What’s the best new restaurant in Sydney? Despite the fact that we’re not a city-living rag, it’s a question that we’re often asked at Boss Hunting.
In that spirit, we’ve compiled a rolling list — updated every quarter — of all the best new Sydney restaurants (all opened within a year) below.
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The Best New Sydney Restaurants Right Now
Prefecture 48*, Sydney CBD
I know what you’re thinking: “Why the asterisk?” Well it’s because this list entrant isn’t so much a restaurant as it is an entire precinct comprised of six unique venues (four diners, a patisserie, and a whisky bar).
In a nationwide first, Azabu Group has enlisted a collection of internationally-renowned culinary artists to boldly plant its flag with a three-level establishment. One that ambitiously covers all 47 prefectures of Japan — it bills itself as “the 48th” — within a gorgeously appointed, heritage-listed Victorian warehouse.
Each of Prefecture 48’s vital organs showcase its own distinct character, drawing inspiration from the ‘Floating World’ or Ukiyoe — “a theme that epitomises the refined lifestyle of Japan during the Edo period.” They are as follows:
- Garaku (Kaiseki)
Led by ex-Tetsuya Executive Head Chef Derek Kim
“The headliner for P48 — an exquisite theatrical Kaiseki dining experience, with every dish an artisanal interpretation of the four seasons for a truly enchanting moment.” - Ibushi (Robata)
Led by Executive Chef Takashi Yamamoto & Head Chef Chris Kim
“The vibrant and energetic robata within the precinct, paying homage to the lively Tokyo street and social gathering spots after dark.” - Omakase
Led by Omakase sushi master Akira Horikawa (Ginza Kyubey) & Tomoyuki Matsuya (Kame House)
“A luxurious and most exclusive intimate eight-seated venue, truly heroing the exceptional cuisine for ‘one bite magic.’ This venue will also have a rotation of celebrated guest chefs.”
- FIVE
Led by Head Chef Hiroshi Manaka, ex-Charlotte Bar & Bistro (Azabu Group)
“Modern European reimagined with Japanese finesse, experienced the five core elements expressed in the menu: taste, colour, cooking, moderation, and senses.” - Whisky Thief (Whisky Bar)
Co-curated by Azabu Group and The Maybe Group
“Exclusive bar captives both seasoned whisky enthusiasts and newcomers alike, along with creative cocktails to impress every palate. With bottles hidden in secret spots and bathroom doors, a (secret) solid gold skateboard, it’s more than just a bar.” - Dear Florence (Patisserie)
Led by Executive Pastry Chef Aoife Noonan
“Named after the Founder’s daughter, this patisserie is more than just delectable creations of cakes, chocolates, and souvenirs, but a connection between father and daughter.”
Having recently experienced all of the above on the invitation of Azabu Group, BH can personally confirm Prefecture 48 honours its lofty promise by delivering an “orchestra” of culinary delights.
Address: 230 Sussex St, Sydney NSW 2000
Chef(s): Various
Opened: October 2024
Price Guide: $$-$$$$
Opening Hours: Tuesday — Thursday (5 PM — 11 PM); Friday — Saturday (5 PM — 12 AM)
Bookings: Essential depending on venue
Song Bird, Double Bay
For a long time, serious devotees of Cantonese cuisine, who happened to reside in the Eastern Suburbs, would have had to hoof it into Sydney CBD’s for a taste of the classic large-format seafood and siu mei (roasted meat) dishes. The arrival of Song Bird, Neil Perry’s expansive three-floor eatery in Double Bay, theoretically puts an end to that era.
Likely aware of the immense culinary canon within which he’s working, Perry has wisely chosen to focus his attention around mostly Southern Chinese classics — with the occasional nostalgia trip into recipes inspired by the heyday of Australian-Chinese cooking. A handful of regional staples, like the tofu & crab casserole (reportedly inspired by a Shanghainese dish of similar style) also make an appearance.
Architect Neville Gruzman’s vitrine-like housing for Song Bird also showcases the three individually distinctive ways in which diners will experience the restaurant. Walk-ins and snacking excursions can be accommodated on the ground floor, Level One is akin to Perry’s nearby award-winner Margaret; while the second floor is most reminiscent of the Royal Palace Seafoods of the world — populated by leviathan, 10-seat tables best enjoyed over an afternoon of yum cha.
Address: 24 Bay St, Double Bay NSW 2028
Chef(s): Neil Perry
Opened: September 2024
Price Guide: $$$$
Opening Hours: Wednesday (6 PM — 11 PM); Thursday — Saturday (12 noon — 11 PM); Sunday (12 noon — 10 PM)
Bookings: Essential
Teddy, Potts Point
Few restaurants felled by Sydney’s ongoing hospitality crunch were as beloved as Raja. When the Indian fusion hotspot was forced to shutter its doors earlier this year, owners Kirk Mathews and Nick Bowden refused to take the bad news lying down.
Their solution? To transform the space into a “Triple A” (accessible, approachable, affordable) bistro with a pointedly Aussie lean.
Now reimagined as Teddy, this new Potts Point eatery specialises in recession-proof flavours and easily identifiable ingredients: pork sausage rolls with ‘fancy’ tomato sauce, pork schnitty slathered in gravy, and a range of daily offers that make ducking in multiple times per week an attractive proposition.
Duck in on Mondays, with a really great bottle you brought from home, for $0 corkage and then come on back in early on Saturday afternoon for a $12 Bloody Mary.
Address: 1 Kellett St, Potts Point NSW 2011
Chef(s): Nicole Coelho
Opened: September 2024
Price Guide: $$
Opening Hours: Monday — Thursday (4 PM — late); Friday — Sunday (12 PM — late)
Bookings: Not required
20 Chapel, Marrickville
After a long stint as Culinary Director at Hunter Street Hospitality (The Cut, Spice Temple) Corey Costelloe is pairing proceedings right back with a tidy 64-seat dining room on the site of Marrickville’s popular Stix café.
Costelloe’s background, involving a mastery of all things carnivorous, should leave diners in no doubt as to what 20 Chapel Street’s overarching theme is. Those with a craving for classic drinks, woodfired meat and no-bulls**t sides will find plenty of sink their teeth into.
On the beastly front, the restaurant works exclusively with Blackmore wagyu. Even the 240-gram skirt steak — the most affordable cut of beef on the menu — is aged for 28 days, with a decadent 9+ marbling score that lends it to satisfying eating, alongside elegantly dressed-up sides like the silver beet gratin or shatteringly crisp potato wedges.
Our hot tip? Request some seats close to the restaurant’s signature Negroni tap.
Address: 20 Chapel Street, Marrickville NSW 2204
Chef(s): Corey Campbell
Opened: August 2024
Price Guide: $$$
Opening Hours: Wednesday — Thursday (5:30 PM — 9:30 PM); Friday (12 noon — 3 PM; 3:30 PM — 10 PM); Saturday (12 noon — 3 PM; 5 PM — 10 PM); Sunday (12 noon — 3 PM)
Bookings: Essential
Arms Length, Potts Point
Located in the (formerly infamous) vicinity of Kings Cross, Arms Length epitomises the new era of budget-conscious, value-driven eating that is currently gripping the Sydney hospitality scene.
In the front of house, you’ll find co-owner Rebecca O’Shea (ex-Rockpool), while the venue’s kitchen is overseen by Chef Keno Perlas — formerly of Monopole and Margaret.
Open daily, and notably ’til 2 AM on Fridays and Saturdays, the menu here has been expertly penned to satisfy big groups… and even bigger appetites. The boozy brunch package is pitched at a criminally affordable $29: giving diners 90 minutes worth of unlimited Mimosas, Garibaldis and Espresso Martinis. An excellent Happy Hour programme is also on offer.
Address: 7 Kellett St, Potts Point NSW 2011
Chef(s): Keno Perlas, Jeffrey Sue
Opened: August 2024
Price Guide: $$
Opening Hours: Monday — Tuesday (8 AM — 10 PM); Wednesday — Thursday (8 AM — midnight); Friday — Saturday (8 AM — 2 AM); Sunday (8 AM — 10 PM)
Bookings: Optional
Attenzione, Redfern
Embracing a bite-sized, moreish approach, Attenzione Food & Wine is the much-anticipated opening from longstanding buddies and hospo veterans Felix Colman, Toby Davis, Toby Stansfield, and Dexter Kim. Between them, the quartet have basically covered the field so far as Sydney hospitality goes: having worked at a bevvy of establishments under the Love Tilly and Bentley Group banners.
Taking up residence in the old Sunshine Inn digs — a local Redfern favourite — Attenzione appears, at these initial stages, to be very much what the people have asked for.
The food menu is self-described as “Italian-ish”: full of satisfying, uncluttered flavours which pave the way for Colman’s wine list (also behind a number of venues with excellent bottle lists such as Ragazzi).
On the pass, Attenzione’s Day 1 guests can expect crystal-crunchy chicken skins smothered in trout pate; properly decadent desserts like the much-ordered sticky date cake; and charcoal chicken, roasted with horseradish.
Unsurprisingly, the pasta courses are the main event. Duck agnolotti and the appropriately silky Mandilli with saffron embrace an Italo edge, but if there’s one dish that snapshots the Attenzione universe it’s the pico XL. Practically a single gigantic nood, lathered in scallion crema, it’s an almost-perfect accompaniment to a glass of Nebbiolo.
Address: 180 Redfern Street, Sydney NSW 2016
Chef(s): Toby Stansfield
Opened: August 2024
Price Guide: $$
Opening Hours: Monday (5 PM — late); Thursday — Friday (5 PM — late); Saturday — Sunday (12:30 PM— late)
Bookings: Recommended
Allta, Sydney CBD
Trend-obsessed foodies have already taken to describing Allta as a Korean restaurant in Sydney that is “unlike any other”, yet I’d venture a step further and say my experience there was practically singular — without any direct comparison in Australia.
The Herald‘s Scott Bolles has tentatively observed this new Hansik-inspired fine diner “could pick up” where the now-shuttered Tetsuya’s left off, but beyond a few superficial parallels between its two Executive Chefs (i.e. East Asian of origin and European-trained) you can be assured Allta is its own, seriously reso-worthy beast.
There’s no shortage of factoids to pique the discerning diner’s curiosity. Currently, the restaurant only offers a single service per night, orchestrated around an austere U-shape counter. And if you want to be among 12 patrons lucky enough to snag a seat? The price of admission starts at $325: more, if you tack on Allta’s premium wine pairing ($250).
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Still, Firestone Group (the same restauranteurs behind delightful casual eatery Funda) are betting that well-heeled Sydneysiders can be persuaded to empty their wallets: for an exploration of inimitable Korean flavours, from an executive chef with all-star credentials.
A student of legendary French master Pierre Gagnaire and an alumnus of the two-Michelin-starred Jungsik Seoul, Jung-Su Chang is inarguably the man for the job when it comes to introducing Aussie palates to the world of contemporary Korean fine dining.
Needless to say: if you’re looking for one splurge-worthy culinary experience this tax season, my 10 cents is that you let it be this one.
Address: 50 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Chef(s): Jung-Su Chang
Opened: July 2024
Price Guide: $$$$
Opening Hours: Tuesday to Saturday (6 PM — 10 PM)
Bookings: Essential
Comedor, Newtown
When it comes to Sydney’s Mexican dining scene, Comedor definitely sits at the top of the food chain. At least as far as we’re concerned.
Headed by Alejandro Huerta, who notably honed his skills at legendary Copenhagen institute Noma and Mexico’s Pujol, this sophisticated Australia Street newcomer — which is named after the Spanish word for “dining room” — eschews all the cliches you’ve come to expect from Mexican cuisine for a decidedly modern, and inventive, fare.
Within the 100-year-old warehouse it calls home, you can enjoy a menu that also incorporates Asian, Italian, and native Australian flavours with a respectful nod to the traditional: Swordfish Milanese served with a beurre blanc, cabbage, honey vinegar, and katsuobushi… Skull Island Tiger Prawns in corn tortilla, paired with clam & morita sauce and nasturtium… Roasted Jerusalem Artichoke alongside salsa macha… it goes on.
The real highlight, however, is the absolute steal of a set menu lunch special: $35 per head for three whole courses that changes fortnightly. In this economy? Unbelievable.
Address: 182-184 Australia St, Newtown NSW 2042
Chef(s): Alejandro Huerta
Opened: July 2024
Price Guide: $$-$$$
Opening Hours: Wednesday (12:30 PM — 3:30 PM), Thursday to Saturday (12:30 PM — 3:30 PM; 5 PM — 10 PM); Sunday (12 PM — 4:30 PM)
Bookings: Recommended
Soluna, Lower North Shore
Soluna is one of four new openings that form the bedrock of Walker Street Precinct — an ambitious new “culinary neighbourhood” in North Sydney, from French-leaning restauranteurs Etymon Projects, that also includes Genzo, Una Providore, and Sol Bread & Wine.
A real about-face from the team that brought Sydneysiders Loulou and The Charles, Soluna is (at present) the most fully realised of Walker Street’s newfangled eateries. Both the restaurant’s airy, 200-seat space and F&B menus encapsulate a kind of meet-cute between Los Angeles and the Lower North Shore.
Executive Chef Rhys Connell explains that Soluna’s dishes take cues “from Mediterranean and Asian flavours.” That being the case, fresh seafood and veggies seasoned with emblematic Japanese ingredients (e.g. yuzu koshu) are a common refrain.
Imperadore with rhubarb or a cobb-inspired winter salad are all great options, yet Connell’s bowlful-of-sunshine approach is almost singularly embodied in the signature sourdough spaghetti. Consisting of pasta made using finely ground bread crusts that are tossed in roasted garlic miso, it’s toothsome, rich in flavour, and doesn’t sit heavy on the proverbial tummy. Now that’s having your cake and eating it.
Address: 50 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Chef(s): Rhys Connell, Keno Perlas
Opened: July 2024
Price Guide: $$-$$$
Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday (11.30 AM — late)
Bookings: Optional
Good Luck Restaurant Lounge, Sydney CBD
The latest addition to Merivale’s vaunted stable, which came less than a week after the opening of its JAM Record Bar, is a playful throwback to the dining scene of Hong Kong, Tokyo, and New York circa 1970s. Wall-mounted CRT television in the corner, splashy Chinese paintings of wild horses, live seafood tank, and all. The motto? “It’s just great food with a side of party.”
Hidden away beneath Sydney’s historic Burns Philip & Co building, this brand-new eatery has eschewed the “fusion” label entirely; instead styling its menu as something that “can’t be pinned down to one cuisine.” But what we will say is that, much like the interior design, it leans heavily on Asian influences.
Snow crab, lobster, and the incredibly decadent one-kilo Portoro ribeye aside, some highlights you’ll find here range from the scallop sashimi with black rice and grapefruit, burnt cabbage burrata with tomato miso, and pippis in fragrant broth; to the five spice beef shin belt noodle with peanuts, grilled Murray cod with finger lime and sambal butter, as well as the smoked jacket potato with tofu and chilli.
The BH Team also personally recommends the Milo Layer Cake with ice cream and signature Good Luck Colada (Editor’s note: proceed with caution).
Address: 11 Bridge St, Sydney NSW 2000
Chef(s): Mike Eggert, Prince Jeganathan
Opened: April 2024
Price Guide: $$-$$$
Opening Hours: Tuesday to Saturday (12 PM — 12 AM)
Bookings: Recommended
Matkim, Sydney CBD
Tucked away in Sydney Place, Matkim (from the same team that brought you Kobo and Soot) is the newest in a burgeoning array of Korean omakase restaurants.
Here, no more than eight guests per night gather around the counter to witness Executive Chef Noel Lao’s culinary artistry. Drawing inspiration from Executive Chef Jacob Lee’s own cultural heritage, Lao and his team explore the country’s authentic culinary modes using modern techniques and premium Aussie ingredients.
One look at WA marrons, glazed in a sauce of doenjang (i.e. fermented soybean paste), or yukhoe tangtangi — a dish made here in the modern fashion with sea urchin and poached octopus — lets diners know that at Matkim, creative flavour combinations are most definitely on the table.
Address: 180 George St, Sydney NSW 2000
Chef(s): Noel Lao, Jacob Lee
Opened: March 2024
Price Guide: $$$$
Opening Hours: Tuesday to Saturday (6 PM — 10 PM)
Bookings: Essential
Bartiga, Double Bay
For a restaurant that has come together — from concept to execution — in about four months, Bartiga feels remarkably well-realised. Bringing Southeast Asian flavours to Double Bay (with the appropriately bougie twist) co-owners Charlie Kelly and Faheem Noor opted to do something a little different to the vast majority of Euro-skewed eateries on Bay Street.
The sight is a significant one for Kelly: formerly home to the iconic health food store, Café Perons, operated by his mother for close to four decades. Much of that institution’s relaxed, contemporary charm remains: with coffee and all-day fare now replaced by Chef Noor’s curated nighttime menu. (Lunch is served from Friday to Sunday.)
Flavours inspired by Noor’s Malaysian heritage — sambal, nam jim, lemongrass, and pandan — are the building blocks in what emerges as a convivial, group-friendly dining experience. Begin with the prawn toast sando: a handful of moreish golden nublets, eaten in the style of san choy bau with soft herbs and a satisfyingly chunky chilli sauce.
Moving onto mains, the tom yum spaghettini makes an impassioned case for why we should all eat more broth with pasta; while the roasted market fish, seasoned with a curried beurre blanc, offers up a damn sight more pleasure than your typical bit of rump cap or filet.
Our advice? Secure an outdoor table during sunset hours on the weekend — a glass of Mendocino Chard in hand — and while away your evening.
Address: 16 Cosmopolitan Centre, 21-22 Bay St, Double Bay NSW 2028
Chef(s): Faheem Noor
Opened: January 2024
Price Guide: $$$
Opening Hours: Tuesday to Thursday (5 PM — 10 PM); Friday (11:30 AM — 1 PM); Saturday (11:30 AM — 11:30 PM); Sunday (11:30 AM — 11 PM)
Bookings: Recommended
Casa Esquina, Balmain
Rejoice, Balmain-based barbeque enthusiasts — Casa Esquina has arrived.
This Argentinian gem, from the team at Atticus Hospitality, aims to transport Sydneysiders into the heart of Buenos Aires.
Specialising in open-flame cooking, performed via the restaurant’s impressive parrilla grill, Casa Esquina is a great new spot to crack into a range of terrestrial and aquatic proteins: whether you prefer Wagyu picanha (rump cap) or a whole Mahi Mahi blackened with smoky chimichurri.
The venue’s multitude of spaces means that, depending on the time of day/mood, you can experience Argentine grilling in a range of different ways. We wager that the courtyard and balcony will become fast summertime favourites, but if you want a seat amidst the action, the dining room is your go-to.
Address: 79 Elliott St, Balmain NSW 2041
Chef(s): Will Quartel
Opened: March 2024
Price Guide: $$$
Opening Hours: Tuesday to Saturday (12 PM — 12 AM); Sunday (12 PM — 10 PM)
Bookings: Recommended
If you’ve enjoyed this round-up of the best new restaurants in Sydney, consider checking out these other locally-based dining guides below:
