UNVEILING SYDNEY'S HIDDEN GEMS: 12 UNDERRATED DINNER SPOTS YOU MUST TRY
UNVEILING SYDNEY'S HIDDEN GEMS
12 UNDERRATED DINNER SPOTS YOU MUST TRY
Sydney, a vibrant city known for its iconic landmarks and breathtaking beaches, is also a culinary haven, offering a myriad of dining experiences to satisfy every palate. While popular restaurants often steal the limelight, it's time to uncover Sydney's hidden gems—the underrated dinner spots that deserve a special place on your gastronomic map. Join us on a delectable journey as we unveil 12 hidden treasures, where exceptional flavors and intimate atmospheres await.
1 • CLAM BAR
The best of New York inspires the Pellegrino 2000 crew's handsome CBD seafood grill and steakhouse. As ever, it’s all about irreverently executed classics: steak tartare with an unexpected twist; macaroni alla vodka that tastes like the best pasta bake you’ll ever eat; and cocktails that cross New York classics with the “daggy drinks” of the ’80s.
2 • PETERMAN
“Fin-to-scale” cooking is the mission at this seafood restaurant from Josh and Julie Niland of Saint Peter fame. Josh’s creativity is in full swing by way of saltbush empanadas, green curry with line-caught hapuka and chateaubriand made with yellowfin tuna in place of beef.
3 • LE FOOTE
The team behind Alberto’s Lounge brings a wine bar and restaurant to the Rocks of a calibre the area hasn’t seen before. Hit this audacious, multi-level venue for a Mediterranean-inspired menu, a cracking wine list, massive mosaics shipped from Italy and views of the Harbour Bridge and MCA.
4 • LONGSHORE
Jarrod Walsh and Dot Lee’s coastal-inspired diner inside the old Automata space is all about the repeat visit. Your first encounter might involve grilled octopus skewers lashed with smoky soy, and sand whiting bathed in XO pipi butter. The next? Al fresco wines out front, or an experimental 10-course snack flight.
5 • BRASSERIE 1930
Inside the newly built Capella hotel, the team behind Bentley and Monopole are turning out modern Australian takes on classic brasserie dishes. There's an encyclopaedic wine list to match, which accesses all the rare drops stashed in the Bentley Group cellars.
6 • AMORICA GRANDE BRASSIERE
Seafood towers, scampi spaghetti and five types of steak frites are just some of what you can expect at Armorica, a stylish neighbourhood brasserie from the team behind Franca and Parlar. It’s luxe, but also accessible – with a light lunch menu of salads, pasta, burgers and pies if you’re in need.
7 • BAR COPAIN
Bar Copains is the result of a decades-long friendship between top Sydney chefs Morgan McGlone and Nathan Sasi. Here, they’re sharing a deeply personal and vast wine collection, and a harmonious menu of elegant snacks to explore it with.
8 • PROMENADE
Whether you’re barefoot or in heels, ravenous or merely peckish, the refurbished Bondi Pavilion has you covered on all fronts. Hit the refined (but relaxed) dining room for Asian-influenced dishes; the terrace for casual pub eats; and the beachside kiosk for classic fish’n’chips.
9 • BEAU BAR
A sexy wine bar and restaurant from the team behind Nomad. Enter via the back lane, take a seat on a caramel leather banquette, and order some of the best gamay Beaujolais has to offer, with lobster thermidor on baked tomato-saffron rice to match.
10 • PALAZZO SALATO
The team behind Ragazzi have taken cues from their favourite Roman trattorias and New York's Gramercy Tavern to create their dream Italian joint – with a walk-in bar area and a beautiful art-filled dining room spanning 120 seats. Slide into a velvet-and-leather booth for a plate for lovingly made pastas, and a choice of 600 wines from Italy and beyond.
11 • THE SANDERSON
This sumptuous diner is one of two venues by the Speakeasy Group inside the revamped Beneficial House, a heritage-listed former department store in Sydney's CBD. Celebrating life's big moments is what it's al about here – come for tableside theatrics, premium Aussie steaks and complimentary cocktail amuse-bouches on arrival.
12 • KILN
Helmed by genre-bending Sydney chef Mitch Orr, the Ace Hotel’s eighteenth-floor diner is all about native ingredients, fire-based cooking and flavours from across the globe. The space exudes the Ace’s signature cool, with a view that’s primed for the adventurous wine list by P&V’s Mike Bennie.
Sydney's culinary landscape is a treasure trove of hidden gems waiting to be discovered. These 12 underrated dinner spots offer unique experiences, flavors, and atmospheres that are often overshadowed by their more famous counterparts. Venture off the beaten path and savor the extraordinary dishes crafted by talented chefs in intimate settings. Embrace the excitement of exploring Sydney's underrated dining scene and uncover the hidden culinary delights that make this city a food lover's paradise.
These are some of Nicole's favourite hidden gems in Sydney. Learn more about Nicole Reine Photography here.
