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Ume (478 Bourke Street, Surry Hills) – this restaurant serves Japanese cuisine (emphasized by its cherry blossom mural – done by graffiti artist Mr Perso). Dishes served here range from Cone Bay barramundi ($34) in shiro dashi butter, with Jerusalem artichokes, crisp wakame, topped with soy and yuza dressing; to seared salmon; grilled spatchcock breast […]

The Boathouse on Blackwattle Bay (123 Ferry Road, Glebe) – located opposite the Sydney Fish Market, this restaurant is within sight of the Anzac Bridge, and offers a seafood-centric menu. Oysters are its specialty (with at least 12 oyster varieties). This, along with crustaceans like hand-dived scallops from Kangaroo Island, Tasmanian lobsters, prawns and crabs. […]

Tetsuya’s Restaurant (529 Kent Street, Sydney) – located within walking distance of Darling Harbour, this restaurant’s cuisine has Australian, Japanese, and French influences (its signature dish being the Tasmanian Ocean Trout). Among the other dishes found here are: fillet of mulloway with asparagus and pil pil; braised ox tail with sea cucumber and yuzu; slow-roasted […]

Sean’s Panorama (270 Campbell Parade, Bondi Beach) – this restaurant stands out, because it’s not the typical tourist restaurant (that’s more typically found at Bondi Beach). That doesn’t take away from the quality of the cuisine (or service), given that many of the dishes’ ingredients used here are direct from the restaurant owner (Sean)’s farm […]

Rockpool on George (107 George Street, The Rocks, Sydney) – this is a modern, award-winning seafood restaurant by internationally renowned chef Neil Perry with an emphasis on sustainable produce. The restaurants gets points for both its service and seaside location, and has received accolades, including 15 Good Food Guide Chefs Hats across 7 dining experiences, […]

Rock Salt Modern Dining (15 Albert Avenue, Broadbeach, Queensland) – located just south of Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast, this brightly-lit, upscale restaurant offers various Australian seafood and meat dishes (without being too pricey), such as rare Venison Loin, with celeriac, beetroot, speck, broadbeans, and red currant sauce; roasted lamb rack, with shank croquette, […]

Quay (Upper Level/Overseas Passenger Terminal 5 Hickson Rd, The Rocks, Sydney) – if you’re looking for a restaurant that’s showered with accolades, the Quay is your place. Quay has long been one of Australia’s most awarded restaurants, and in 2013 was crowned Restaurant of the Year in The Australian Gourmet Traveller and the Sydney Morning […]

Masala Island (Shop 5, 331 Hope Island Road, Hope Island, Gold Coast, Queensland) – this Indian restaurant offers visitors a vast selection of house made dishes, authentically made with a signature touch. Alongside an impressively sized vegetarian menu, Masala Island’s traditional Indian mains may come in the form of chicken chetty nadu, prepared with coconut […]

Marque (4/5/355 Crown Street, Surry Hills, Sydney) – located within a district known for many up-and-coming restaurants, this is considered one of Sydney’s best. Dishes found here include: tiger prawn and avocado, duck egg with macadamia, stout sabayon and button mushrooms; grain fed Wagyu bavette with onion, black tea and stem salad; and desserts such […]

La Rustica Restaurant (3118 Surfers Paradise Blvd, Surfers Paradise, Queensland) – this Gold Coast area restaurant already stands out due to its menu: both Italian and Turkish food. This explains the occasional belly-dancing show that the restaurant offers its patrons. The menu is standard Italian (including chicken parmigiana, fettucini carbonara and pizzas) with a number […]