraordinary and a wonderful expression of what it means to dine in Australia. Scintillating views of Sydney Harbour — including our famous nuns in a scrum that houses The Fink Group’s other powerhouse establishment Bennelong — may sweep you off your feet, but Peter Gilmore and chef Robert Kabboord’s interpretation of contemporary cuisine will leave you speechless. A deep connection to provenance, they balance harmony, elegance and experience on each plate with food so beautiful it’ll distract you from the view. — if for but a moment. A cured egg, ama ebi prawn and sea urchin roe join koshihikari rice in an umami broth. Fermented mushrooms and young walnuts are bolstered by delicately smoked eel. Mud crab adds a sense of luxe to the culinary hug of warm congee. Then Murray cod plumbs the depths of an umami broth. Then you’re left with the challenge: Do I devour the infamous snow egg or Gilmore’s eight-textured chocolate triumph? Must eat dish: Snow egg

The new wave of Australian dining is embodied by a wonderful natural, transparent honesty on the plate and a genuine intention to hero native ingredients. Complex and considered technique hiding behind a certain aesthetic simplicity without forgetting to deliver on the deliciousness. Automata is the epitome of the movement that has brought all the casual fun back into dining without compromising on great food and cracking wine. The game-changer opened last year in The Old Clare Hotel redevelopment and has fast become one of our most important restaurants. Avant-garde Singaporean entrepreneur Peng Loh nabbed talented ex-MomoFuku Seiobo chef Clayton Wells who has changed our perceptions of what it means to eat out circa 2016 in Sydney. Service is affable and sommelier Tim Watkins’ wine list is one of the most interesting and enjoyable in town and it’s the perfect ally for Wells’ $88 five-course set menu that changes weekly. The fitout has an auto fixation chic industrial vibe – think high ceilings, polished concrete floors, open kitchen, lights fashioned from aircraft pistons and a chandelier made from an aircraft radial machine and a curvaceous timber slat ceiling. Steamed eggplant and XO sauce add an umami oomph to delicately sweet bug tail. Grilled beans and tamari add an exclamation to wobbly steamed pork belly. Asparagus brings its grassy glory to a lean and clean bonito. The ever-changing menu makes Automata quite a moving feast that’s defined by beautiful cookery, considered enthusiasm and the customer in mind. No doubt it will continue to forge its own path. Must eat: Burrata shellfish oil, kombu

One of the beautiful things about our food industry is the influence of so many cuisines and cultures. You can practically eat any cuisine quite well in Australia, and as such the merging of techniques, ingredients and combinations and bravery of our chefs is carving a new path for unchartered culinary waters. Lumi Dining is the brainchild of talented Italian-born chef Federico Zanellato who demonstrates a masterful marriage of Italian and Japanese cuisine like no other chef we’ve seen before. But he understands context too. It’s as much reliant on Australian produce and lifestyle as it is the backbone of Italian technique and Japanese simplicity. It’s brave, avant-garde, visually stunning but intimidation free and has bags of flavour. As ripples kiss the wharf on Pyrmont Bay, a fairly simple, sleek dining room is drenched in sunlight thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows that reveal the harbours jewels outside. Meanwhile proficient waiters pirouette around tables and chairs upholstered in textured mauves and olive greens. The wine list is surprisingly accessible given the direction of the food, making for an even more enjoyable long lunch. And, of course, it’s Zanellato’s food, a synthesis of supreme technique and application, that is the real hook. Snapper ceviche is so stunning you’ll hesitate eating it to revel in its beauty. Almost. Then artichoke shines in a delicate sunflower dashi broth. Then eggplant and radicchio help balance beef short rib and agnolotti finds a delicious partner in a combination of mushrooms. The desserts are just as fascinating. Sorrel parfait delivers a pleasing savoury, grassy prelude to the zing and twang of a smaller yuzu tart. Wow. What an extraordinary chef and fabulous location to dine. Must eat: Tagliatelle, prawns, bottarga

Turkish has always been a cuisine under-represented and clouded by the false perception of simply being the late-night lamb sandwich solution. But over the past few years a collective of operators have pulled the magic carpet from under our feet with its smoky, pickled and fragrant essence — though none have done it so marvellously as Stanbuli. A slang word for the citizens of Istanbul, it is the vision of former Porteno panhandler Ibrahim Kasif with that clever crew Joe Valore, Elvis Abrahanowicz and Sarah Doyle (Porteno, Bodega, Continental). Inspired by the traditional Turkish taverna it’s got their classy signature touches all over it. Starting with the cute, kitsch purple and pink Marie-Louise 1950s hair salon façade and finishing with the stunning tiles, wallpaper, marble top bar, hand-made dark wooden table tops and classic bistro chairs. The fitout is beautiful, but Kasif’s interpretation of Turkish cuisine will leave an indelible mark on our culinary landscape. The menu is broken into the small raki mezesi, medium meze and large charcoal dishes inspired by traditional Istanbul street food. Plump, sweet mussels are stuffed with fragrant rice. Mackerel sandwich – something served by the riverside – lands slider-sized in house-made buns with lettuce and pickled turnips. Classic Ezme is a mix of walnuts, tomatoes, chilli and pomegranate vinaigrette, while Patlican salatasi lets smoky eggplant and cucumber be seduced by sumac. Pickled WA octopus is simply served with taramasalata, while a Cypriot-style beef and lamb kofta is smoked over hot coals. Must eat: Mackerel sandwiches

Chef Mike McEnearney won our hearts with his generous, uncomplicated fare and unwavering hospitality at Kitchen by Mike, and now his latest restaurant, No. 1 Bent Street, brings the same ease to CBD dining. Mike takes the pomp and pretension out of eating out, dishing up hearty, seasonal plates in the sparsely decorated polished concrete and blonde-wood dining space. There are no white tablecloths, instead the ambience is laidback and the serious approach left for the share-style food, where all meat is sustainable, grass-fed and hormone-free, and Mike’s technique shines in his ability to pick the best and cook it with the restraint it deserves. 1 Bent St, Sydney, onebentstreet.com.au