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THE BEST Places to Eat and Buy Food in Sydney

April 26th 2006 06:52
Allow me to introduce you to the 'definitive' list of the best places to eat and buy food in Sydney. Period.
For all different cuisines, the best this city has to offer.

Call it a cheat’s guide to shopping and eating out.
I don't think it needs much more introduction; lists are, after all, fairly self-explanatory. So dig in!

Going in line with the Sydney Eats guide, I'll use a $ rating system for some indication of price. $ is cheap/fairly priced, $$ is mid range, $$$ is expensive, high level prices. (Remembering that even though it may be expensive, at any level you'll never feel ripped off.)


EATING OUT

French

This section is going to be, as a rule of thumb, more expensive, as is usually the go with French food.

Tetsuya’s (French/Japanese): The best of the best Sydney has to offer, Tetsuya has been creating French/Japanese food for years. Obviously not traditional French, but usually rated as Sydney's best restaurant, along with Rockpool. $$$

Claudes: This institution has gone through many hands over the last thirty years (officially next month!) but still offers fine French food. $$$

Bistro Moncur: Damien Pignolet took over this bistro after he left Claudes, and serves classic French food in a more relaxed bistro setting. $$-$$$

Bilson's: (See review in SMH Good Living yesterday!) Bilson's too has been a long-standing Sydney restaurant with an emphasis on classical French technique. Tony Bilson himself is a food legend, and Manu Feildel is a worthy successor. $$$

Chez Pascal: This is home-style French comfort food served in a fun atmosphere with a traditionally French chef. $$


Forty One (Modern French): On level forty-two in the city, this restaurant is worth a visit if only for the breathtaking view (and the fantastic toilets!). The food much more modern, with only a slight French leaning, but is always top notch. $$-$$$

Marque (Modern French): This is superb modern French food from a relatively new player in the Sydney food scene. Mark Best has fantastic style and his restaurant is definitely worth a visit. $$$

Hungarian

Corner 75: A great example of Hungarian food, with huge and hearty portions. The place to be for red cabbage and protein fans, try the veal knuckle if it's on the menu (you may have to ask). $-$$

Gelato Bar: There is a wide range of food at this family institution. As well as the steaks, chicken and pasta there are Hungarian specialties, and dishes such as matzah ball soup. But better then all are the range of cakes and deserts. $

Italian

Buon Ricordo: This is the top level of Italian food Sydney has to offer, and has been here for decades. The fettuccine al tartufovo (fettuccine with truffled egg) is a Sydney icon and must be experienced at least once. That said, anything here is going to be fantastic. $$$

Alio: Alio is one of the more underrated Sydney restaurants. Chef Ashley Hughes creates wonderful, decidedly Italian food with an emphasis on fresh seasonal produce. The set menu (info only available online) is even better value. $$

Bar Italia: This Norton Street cafe has a legacy like almost no other. A place for the whole family, with huge bowls of pasta and quality coffees. Make sure you have the ice cream as well, some of the best in Sydney. $

Greek

Perama: Perama serves mainly traditional Greek food with some more modern twists; for those who take comfort in the classics, this is the place to be, where everything is consistently good. $$

British

Restaurant Balzac: British is the closest I can come to describing Mathew Kemp's food; he is famous for using cheaper cuts of meat and turning them into wonderful dishes; rich and satisfying, this is definitely worth a visit. $$-$$$

Portuguese

Petersham Charcoal Chicken: This classic of Little Portugal (Petersham) serves up the best chicken, charcoal or otherwise, in Sydney. The best. Make sure you get plenty of the home made chilli sauce; and the thin chips are great for dipping if you don't have enough calories yet. $

Silva's: Silva's also does chicken, but you know where to go for that. You come to Silva's instead for the other Portuguese dishes; the bacahlau (salt cod), and especially the espetada, a huge hanging skewer with chunks of meat, dripping onto your bread. $-$$

Mediterranean

Icebergs Dining Room and Bar: On top of the age-old Icebergs winter swimming club in Bondi, you can get wonderful Mediterranean food with a fantastic view and location. $$$

Local: As has been said, "I wish this place was my local"; serving tasty bistro style food, Local is just the place for a special yet weeknight meal. The food is well worth it. $$

Pizza

These places serve traditional Italian pizza; thin bases, simple toppings, and quality ingredients. Don't waste your time anywhere else. All are $.

La Disfida (Haberfield)
Napoli in Bocca (Haberfield)
Pomepi's (Bondi) - Also great for other Italian food
Pizza Mario Republic (Palmer Street, Darlinghurst)

Balkan

The Balkan: The Balkan is a carnivore’s haunt. There are steaks and chicken, meat platters, and Croatian specialties, such as the house made meatball/sausages. Make sure to accompany your meat with the potato and cabbage salads. $-$$

Indonesian

Jimbaran: This is the place to be for quality Indonesian food; no dubious Asian fusion (a little Thai and a little Chinese does not equal Indonesian). Make sure you have the prawns and salty egg stir fry. $

Thai

Spice I Am: The best traditional Thai food in Sydney, and probably outside of Thailand is at Spice I Am. When I say everything here is good, I mean it. Try the som tum, fish cakes, ho mok, pad prik king, and so on. You get the idea. $

The Ploy Thai: Ploy Thai is a long standing Sydney favourite. The food is solid, with touches of magic. The pad sator is fantastic, as is the special omelette (see my post for details). Anne will look after you. $

Satang Thai: A small hole in the wall (literally), Satang Thai does great stir fries with solid flavours, for very cheap. A serious level above the average Thai place. $

Sailor's Thai: Given birth to by the famous David Thompson, Sailor's Thai is still going strongly, with an emphasis on more modern dishes. $$-$$$

Longrain: Chef Martin Boetz, a David Thompson protege (see his influence) is serving up the best modern Thai food around, and a funky warehouse style setting. Make sure to try the bar. $$-$$$

Chinese

The Chinese Noodle Restaurant: This is a Sydney favourite; come for the hand made noodles and the dumplings, and all other matters of Chinese food. $

BBQ King: As the name suggests, this late night haunt makes the best barbequed and roast meats around; make sure you try the pork and duck. $-$$

Billy Kwong: Kylie Kwong runs a more modern Chinese restaurant with clean flavours and fresh quality ingredients. A more upmarket version. $$

Vietnamese

Non La: Family run restaurant with a plethora of flavours; make sure to tray a bit of everything, it's all fantastic (see my post). $

Red Lantern: A solid Vietnamese restaurant with many high points. $-$$

Pho An Restaurant (Bankstown): The best pho in Sydney; service is fast and efficient, and the flavours are clean, fresh and wonderful. $

Japanese

Ichi-ban Boshi: A small noodle restaurant serving quality hand made ramen and other Japanese dishes. Make sure you have the noodle soups. $

Tetsuya’s (Japanese/French): See entry in French cuisine. $$$

Korean

Mirinei (Oxford Street Mall, Bondi Junction) (Japanese/Korean): A new restaurant, it is the Korean side of the menu here that shines. The rice and noodle dishes and soups are all interesting and flavourful. $

Indian

Oh Calcutta: Long standing contender for the best Indian in Sydney, gregarious Basil Daniell creates modern and traditional Indian food with wonderful flavour. $$

Zaaffran: Predominantly modern Indian, Zaaffran experiments with flavours and spices; sometimes it misses but more often then not it's a hit. Always solid. $$

Maya Sweets and Indian Restaurant (Cleveland Street): The best Indian sweets in Sydney. There are ones based on syrup, milk, cheese, flour, sugar, or my favourite; the chickpea flour balls. Order a bit of everything and take it home. $

Lebanese

Emma's on Liberty: Characterised by the long communal table, Emma's makes traditional Lebanese food that everyone loves. Make sure to try the spinach pastries, and fresh falafel and kibbeh. $-$$

Fifi's: In a similar vein to Emma's, Fifi's too serves traditional Lebanese food. Less experimental, it's up to you which one you prefer. $-$$

Ceder's Valley Lebanese Restaurant: Here you can get Middle Eastern food done decidedly well. Try the ful medames (national dish of Egypt), or the stewed green beans, all served with fresh Lebanese bread. $

Abla’s (48 Railway Parade, Granville): The temple of Middle Eastern sweets, and the best you will ever have. Every type of baklava you can imagine and all in between. Choosing one or two is much too hard, so don't try; instead take one of each type and share them around! (Including the honey balls, although it may be hard.) $

North African/African

Cafe Mint: Fantastic combinations of flavours in this Middle Eastern/North African cafe. Try anything on the menu, and come back for breakfast for the sweet couscous. $-$$

Modern Australian

Rockpool: Falling into no other discernable category, it seems almost criminal to attempt to label Neil Perry's Sydney stalwart. Along with Tetsuya's Rockpool is seen as one of Sydney's best restaurants, and with good reason. The food, with a slight Asian emphasis, is consistently fantastic. $$$

Israeli

Savion: Yes, they're the ones who make the dips. But you can also get tasty falafel rolls and other typically Israeli fare. Obviously Kosher. $

Mexican

Azteca’s: This is Mexican food at a level above what most of us are used to. There are still all the classics, but it goes past tacos and nachos, with dishes such as chicken with mole sauce. $

Burger

Burgerman: There's not contest here. Despite at least one change of hands, Burgerman still makes Sydney's best burgers. The ingredients are quality, the chips tasty, and there's a variety of burgers which puts others to shame. This is what it's all about. $

Pub Steak

Captain Cook Hotel (Flinders Street, Paddington): This one too is a no-brainer; the $7 steaks here are fantastic, great quality meat, with chips/mash and salad/vegies. And you don't need to buy a drink to get it. The pub is a nice stylish hang out, art on the walls, but pokies in the side room. A trendy mix. $

Seafood

Billingsgate Fish Bistro: Owned by Mathew Kemp from Balzac, this bistro provides quality seafood dishes covering a range of styles at very fair prices. $-$$

The Boathouse on Blackwattle Bay: This is an iconic Sydney restaurant serving great seafood dishes at a wonderful location. $$$

Flying Fish: High quality fish and seafood dishes, as the name suggests. And make sure to try the fish and chips and other take away at the sister shop Flying Fish and Chips ($-$$). $$$

Fish Face: Similarly to Flying Fish, a range of seafood and other dishes using the fantastic fresh seafood Sydney offers. Also has the some of the best fish and chips at its fish cafe; it's your call between the two. $$-$$$

Manta: After leaving bel mondo, it's wonderful to have Stefano Manfredi back in the kitchen. At Manta he does quality Italian food with a seafood emphasis, and shows why he is one of the Italian masters. $$-$$$


SHOPPING

Organic
Macro

Bread
Victoire
Bread of France (On Oxford Street, Paddington)
Brasserie Bread
Bowan Island Bakery
La Gerbe d'Or
Wellington Cake Shop
Carmel
Glicks
The Haberfield Bakery
Frank and Theresa's
Pasticceria Papa

Cheese
Paesanella: A great range of it's own house made Italian cheeses. Give the ricotta a go.
David Jones Food Hall and Jones the Grocer: Both great places to pick up the best cheeses from Australia and around the world. Make sure you try the Heidi range from Tasmania.

Meat
Sam the Butcher
AC Butchery

Patisserie
The Paris Cake Shop
Gelato Bar
Pasticceria Papa
Wellington Cake Shop
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Comments
19 Comments. [ Add A Comment ]

Comment by edward

April 26th 2006 07:13
Phew! Sorry about the lack of posts in the last couple of days, I've been working on this post which has taken me hours and hours (and days and days!). I hope you enjoy! Use and abuse it, and have a great time!

P.S. I'll add some pics soon

Comment by Stanley

April 26th 2006 11:17
Have you been to all of these places? If you have that is one impressive effort especially Tetsuya's! Also, have you ever thought about a entry for the tight uni student who still needs to look somewhat impressive on dates?

Comment by edward

April 26th 2006 11:42
I've been to about three quarters of the places on the list; unfortunately not including Tetsuya's, but it's something I dearly want to do.

Not a bad idea, I like it. Some of the $, $-$$, and $$ restaurants would be good but I can think of others that arn't on the list. I'll work on that and put it up soon!

Comment by amy

April 26th 2006 14:42
WOW.

Well impressed. Where did you borrow the last quarter from (that you haven't been to)?

Are you sure Sydney has that many restaurants?!?!?

Comment by Cibbuano

April 26th 2006 22:23
Ed - fantastic post. I think I may just print that page out, post it on my wall and call it 'The New Constitution'...


Comment by edward

April 26th 2006 22:32
Thanks guys!
Amy, I got the other quarter from either friends and family who've been there, or by having heard/read enough good reviews from people I trust. It's some of the more expensive ones that I havn't been to all, but at those places the quality is assured so you can take someone elses word. And yeah it's surprising when you list it out like that, I didnt think it would be that long...!

Cibby, lol thanks I hope you've got a big wall I'll make a list for the "tight uni student who still needs to look somewhat impressive on dates" as Stanley suggested too so save room for that

Comment by Cibbuano

April 26th 2006 22:49
what about addresses?

Or should I just go to random train station, calling 'Zaaffran! Zaaffran!'?

Great idea, linking your past articles!


Comment by Laura

April 27th 2006 00:00
*impressed* That really is an amazing list of places you've got there! I feel inspired to eat in a different country every week! I hear another great Japanese place is "Kobe Jones" www.kobejones.com.au - apparently the Volcano roll is good, suppose to look like volcano?

Comment by Biggestguy

April 27th 2006 10:54
Edward, here is a recommendation for you (and I think Amy had also enquired about African).

This is a Morrocan/Middle Eastern restaurant at Balmain which serves an absolutely superb cross-section of foods from the region and probably the best breakfast to be found anwhere in Sydney.

A very pedantic chef who will not serve (or even take an order for an item on say, the lunch menu if the time is 15 minutes before the formal time for lunch. They also have very limited trading hours and might only be open on the weekend - you'll need to check for yourself.

But you can afford to be pedantic when your fare is that good - and it really is THAT GOOD!

One must make a reservation - for any meal. There is never a single chair free. The staff is very friendly and informal. The place spills out onto the footpath and there are always some patrons hanging around waiting for a chair. Pricing is quite user friendly, probably what you might call $$ and I repeat, the food is magnificent.

No, I have no interest in the place other than gastonmical - it's just the single most frequented restaurant by me, my wife and our extended family.

It is the KAZBAH Restaurant at 379 Darling Street Balmain.

You will need to go there several times, to sample enough of their menu to see what I mean - happy eating!

Comment by Jimbo

April 27th 2006 12:57
Call me a wog elitist, but Bar Italia is horribly overrated, and usually preffered by either uni students (because of cheap meals) or... sorry, but Aussies. The pasta isn't that great, at least compared to true home-cooked Italian food, and the gelato can be beated by many in Sydney.

Go Here!

Comment by edward

April 27th 2006 13:08
Cibby, I've put in adresses or suburbs etc where there's more than one place with that name, or where it might be confusing. But I figured you could use the white pages After so many hours I didn't have the energy to spend two or three more hours typing up all the addresses and phone numbers; I figured I'd probably miss type a certain percentage anyway and that wouldn't help anyone! (That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it)
Laura, thanks, no I havn't been to Kobe Jones but I've heard about it; I'll have to check it out, cheers!
Biggestguy, great to hear from you! Kazbah Restaurant sounds fantastic, and I can't wait to go there (as can't Amy, I imagine ) Thanks for the recommendation, I hope you enjoy the rest of the blog!
Jimbo, I can see where you're coming from for the pasta, it's not fancy, and home cooked it usually the best anyway (in any circumstance!); but it's good honest food, with good flavours, and that puts it above so many other places it's not funny. Plus I like it! But as for the gelato, I have to disagree, at least up until the last time I was there, the gelato was fantastic, I would call it one of the best, if not the best, around Sydney, along with the French Riviera. Although the standard of other gelato has gotten better.

Comment by Lia

April 29th 2006 04:46
You've been well-commented already I see, but that was an excellent post! Bar Italia (yes, cheap, uni, aussie) and Maya are two of my favourite places to eat out so I was happy to see them rate a mention.

Arthur's Pizza though- had one of the worst eating experiences of my life there! Not entirely the fault of the staff, though they did make the worst iced chocolate and caramel milkshakes I've ever tasted (off-milk aside). Watery!

But if you ever get the time, it would be nice to see the suburbs listed- just to so we can orient ourselves.

Comment by edward

April 29th 2006 05:22
Cheers thanks for that! I will have to put in the suburbs eventually I know, and I'll have to update it every so often too - I'll see what I can do.

As far as Arthur's Pizza, you're right I think it's changed hands back to the originial owner, and the brothers who were doing it before (the good ones) are now in the city? I'm not too sure exactly, I'll try and find out. I haven't been since it changed hands, so in retrospect perhaps I should take it off the list...Consider it done. But if anyone hears where the new Arthur's is, with the upside down sign (the one in Paddington has been righted, to go with the new owner) please say so!

Comment by amy

April 29th 2006 09:12
Thanks BiggestGuy! I'm so there. Little bit tentative about going to the three or so African places in Newtown/Enmore now - heard some weird stuff about one of them (like that old trick of piling your table with sidedishes that are more expensive than the mains - makes me feel dirty) - always awesome to get recommendations!

Rock on Edward - you don't have to reply to this comment - you seem to have your hands full already! =P

Comment by Biggestguy

April 30th 2006 01:52
A WARNING Amy - yesterday I went and had breakfast at Kazbah again. I found they now have a new and expanded menu which makes them even more atractive.

However, the chef has learned a new trick and now he choses to add cayenne pepper to the Hollandaise sauce he serves on Eggs Benedict. In my opinion this made them too piquant and interfered with the natural taste of the dish which I had previously thought was the best Benedict in Sydney.

Some may prefer it that way (and I normally love some bite in most dishes) but my recommendation is that you ask them to hold the cayenne on the Benedict.

As always, everything else was terrific!

Now you've made me hungry again...

Comment by Eva

June 1st 2006 02:55
Bourke Street Bakery (read review at http://sydney.citysearch.com.au/profile?id=20108673) - good things not mentioned; chorizo rolls, pumpkin and sage rolls, hazelnut and raisin bread, chocolate and sour cherry cookies, rhubarb danish, those nutty, sweet twisty things (oops, can't remember what they are called) and, my personal favourite, Mr Potato Bread!

Bourke St (Cnr Devonshire St)
Surry Hills, NSW 2010

also Bourke St Bakery On Broadway
Shp 130/ 128 Broadway Chippendale 2008

Comment by Cibbuano

June 1st 2006 03:05

Comment by Luise Knauer

June 18th 2006 07:30
Visiting from Berlin.
Are you not even aware of ZIGGYS,St Ives?
I was told by a famous chef in New York to go there as it is the only place in Australia for authentic ham,salamis etc.The founder is one of the world's foremost experts on ham and his hams have been sent all over the world.Their organic ham and franks are equal to the best of Europe.Sadly, his daughter tells me he is retiring and the shop will close end 2009.Go there while you still can.

Comment by edward

June 18th 2006 09:14
No I haven't been there before...it sounds slightly familiar, but I'll have to check it out! Thanks for the tip, and I hope you enjoy your stay!

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