With Quay’s imminent closure on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2026, its decades-long run as one of Sydney’s premier destination diners is now drawing to a close. It’s not going to be easy to say goodbye – Quay might have been serving for over 20 years but Peter Gilmore’s flagship fine diner has never looked or felt fresher. Spotted gum tables along with custom-made leather chairs and a royal blue carpet that stretches endlessly out to sea cements this fine-dining staple in its Circular Quay locale. The showpiece remains the Sydney Opera House with its glowing white sails, which can be admired from all angles. When it comes to the eight-course tasting menu, Gilmore is still at the top of his game. If you can snag a table before last service, be sure to save room for the iconic Snow Egg. Here’s to you, Quay – you will be greatly missed. Upper Level Overseas Passenger Terminal, The Rocks; quay.com.au

Six years on, Saint Peter has more disciples than ever. Josh Niland’s world-leading seafood restaurant continues to deliver a sustainably driven fin-to-scale feast that every foodie needs to experience at least once. Pull up a seat at the 12m Carrara marble counter where oysters are shucked and offcuts such as eyes, scales, bladder and roe are miraculously transformed into appetising dishes. Lemon has long been the traditional accompaniment to seafood and it’s represented here in a gravity-defying citrus tart. The just-set texture and sweet-tart taste mark the perfect end to an extraordinary evening. 362 Oxford St, Paddington; saintpeter.com.au.

Within the gleaming tower that is Crown Sydney is the plush and hushed surrounds of a serious fine diner, and an international one, at that. The new outpost of Michelin-starred London chef Clare Smyth, Oncore has harbour views everywhere and a pointy-end menu to match. Sauces are poured tableside, wines are matched (from a heavily European list with a few well-known Aussie heavy-hitters) and plates are swept away. Quite simply, Oncore is serious, traditional, immaculate fine-dining in a special occasion room with breathtaking views. Crown Sydney, Level 26/1 Barangaroo Ave, Barangaroo; crownsydney.com.au.

As far as dining companions go, it’s hard to top the Sydney Opera House; it floats in your periphery wherever you’re seated at Matt Moran’s flagship eatery. From the staff who materialise to open doors to the subtly attentive wait staff, Aria is an operatic display of fine-dining finesse. The dining world outside might have embraced share plates and artful insouciance, but Aria sails ahead doing what it does best. As you polish off a textbook passionfruit souffle, you’ll be glad it has. 1 Macquarie St, Sydney; ariasydney.com.au.

Swaying masts, superyachts and LuMi – it’s all about luxe in this pocket of Pyrmont. There are two menus at this moody fine diner but only one choice to make: whether you opt for the original tasting menu – with no fewer than 13 individual dishes – or the omakase, a tasting menu on steroids, bedazzled with truffle and caviar. Despite the impressive quantity, it’s somehow impossible not to clear each plate. 56 Pirrama Rd, Pyrmont; lumidining.com.

There’s a sigh the name Ester elicits from those in the know, such is the cult following for the quiet achiever which has graced Sydney for a decade. The understated dining room in Chippendale’s backstreets with its rough-hewn concrete walls and warm lighting befits chef Mat Lindsay’s understated menu, which sees seasonal ingredients prepared with the liberal use of a woodfired oven. A concise but creative wine list favours the organic and biodynamic, with a rotation of European and homegrown wines by the glass. This is one cult you can sign us up to. 46-52 Meagher St, Chippendale; ester-restaurant.com.au.

Bentley is not the kind of restaurant you would expect to find at the Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel – or any hotel for that matter. Despite being directly attached to the lobby, there’s absolutely nothing staid or standardised about this in-house dining experience. For starters, the walls have been splashed with inky paint, while an installation of scaffolding bars hangs dramatically overhead. While hotel guests may prefer the easy-going a la carte option, it’s the 7-course tasting menu that attracts the serious foodies about town. The menu is uncompromisingly cheffy, bringing exceptional ingredients together in new and daring ways. 27 O’Connell St, Sydney; thebentley.com.au.

Named after chef-owner Tristan Rosier’s grandfather, Arthur represents a new generation of modern Australian dining. Housed in a Victorian-era terrace in Surry Hills, there’s something warm and inviting about the interiors, which feature rich, walnut timbers and olive banquettes, with diners spread across two intimate dining rooms. The all-Australian wine list celebrates small, family-run estates with a selection of exceptional vintages available by the glass. And if you love Arthur, then just wait until you meet his better half, Jane (Rosier’s second restaurant, just down the road). 544 Bourke St, Surry Hills; arthurrestaurant.com.

Pass beyond the gated compound on Kent St and it’s as though time is standing still. The setting remains one of Sydney’s most tranquil. White-clothed tables are angled towards a Japanese-inspired Zen garden where topiary trees and a pebbled pond set diners’ minds at ease. You don’t even have to trouble yourself with an order: the only option is the eight-course degustation which marries Japanese flavour profiles and French techniques together on the plate. The high point is still the confit trout, ceremoniously sheathed in kombu, with apple and witlof batons. While restaurant trends come and go, this iconic fine diner – and its signature dish – have stood the test of time. 529 Kent St, Sydney; tetsuyas.com.

A member of the Bentley Group, this Barangaroo diner is undeniably slick. The service is personable and warm, the wine list is considered and interesting (as you’d expect, thanks to the guidance of sommelier Nick Hildebrandt), and the space, with sculptural wooden pieces that hang like stalactites from the ceiling and curved leather banquettes, is on par with the flashy new venues that are opening left and right. Sure, there are different flavours and techniques, but at the end of the day these offerings allow the produce to speak for itself. 23 Barangaroo Ave, Barangaroo; cirrusdining.com.au.