Sydney Restaurants

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6 reviews | Write a review

Good for: Romance, food, service, atmosphere, great desserts!!!

Not good for: a cheap meal

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Lonely Planet review for Aria

Aria is a star in Sydney’s fine-dining firmament, an award-winning combination of chef Matthew Moran’s stellar dishes, awesome Opera House views ( is there a cooler building?) and faultless service. The mouth-watering lamb rack is hard to overlook. Pre- and after-theatre supper menu available. Reservations essential.

 

Traveller reviews for Aria (6)

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    Decadent Dining: Not for the faint hearted

    lisafaustralia recommends this,

    Aria is the first stop restaurant when I have overseas guests.

    Sydney has been lacking in fine dining for many years - the kind of restaurant you can go to and have confidence in the chef and the staff to deliver something amazing. Aria is indeed expensive, but every morsel is worth it.

    Each of the sommelier's I have come across knew their wines and were able to make excellent recommendations to match the meals.

    What I really love about Aria is its lack of snobbery. You don't have to put your name on a waiting list for 5 years to get a table; they want you to come and enjoy their food. Whenever I have asked for a table with a view because I have overseas guests, the staff have gone out of their way to accommodate my requests.

    The highlight for me when dining at Aria is the dessert. I have not met one I didn't like.

    Good for: great desserts!!!

    Not good for: a cheap meal

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    Disappointing...

    joandory does not recommend this,

    My dining experience at Aria was disappointing. I thought the food was very ordinary and it was not up to its reputation.

    I could spend less and have a better food else where.

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    Gourmet Food, Views and Service

    donkey12 recommends this,

    This place is amazing. I visited with my partner when the Diamond Princess was docked at the Passenger Terminal in the late evening over coffee we watched the large cruise liner pull out of the Harbour. It was a great sight. But, Aria is not just about the view, even if it is superb.

    The service is fantastic. The waiter we had knew the menu inside out and must have tried everything to have such a great grasp of the flavours, ingredients and presentation. They accommodated my diary-free companion on every course, and his dish was not lacking in substance or appearance to my mainstream choices.

    The food was what you could expect from any top class restaurant. Fancy, an unusual combination of ingredients but absolutely fantastic. The dishes all looked like a lot of love and care was put into them.

    The prices do hit the back pocket but it is certianly worth it to impress your loved one for a special occasion. I felt like royalty, the staff and the view and the food was just excellent. A must - after all, you only live once!

    Good for: Romance, food, service

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    It is the Real Estate

    alan3966 recommends this,

    We enjoyed our pre-dinner trip to Aria, everything close to faultless, the overwhelming factor is the location. However, close to faultless also meant we found it a bit banal, lacking a real character (we wonder how great it would be without that location?) It is a special occassion place and the food is great , but there is more fun to be had for dinner for 2 elsewhere.

    Good for: Romance, food, Groups, service

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    The Aria Experience!

    pipsi82 recommends this,

    If you want your partner to feel completely spoilt I highly recommend Aria! My husband took me there for a very unforgettable 2 year anniversary! It is pricey but we were treated like royalty from the moment we arrived till the moment we left. We even had our own personal wine connoisseur, discussing with us the perfect wine to compliment our meals! Chef Matt Moran is a culinary genius - the food was incredible, particularly the pan fried scallops! The spectacular view of Sydney Harbour really adds to the experience that is Aria!

    Good for: Romance, atmosphere, food, service

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    Dine in Sydney in style

    debbiekayd recommends this,

    Panoramic views of Sydney Harbour, Circular Quay and the Opera House from the restaurant add to the overall dining experience. The staff are friendly and the service faultless. The food is beautifully presented and cooked to perfection but due to the prices it is a special occasion restaurant for us.

    Good for: Romance, atmosphere, food, service

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