Josh Niland is one of Sydney’s great culinary innovators. His nose-to-tail ethos around sustainable seafood has seen him named in the world’s top 100 best chefs, win the James Beard Book of the Year Award and be listed among the world’s 50 best next-generation hospitality leaders. Josh and his partner-in-crime Julie Niland’s sardine tin-sized venue Saint Peter is where it all began and should still be top of the list for any seafood lover.

Since it opened as the first full-service restaurant from the Swillhouse Group in 2016, Restaurant Hubert has built a reputation as a true gem of the Sydney restaurant landscape. From the moment you open the door, this Bligh Street spot will hurtle you headfirst into a C.S. Lewis-style adventure, taking you from dreary city streets to the resplendent old-world opulence of post-war Paris. It's like an adult's version of Narnia, only this time, there's fabulous steak and wine.

Cafe Paci, the highly lauded Darlinghurst pop-up, made its grand return in 2019. Award-winning Finnish chef Pasi Petänen (Quay, Four In Hand, Marque) opened the permanent iteration of the Sydney restaurant along one of the city’s busiest strips — Newtown’s King Street. Stop in for a quick bar snack and cocktail combo, or nab a seat in the dining room. Some of the original fan-favourite menu items remain mainstays — like the house potato and molasses bread and the liquorice cake.

City workers, theatre-goers and general pasta lovers should all have this romantic Italian restaurant at the very top of their hit list. Ragazzi comes from the duo behind Love, Tilly Devine and Dear Sainte Éloise, bringing these venues’ passion for carbs and minimal-intervention wines to Angel Place. The 38-seat wine bar has a 250-strong list of vinos and is home to some of the best pasta in Sydney. Can't get a reservation? Check out the team's larger CBD diner, Palazzo Salato.

After building a cult following for her show-stopping hoppers at Carriageworks Farmers Market, O Tama Carey flung open the doors to her first permanent restaurant, Lankan Filling Station, in 2018. A shrine to Sri Lankan cuisine, the east Sydney venue features a hands-on menu of hoppers, sambols and curries. The build-your-own style meal employs a check-box system, and it takes all the restraint in the world not to go on a mad ticking spree. It's easily one of the best restaurants in Sydney.

Quay might just be the most well-known fine-dining restaurant in Sydney (or Australia, for that matter). Head Chef Peter Gilmore is famous for his appearances on Masterchef, and the restaurant has one of the greatest views in the city — overlooking both the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge. The creative dishes made with top quality local ingredients pair perfectly with the views — just come prepared to spend big. We recommend you bookmark this restaurant for a very special ocasion.

Sean's is a true institution. A long-standing Sydney seafood stalwart where everyone is welcome. Located on Campbell Parade overlooking the iconic Bondi Beach, this breezy eastern suburbs icon perfectly pairs a laidback, friendly atmosphere with plentiful dishes made from the freshest produce. Take a seat among the perfectly curated mishmash of wall art and choose from the day’s dishes — all laid out on the restaurant’s chalkboard.

Dan Pepperell (Alberto Lounge, 10 William Street and Frankie’s), sommelier Andy Tyson (Alberto Lounge) and Rockpool Dining Group chef Michael Clift are behind Pellegrino 2000, a relatively new neighbourhood Italian restaurant inspired by trattorias in Rome and Florence. The menu at this Surry Hills standout consists of the Italian staples the owners dearly love, including cacio e pepe, prawn ravioli and focaccia paired with possibly Sydney’s best butter. The wine is also just as excellent here.

A Chippendale mainstay, Ester pairs the best of Sydney’s dining scene with the laidback energy of its Chippo surrounds. The space is simple and sparse — done in concrete tones and darkish wood. It’s a (designer) vessel free of corny trends and all the tiring paraphernalia that comes with them, placing the food at the centre of your experience. The menu is driven (or fired) by a wood-burning oven, which makes every dish comes alive with a great depth of flavour.

From the moment it opened, the cool factor and unmistakable style of the Ace Hotel brand was delivered in spades. And Kiln, its fantastic rooftop restaurant, is no exception. Chef Mitch Orr has brought a menu that’s equally imaginative and delicious with inventive, genre-crossing dishes that bring together Italian flavours and Japanese influences. Matching the menu is a killer drinks list, a fun atmosphere, and the sense that at any minute, you could turn around and bump into someone famous.