Sydney
This meticulously restored 1830s mansion is a gorgeous spot for brunch, particularly if you can score one of the harbour-view tables on the verandah…
Must-see restaurants in New South Wales
New South Wales
Behind the handsome neoclassical facade of this 1936 pub is a sympathetically renovated interior, with an inviting front bar, a shady beer garden and a…
Southern NSW & The Murray
Deni's best counter meals can be found at this friendly pub, serving such Aussie favourites as enormous schnitzels, burgers and fish and chips. Nightly…
Newtown & the Inner West
Kopitiam (meaning 'coffee shop') isn’t going to win design awards (low ceiling, daggy tiled floor, plastic furniture and Malaysian Airlines tourism…
Byron Bay & Northern NSW
Down-to-earth Italian place, with a long and florid pizza and pasta menu that gets the basics right with good ingredients. A local favourite, and with an…
Katoomba
Locals tend to favour the bottom end of the Katoomba Street strip and this bohemian cafe is a good example. There are no frills but it takes coffee…
Coffs Harbour
On the jetty dining strip, Urban opens out onto the street and serves decent coffee plus a lunch menu of casual Modern Australian favourites – salt and…
Southern NSW & The Murray
High ceilings and towering wrought-iron beams combine amid the heritage ambience of Junee's Railway Station Cafe. Counter food, burgers and good coffee…
Broken Hill
A narrow shop cluttered with stylish kitchenware and gourmet produce. Sit in among it (or out on the street) for a decent coffee and delicious baguette…
Snowy Mountains
Fattoush salad, beef doner, crunchy falafel…all the traditional Lebanese favourites are on offer at this friendly family restaurant, a long-established…
Newtown & the Inner West
Green Gourmet delivers buffet and à la carte vegan Chinese food, including yum cha, noodles, rice, salads and a whole virtual farmyard of mock-meat dishes…
Manly
Set inside Manly Wharf, this branch of the Thaitown favourite misses out on the harbour views – though you can just about watch the prow of the ferry nose…
Mid-North Coast
The Darkwater Brasserie at the Heritage Hotel conjures up a mean beer-battered fish and chips, plus burgers, steaks and salads, served in an idyllic beer…
Sydney
Gourmet, grease-free fish and chips for those who are fond of tradition, but not at the expense of their waistline. Grab some grilled hoki and steamed…
Byron Bay & Northern NSW
A cantina-style space that serves standard Tex-Mex dishes but also some nicely spicy, herb-strewn variations, such as pan-fried Yamba prawns sautéed in…
Katoomba
On Katoomba's main drag, this tiny espresso bar has a small but sweet selection of food, with the likes of bircher muesli, baked potatoes and waffles. In…
Mid-North Coast
This relaxed restaurant in the Nelson Bay shopping strip offers a good-value two-course set menu for $45 on weekdays. Port Stephens oysters star as…
New South Wales
This busy cafe in the centre of town does decent coffee and interesting breakfasts such as potato roesti with slow-roasted tomato, balsamic mushrooms and…
Mid-North Coast
All-day breakfast heaven is hidden in an arcade near the waterfront, where this cafe serves up to eight variations of eggs Benedict, fluffy buttermilk…
Mid-North Coast
The local pub has cold beer, a sun-soaked deck and a massive menu of Vietnamese dishes and pub classics, as well as takeaway pizza ($14 to $28): which in…
New South Wales
Locals love the Lama for its hearty country-style breakfasts and light lunches like loaded foccacia and tasty, healthy salads, soups and quiches. It's all…
Byron Bay
Get stuck into traditional Gallic fare such as steak tartare, duck confit and fromage (cheese) in spades at this old-school French bistro, with outdoor…
Kings Cross & Potts Point
Beautiful all-day eggy breakfasts, scrummy muffins, fresh juices and top-notch coffee are the staples of this chilled-out cafe, set in a tree-lined plaza…
Mid-North Coast
Grab a seat on the deck overlooking the river and join well-to-do mature diners as they tuck into a plate pan-fried barramundi and local rock oysters with…
Blue Mountains
On the main road in the heart of Blackheath, this is a quaintly decorated spot that does generously-topped, cheesy pizzas, both traditional and gourmet,…
Sydney
Flanked by the Harbour Bridge, the choppy harbour and Luna Park’s insane grin, Ripples does well to compete with the view and come out on top. Expect lots…
Sydney
Rock the Kazbah for Moroccan breakfast, weekend brunch or a peppy dinner. On hot summer days the windows fold out to the street. Generous serves feature…
Forster-Tuncurry
This no-frills restaurant, popular with locals, has friendly staff, is invariably spotlessly clean, and serves a wide range of Chinese and Malaysian…
Surry Hills & Darlinghurst
Great bánh mì – try the Peking duck one for a change from pork – and rice paper rolls are turned out by this extremely friendly little lunch spot. It's…
Mid-North Coast
Come to this basic beach kiosk for the well-made coffee on the way to a morning surf; drop in for burgers, pizzas and milkshakes at lunch; and finish the…
New South Wales
Breakfast at this quality all-day option treads familiar ground (with some fun tempters like Sicilian doughnuts). From lunchtime, the menu skews heavily…
Byron Bay & Northern NSW
Musicians occasionally hang out at the pavement tables at this 1950s-era cafe, scoffing burgers by day and sometimes jamming until late on impromptu…
Sydney
'Artisan sourdough' is the speciality of this bakery cafe on the Five Ways intersection. The toast with ricotta and the sourdough sandwiches are suitably…
Southern NSW & The Murray
This popular cafe has the creative-sandwich, mini-pizza and pastry market covered. The coffee is good and there are tables aplenty inside and out. A juice…
Surry Hills & Darlinghurst
At the Darlinghurst end of Bourke St there are some rare reminders of the neighbourhood’s once-prominent Greek community, such as Christopher’s Cake Shop,…
Surry Hills & Darlinghurst
Bentwood chairs clatter across the polished-concrete floor; friends laugh, clink glasses and unwind; waiters spin and smile. Pizza Birra is stylish enough…
Southern NSW & The Murray
You can smell the tandoor oven the second you walk into this spotless, friendly, family-run restaurant, bursting with the aromas and flavours of fine…
South Coast NSW
Offering a food pairing you never knew you needed, this casual restaurant serves delicious East Coast oysters (with zesty garnishes or au naturel) along…
New South Wales
This cute corner cafe is a big hit with locals. The bread, muffins and pastries are freshly baked on-site, the coffee is excellent, and the hunger-busters…
Byron Bay & Northern NSW
A lovely heritage house decked out in aquamarine walls, cute floral prints and jam jars. It’s a popular place with a menu that strays all over the world,…
