I really don’t visit Sydney often enough. But whenever I am there, I can trust a few friends to show me some of the best eating places. The following is a few of the must-go places, especially for first-timers to the city. Here is my guide to where to eat in Sydney.

Adriano Zumbo

If you follow MasterChef Australia, you would be familiar with Adriano Zumbo – who is probably the most well-known patissier in Australia. His followers love him for the unusual creations, while he also has his fair share of critics who do not understand what they are eating. I am a big fan of Zumbo and while there are hits and misses, I very much enjoy his desserts. The main patisserie at Balmain is slightly inaccessible, but trust me, it is worth the trip. Otherwise, you can go to his new shop at The Star to takeaway cakes and macarons.

296 Darling St
Balmain, NSW 2040, Australia
Mon to Sat: 8am – 6pm
Sun: 8am – 5pm

Shop 1, Cafe Court The Star/80 Pyrmont Street
Pyrmont NSW 2009, Australia
Tel: +61 2 9777 9000
Mon: 11am – 10pm
Tue to Thu: 11am – 11pm
Fri & Sat: 11am – 12am
Sun: 11am – 9pm

Bills

A trip to Sydney is not complete without a visit to one of Bill Granger’s restaurants. Having breakfast at Bills is one of the must-do things when you are in the city. Come here for his much-lauded ricotta hotcakes and scrambled eggs. You will not be disappointed.

For more recommendations, read my post on Sydney’s best brunch spots.

359 Crown Street
Surry Hills NSW 2010, Australia
Tel: +61 2 9360 4762
Daily: 7am – 10pm

433 Liverpool Street
Darlinghurst NSW 2010, Australia
Tel: +61 2 9360 9631
Daily: 7am – 3pm

Bourke Street Bakery

Bourke Street Bakery is a neighbourhood joint where locals meet their friends for coffee; or drop by to grab some pastries for breakfast next day. My experience at Bourke Street Bakery was mind-blowing. Everything – lemon curd tart, croissant, chocolate tart, strawberry & vanilla brulee tart, flourless chocolate cake – that we had was so good.

For more recommendations, read my post on Sydney’s best desserts.

633 Bourke Street
Surry Hills, Sydney NSW 2010
Tel: +6 2 9699 1011
Mon to Fri: 7am – 6pm
Sat & Sun: 8am – 5pm

Chat Thai

The most famous Thai restaurant in Sydney, Chat Thai serves good Thai food at decent prices (by Sydney’s standard), and most importantly, they open till late night. If you are craving for Thai food when you are in Sydney, Chat Thai is your best bet.

20 Campbell Street
Haymarket NSW 2000, Australia
Tel: +61 2 9211 1808
Daily: 10am – 2am

Gelato Messina

This is probably one of the most popular gelato shops in Sydney. Besides offering a variety of their signature flavours, the folks at Messina also constantly come up with new treats.

Shop 1/241 Victoria St,
Darlinghurst NSW 2010
Tel: +61 2 8354 1223
Sun to Thu: 12pm – 11pm
Fri & Sat: 12pm – 11.30pm

Harry’s Cafe de Wheels

Harry’s Cafe de Wheels is an Australian icon serving legendary pies and mushy peas, pasties and hot dogs. Definitely a must-visit when you are in Sydney.

730/742 George Street
Haymarket NSW 2000, Australia
Tel: +61 2 9211 2506
Mon & Tue: 9am – 10pm
Wed & Thu: 9am – 1am
Fri & Sat: 10a – 4pm
Sun: 10am – 10pm

Hurricane’s Grill Steakhouse

Another Sydney institution. Hurricane’s Grill Steakhouse is where locals and tourists go for the famous Hurricane’s ribs. If ribs are not your thing, you can try their premium Australian steaks and burgers.

2-10 Darling Drive
Darling Harbour NSW 2000, Australia
Tel: +61 2 9211 2210
Daily: 12pm – 3pm, 5.30pm – 11pm

Kura Japanese

One of my favourite to-go places is Kura, a little hole-in-the-wall eatery at Haymarket that serves very decent Japanese food at affordable prices.

3/76 Ultimo Rd, Haymarket NSW 2000, Australia
Tel: +61 2 9212 5661
Mon to Thu: 10.30am – 11.30pm
Fri & Sat: 10.30am – 12 midnight
Sun: 10.30am – 10.30pm

Madang Korean BBQ

Madang is a household name in Sydney. It is the hottest Korean BBQ joint in town, and the queue – usually at least an hour wait during peak hours – is the testimony of its popularity. There is no doubt that Madang has good Korean BBQ and tasty kimchi pancakes. Definitely one of the must-eat places in Sydney.

371A Pitt Street
Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
Tel: +61 2 9264 7010
Daily: 11.30am – 12am

Mamak Malaysian Restaurant

Mamak is one of the most popular eateries in Sydney. It has affordable and authentic Malaysian food – think roti, nasi goreng and nasi lemak. You are probably thinking: why would anyone want to eat Malaysian food in Sydney? You need to know that Mamak dishes out tantalising Malaysian cuisine that you can otherwise hardly find in Sydney. If you have never been to Malaysia, or if you are working/studying in Sydney and miss this Asian genre, you have a new option now.

15 Goulburn Street
Haymarket NSW 2000, Australia
Tel: +61 2 9211 1668
Sun to Thu: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 5.30pm – 10pm
Fri: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 5.30pm – 2am
Sat: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 5.30pm – 12 midnight

Ms G Restaurant

A cool and funky modern Asian restaurant which sprawls over four floors – the perfect place to hang out with your friends over cocktails and delicious food. I wish someone would open a restaurant that has a similar concept to Ms G in Singapore.

155 Victoria St, Potts Point NSW 2011, Australia
Tel: +61 2 8313 1000
Mon to Sat: 5pm – 11pm
Sun: 1pm – 10pm

Pancakes on the Rocks

Another institution in Sydney, Pancakes on the Rocks serves all kinds of pancakes. There are plenty of things to choose from the menu, and best of all, it opens 24 hours 7 days a week.

4 Hickson Rd, The Rocks NSW 2000, Australia
Tel: +61 2 9247 6371
Daily: 24 Hours

Sydney Fish Market

Here, you can get the freshest seafood in town. Enjoy freshly shucked oysters and a scrumptious seafood platter alongside seagulls and giant pelicans on the wharf.

Bank Street
Pyrmont NSW 2009, Australia
Tel: +61 2 9004 1100

The Tea Cosy

A great spot for afternoon tea, The Tea Cosy is a lovely tea room where you can get terrific scones and enjoy a pot of tea.

33 George Street
The Rocks, Sydney NSW 2000
Tel: +61 2 9247 3233

All I care about on a lazy Sunday morning is brunch. Really. Just by thinking about the warm cup of coffee and awesome scramble with toasts is enough to make me hungry. Being in Sydney for at least a year now, I’ve visited quite a few brunch places and there are just a few that I love to rave about!

The following is a list of 5 brunch places in Sydney that you must check out, and trust me on this, they are not your usual eggs and toast.

Before we get started, you might also want to check out my list of Sydney’s best dessert places.

Baffi & Mo

The must-haves at Baffi & Mo are their Baked Eggs and Buttermilk Pancakes. I can guarantee you that you will be mind blown once you bite into that soft triple layer of pancakes that sits nicely in a plate, topped with fresh berries, vanilla ice cream and most importantly, BUTTERSCOTCH sauce!

The other favourite is the Baked Eggs with toast! There are no words to describe how delicious the baked eggs are. It comes in a hot pan with some minced meat wrapped under the baked eggs topped with fresh toast. Bring your friends along so you can share, the portions are huge and you do not want to have either only!

94 Redfern Street
Redfern 2016
Tel: (02) 8065 3294

Jakyll & Hyde Coffee & Wine Bar

This place was a lovely surprise. I cannot believe that I’ve had actually walked past it countless of times without heading in. The atmosphere is peaceful and gives you a little Italian lane kind of mood. The breakfast menu is not extensive but it is different from the usual. I had the Dr Jakyll’s Eggs, which comprises scramble eggs with feta cheese on a toasted wholemeal sourdough and topped with tomato relish. The tomato relish gives your palate a refreshing tang that sets the scramble apart from the norm. Perfect place to go for a Sunday brunch!

333 Victoria Street
Darlinghurst NSW 2010
Tel: (02) 9360 5568

Clipper Café

One of the more popular brunch places among the university kids is Clipper Café, where they just love to take a break from all the books. The café’s interior is decorated with wooden furnishings, with cute little cactus on each table and vintage bicycles hanging off the walls.

This little café is known for their Panini sandwiches. Other must tries are their Baked Eggs with Mushrooms and Poached Eggs with Salmon, Avocado and Sourdough Toast! Do not forget to get a cup of their freshly brewed coffee to boost your energy!

16 Glebe Point Road
Glebe 2037
Tel: (04) 1180 0063

Le Monde Café

I’ve heard so much about Le Monde Café and their breakfast for a very long time now. Finally, I got my chance at stuffing myself with all the great brekkie items on the menu! Scrambles are always a safe choice. While, an adventurous appetite will not let you leave without trying the Ricotta Pancakes with Cinnamon Apple and Honeycomb topped with vanilla ice cream!

“Le Mon”, the way we call it, also serves some pretty legit coffee with their daily special blends for the caffeine lovers out there. Situated near Central Station, along the café filled Surry Hills, is where you will find this amazing brekkie place.

83 Foveaus Street
Surry Hills NSW 2010
Tel: (02) 9211 3568

Luxe Bakery

Can I just say that I am in love with their sourdough!!! This pretty café sits on a small lane along Newtown, where it usually gets packed with people during the breakfast and lunch hour. It does not have an extensive menu, but why go for quantity when you have quality.

As you can tell, I do like my scrambles and this place makes one of the best scramble eggs in town. It’s silky and buttery. You can choose your sides ranging from mushrooms, bacon, to cured ocean trout. It all comes with a slice of sourdough toast. Luxe is known for their sourdough and pastries, and apparently, it supplies sourdough to most of the cafes in Newtown. Apart from that, Luxe do have a lunch menu as well and always go for their Specials if you’re in the mood for something different!

195 Missenden Road
Newtown NSW 2042
Tel: (02) 8084 1775

About the writer:
Just like that foodie friend of yours, Natalie is one who hunts down all the yummy food places and will want to order every single dish on the menu! Especially if it comes to dessert! With a strong passion for food and writing, she started a little writing space on Tumblr and her journey begins. You can read about Natalie’s adventures in Sydney here.