Sydney's multicultural heritage and access to quality fresh produce and seafood make it one of the world's best places to eat and drink.
If you have the budget and book well in advance, some of Australia's top restaurants are in Sydney, including the renowned Oncore by Clare Smyth. Located on Crown's 26th floor, this fine dining experience, with three Michelin star chef Smyth at the helm, has topped prestigious restaurant lists globally for its food and atmosphere. You can dine on dishes inspired by Sydney's harbour itself while viewing it from your seat. Local ingredients thrive here – try kangaroo tartare with Wattleseed or King George whiting with saltbush and macadamia, which have been awarded three hats by the Australian Good Food Guide. Other prestigious locations for fine dining are found all over Sydney – Quay in The Rocks and Sixpenny in Stanmore both show out in the Modern Australian cuisine category.
If fine dining is out of reach, Sydney is home to too many restaurant options to count in all price ranges, given its status as a cultural melting pot with the best quality ingredients. High-quality meals are found on practically every street, but there are definitely some highlights. Here are some of the best dining precincts that'll never disappoint.
Dixon Street and Campbell Street, Haymarket
Haymarket itself is a cultural hub, containing not only Chinatown, but also Thaitown and Koreatown. Sydney’s Chinatown has over 200 years of history behind it, producing a wide variety of Chinese cuisines. Dixon Street is the centre of Chinatown, with plenty of side streets and alleys to diverge into. In between meals, duck into Market City and explore the stalls underneath the mall. Be sure to return on Friday evenings for the night market.
Campbell Street towards Haymarket is known as Thaitown, founded by the Pontip Thai Market grocer. Here, takeaway meals are stocked on the shelves, homecooked by Thai households. If you’re not heading back home after grabbing something quick here, move on to @Bangkok for a feast inside Capitol Square Building. The pineapple fried rice served inside the pineapple is a highlight.
Anzac Parade, Kingsford
This area is known for being great value, given the affordability of the spots here, and also the variety of different cuisines. Chinese restaurants cater to students with noodle bars and dumplings, and even Italian pastries are available if you stroll a little further off the main drag. The main drawcard here is the Indonesian food. Pondok Buyung and Sedap Rasa are favourites with large portions for cheap, and Ayam Goreng 99 delivers flavour and value with their Indonesian grilled chicken.
King Street and Enmore Road, Newtown
You can travel the world in a night in this Newtown precinct. West Africa is represented at Little Lagos, with other eateries trading in Vietnamese, Thai and even Mexican. Maiz is authentic as it gets, with Tostada Tuesdays for a good deal. Award-winners are available too, like Café Paci, an Australian-Finnish spot.