Must-see restaurants in New South Wales

  • Napoli Centrale

    Newcastle

    This understated pizza and pasta joint is a real hot spot for locals craving wood-fired pizza. The sparsely topped, crisp-based pizzas are so authentic…

  • Malaya

    Darling Harbour & Pyrmont

    There's something really life-affirming about quality Malaysian cooking, and what you get here is certainly that. Dishes bursting with flavour and spice…

  • Yok Yor

    City Centre & Haymarket

    Even if you ask for your Thai 'hot' in Sydney, some chefs are reluctant to open fire – but here you can expect mind-bending spice hits as a matter of…

  • Barrenjoey House

    Northern Beaches

    Be transported to a blissful seaside holiday with a long lunch at this elegant Palmie favourite. Overlooking glorious Pittwater from its dreamy location…

  • Health Hut

    Southern NSW & The Murray

    One of the tastiest – and definitely the healthiest – places in town serves up energising breakfast treats like acai, granola and muesli bowls, while…

  • White Cliffs Hotel

    Outback NSW

    Pull up a barstool at the White Cliffs Hotel and get ready to meet the remote settlement's friendly roll call of local characters. The beer's super-cold,…

  • Bondi's Best

    Sydney

    In an appealing block of cafes close to the beach action but more peaceful, this little square place has more kitchen than customer space, but it's worth…

  • Doyles on the Beach

    Sydney

    Perhaps not Sydney's absolute best seafood, but few can compete with Doyles' location or history – it first opened in 1885. Catching the harbour ferry to…

  • Cafe Sydney

    Circular Quay & The Rocks

    This breezy, spacious restaurant on the Customs House roof has marvellous harbour and bridge views, an outdoor terrace, a glass ceiling, a cocktail bar…

  • Red Ned's Gourmet Pie Bar

    Mid-North Coast

    More than 50 varieties of pies ranging from flavours such as macadamia-nut Thai satay chicken to the classic savoury mince or old-school lamb's fry and…

  • Prime

    City Centre & Haymarket

    This impressive carnivores' paradise in the depths of the GPO building was doing top-quality steaks way before the current craze put a Wagyu in every…

  • French Pan Tree

    Byron Bay & Northern NSW

    Dusky pink walls and candlelight set the scene at this atmospheric restaurant on the hill. Traditional French cuisine is tweaked with a modern approach by…

  • Signal Box

    Newcastle

    A happy indoor-outdoor venue that had just opened at the time of research and brings new life to the former railway signal box near the waterfront. Eggs,…

  • Lime Mexican

    Coffs Harbour

    Lime does modern Mexican tapas-style, designed to share. The taco line-up includes tempura fish, braised lamb and halloumi, and there are share plates of…

  • A Tavola

    Sydney

    Carrying on the tradition of its Darlinghurst sister, Bondi's A Tavola gathers around a big communal marble table where, before the doors open, the pasta…

  • Suzu Japanese Dining Bar

    Mid-North Coast

    Vintage Japanese posters, noren (hanging curtains) and large sake bottles set the scene at this delightful, authentic and intimate Japanese restaurant…

  • Mez Club

    Byron Bay

    Drenched in white with woven straw accents, this chic bar-restaurant nails the Greek Islands vibe. Enjoy a lazy afternoon grazing on share plates of…

  • Hung Cheung

    Newtown & the Inner West

    You can tell a good yum-cha joint by the number of Cantonese diners inside and by that measure Hung Cheung is the best in the inner west. Gung-gungs …

  • Bodega 1904

    Newtown & the Inner West

    A creative menu of wood-grilled dishes is the backbone of the menu in this Tramsheds restaurant from the team behind Bodega and Porteño in Surry Hills…

  • Trail Street Coffee Shop

    Southern NSW & The Murray

    In a leafy neighbourhood on the edge of the CBD, Trail St's tattooed and Doc Marten'd crew serve up Wagga's best coffee and a concise menu of interesting…

  • Waterfall Way Cafe

    Mid-North Coast

    This delightfully rustic, charming cafe at the Lookout Mountain Retreat is the perfect spot for a road-trip stop. Some of the produce is sourced from the…

  • Izakaya Fujiyama

    Surry Hills & Darlinghurst

    A good job's been done making a cosy restaurant out of this high-ceilinged former commercial space. It's a pleasure to watch the chef at work from the bar…

  • Adore on Dean

    Southern NSW & The Murray

    European and Asian influences combine with local produce at this cosmopolitan dining room upstairs on Dean St. Try one of Albury's best pre-dinner…

  • Livelo Espresso & Kitchen

    City Centre & Haymarket

    Brightening up a dull corporate entrance with its upbeat rustic decor, this has tasty, fast-made juices, decent coffee and covered outdoor seating, making…

  • Canvas Eatery

    Southern NSW & The Murray

    Secure a table on the outside deck and combine parkland views with wood-fired pizza and Beechworth craft beer, or more substantial and sophisticated…

  • Bermagui Beach Hotel

    South Coast NSW

    Enjoy seafood and pub classics in a casual historic venue (1895). The hotel's a decent night out with the locals and serves very good burgers, beer…

  • bills

    Sydney

    With artfully bland modern decor, the focus is on the food at the Bondi outpost of this beloved-of-brunchers Sydney icon. Silky-smooth scrambled eggs,…

  • Cinnabar

    Blue Mountains

    With a mission to take you around the world in a single sitting, this elegant place on the highway offers very tasty fusion share plates. They play fast…

  • Devon

    Surry Hills & Darlinghurst

    If it's boring old bacon and eggs you're after, look elsewhere. Devon energetically fuses the cuisines of multicultural Australia to deliver an extremely…

  • Thai Pothong

    Newtown & the Inner West

    This crowd-pleasing restaurant is a favourite for birthdays and family dinners. The army of staff are efficient and friendly, and the food reliably…

  • Mimosa Dry Stone

    Tathra & Around

    A corner of Tuscany between Tathra and Bermagui, this winery and restaurant occupies a beautiful ochre-coloured stone building with views across the vines…

  • Pearls on the Beach

    Sydney Region

    Share tasty, unpretentious, flavourful Modern Australian creations at this very cute wooden beach house right on the sand at idyllic little Pearl Beach…

  • Bondi Hardware

    Sydney

    This former hardware store has kept the idea going, with designer rough-and-ready decor and plenty of small thematic touches, though sofa seats and…

  • Alfresco's

    Broken Hill

    This friendly place pulls an unfussy local crowd pining for its bumper portions of meat dishes (classics like steak and chicken parma) and crowd-pleasing…

  • No Bones

    Byron Bay

    No bones, no problem at this plant-based restaurant that doesn't compromise on flavour. It's not your typical Buddha bowls and tofu here – dine al fresco…

  • Butcher Baker

    Byron Bay & Northern NSW

    Let the aroma of freshly baked sourdough lure you in, then stay for the crispy pork belly or perhaps a beef bacon burger at this cafe run by a local…

  • Hunter Valley Smelly Cheese Shop

    Hunter Valley

    Along with the great range of stinky desirables filling the cheese counter and gloriously whiffy fromagerie fridge, there are deli platters, pizzas,…

  • Aqua

    Sydney

    The views are not just impressive from this high-end restaurant above the North Sydney pool, they are immersively like a 3D movie, with the bridge looming…

  • Gunners Barracks Tea Room

    Sydney

    Offering lovely harbour views in a historic sandstone barracks, this is a refined spot for a morning or afternoon cuppa from the lengthy tea menu. Grab a…

  • St Jude

    Surry Hills & Darlinghurst

    The leafy streets of east Redfern have become a rapidly gentrified southern extension of Surry Hills. This corner cafe has an artfully crumbly facade, and…