Josh Niland is one of Sydney’s great culinary innovators. His nose-to-tail ethos around sustainable seafood has seen him named in the world’s top 100 best chefs, win the James Beard Book of the Year Award and be listed among the world’s 50 best next-generation hospitality leaders. Josh and his partner-in-crime Julie Niland’s sardine tin-sized venue Saint Peter is where it all began and should still be top of the list for any seafood lover.

Since it opened as the first full-service restaurant from the Swillhouse Group in 2016, Restaurant Hubert has built a reputation as a true gem of the Sydney restaurant landscape. From the moment you open the door, this Bligh Street spot will hurtle you headfirst into a C.S. Lewis-style adventure, taking you from dreary city streets to the resplendent old-world opulence of post-war Paris. It's like an adult's version of Narnia, only this time, there's fabulous steak and wine.

Cafe Paci, the highly lauded Darlinghurst pop-up, made its grand return in 2019. Award-winning Finnish chef Pasi Petänen (Quay, Four In Hand, Marque) opened the permanent iteration of the Sydney restaurant along one of the city’s busiest strips — Newtown’s King Street. Stop in for a quick bar snack and cocktail combo, or nab a seat in the dining room. Some of the original fan-favourite menu items remain mainstays — like the house potato and molasses bread and the liquorice cake.

City workers, theatre-goers and general pasta lovers should all have this romantic Italian restaurant at the very top of their hit list. Ragazzi comes from the duo behind Love, Tilly Devine and Dear Sainte Éloise, bringing these venues’ passion for carbs and minimal-intervention wines to Angel Place. The 38-seat wine bar has a 250-strong list of vinos and is home to some of the best pasta in Sydney. Can't get a reservation? Check out the team's larger CBD diner, Palazzo Salato.

After building a cult following for her show-stopping hoppers at Carriageworks Farmers Market, O Tama Carey flung open the doors to her first permanent restaurant, Lankan Filling Station, in 2018. A shrine to Sri Lankan cuisine, the east Sydney venue features a hands-on menu of hoppers, sambols and curries. The build-your-own style meal employs a check-box system, and it takes all the restraint in the world not to go on a mad ticking spree. It's easily one of the best restaurants in Sydney.

Quay might just be the most well-known fine-dining restaurant in Sydney (or Australia, for that matter). Head Chef Peter Gilmore is famous for his appearances on Masterchef, and the restaurant has one of the greatest views in the city — overlooking both the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge. The creative dishes made with top quality local ingredients pair perfectly with the views — just come prepared to spend big. We recommend you bookmark this restaurant for a very special ocasion.

Sean's is a true institution. A long-standing Sydney seafood stalwart where everyone is welcome. Located on Campbell Parade overlooking the iconic Bondi Beach, this breezy eastern suburbs icon perfectly pairs a laidback, friendly atmosphere with plentiful dishes made from the freshest produce. Take a seat among the perfectly curated mishmash of wall art and choose from the day’s dishes — all laid out on the restaurant’s chalkboard.

Dan Pepperell (Alberto Lounge, 10 William Street and Frankie’s), sommelier Andy Tyson (Alberto Lounge) and Rockpool Dining Group chef Michael Clift are behind Pellegrino 2000, a relatively new neighbourhood Italian restaurant inspired by trattorias in Rome and Florence. The menu at this Surry Hills standout consists of the Italian staples the owners dearly love, including cacio e pepe, prawn ravioli and focaccia paired with possibly Sydney’s best butter. The wine is also just as excellent here.

A Chippendale mainstay, Ester pairs the best of Sydney’s dining scene with the laidback energy of its Chippo surrounds. The space is simple and sparse — done in concrete tones and darkish wood. It’s a (designer) vessel free of corny trends and all the tiring paraphernalia that comes with them, placing the food at the centre of your experience. The menu is driven (or fired) by a wood-burning oven, which makes every dish comes alive with a great depth of flavour.

From the moment it opened, the cool factor and unmistakable style of the Ace Hotel brand was delivered in spades. And Kiln, its fantastic rooftop restaurant, is no exception. Chef Mitch Orr has brought a menu that’s equally imaginative and delicious with inventive, genre-crossing dishes that bring together Italian flavours and Japanese influences. Matching the menu is a killer drinks list, a fun atmosphere, and the sense that at any minute, you could turn around and bump into someone famous.

At Bennelong, one of the very best restaurants in Sydney, Peter Gilmore ditches the more extravagant elements of Quay and offers up brilliantly to-the-point dishes. Despite its unmatched panoramic views of Sydney Harbour, somehow, the food is still the highlight. Nestled below the Sydney Opera House, this Sydney showstopper provides a few different experiences. Stop in for a tipple at The Bar, take a seat at The Counter for a more accessible pre-Opera House meal or go all out at The Restaurant.

As we’ve come to expect from Merivale, Bert’s doesn’t do anything by halves. Getting its inspiration from the 1930s — when hotel dining rooms were grand destinations — the restaurant is an extravaganza of jade green and coral pink, with an open kitchen as its centrepiece. But it’s not all about the looks. The food is just as luxe as the interiors. Look out for a dedicated raw bar crowded with oysters, mud crab, lobster and brioche canapés, and a larder loaded with charcuterie and salads.

Rolling down King Street looking for somewhere to dine can be a daunting task, but Newtown’s Maiz is here to make that choice easier. Located in a historic 1830s building with a stunning openair courtyard, the restaurant offers central Mexican street food, affordable tostadas and specialty cocktails. Maiz employs a strict no-taco policy, drawing from more underappreciated elements of Mexican cuisine. Its standout dishes come in the form of its complex dinner options overflowing with flavour.

While many of Sydney's best French restaurants bring a flashy city flair to their take on French cuisine, this long-standing spot celebrates tradition, serving up classic dishes done incredibly well. On entry to Bouillon L’Entrecôte, you’ll head upstairs and discover the expansive dining room with a grand French fitout. Luxurious detailing and large dining tables are complemented by a huge portrait of legendary French chef Paul Bocuse.

Lilymu is the Parramatta Square outpost from the team behind Nour and Henrietta. For their first Western Sydney restaurant, the team linked up ex-Mr Wong chef Brendan Fong for a contemporary take on Chinese and Southeast Asian dishes. Everything on Fong’s menu is top-notch, but the Tom yum prawn dumplings are a must-try — swimming in bright, refreshing soy, lime and chilli dressing. The food alone is worth a trip to Parra, but be sure to atry some of its brilliant cocktails when visiting, too.

In one of Sydney’s main thoroughfares, where Oxford Street meets Crown amid a flurry of quick-fix fast-food, clubs, pubs and bottle shops, lives this authentic Japanese experience. Chaco Ramen feels more intimate than small. The room is divided by a communal table that sits adjacent to an exposed kitchen gallery, where inside, the smells and sounds of meat against coals make for a promising start to the evening. All six varieties of ramen are outstanding — you'll have to return to try them all.

Emma’s Snack Bar has a friendly, casual vibe and a stacked menu of magnificent mezze — this is Lebanese dining that always pleases. The retro interior draws inspiration from the local takeaway model, and the long tables down the centre of the restaurant create some proper community feels. The menu is designed for a relaxed pick and nibble while you sip on a glass of wine you can BYO (ideal for those looking to dine on a budget). Get around the dips, pickles, kebabs and epic fried cauliflower.

Following a series of pop-ups, the Baba’s team found a permanent home in a warehouse in Marrickville. The Sydney restaurant’s fitout is designed to drop you straight into a family dinner at your grandma’s house, illuminating the beauty of the suburban home with family photos, white frilly tablecloths and 80s tableware. And, as with any meal around the family table, the dishes are all designed to be shared. The menu is constantly shifting but you can always expect the much-loved taramasalata.

Potts Point has seen many restaurants and bars come and go in its time, with upscale digs moving into sites previously home to the dives of The Cross’s colourful yesteryear. Franca arrived with the area’s move towards becoming more residential (and increasingly affluent). It’s one of the many elegant yet casual eateries that has sprung up here since its vast transformation — and certainly one of its best. The menu features reinvented French classics and stacks of classic Mediterranean eats.

This Redfern restaurant is dedicated to the Aussie bush. The team uses native ingredients throughout the small but mighty menu — seeking to encourage their adoption, admiration and production. The menu changes often, but you might come across the kangaroo carpaccio served with rock oyster cream, venison cutlets topped with Illawarra plums and a bone sauce, or the wattleseed flan dessert served with a crunchy banana brûlée and macadamias. The Bush burger is another must-try.