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A visit to Sydney is a feast for all five senses.
However, if it’s taste satiation you’re after, you have certainly come to the right place! The New South Wales capital has an epic dining culture and is home to many distinctive culinary hubs — all of which have endless flavoursome surprises in store for visitors. Our top tip: seafood is always a good menu choice in the Harbour City (pay a visit to the famous Sydney Fish Market to purchase at the source).
Here are five of Sydney’s best foodie precincts to check out during your stay.
Watch our video of ten top things to do in Sydney:
10 Top Things to Do in SYDNEY, Australia in 2024 | Ultimate Travel Guide & To-Do List
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1. Chinatown
Every capital city has one, but Sydney’s Chinatown is widely regarded as the best in Australia for its vast array of restaurants. Fanning out from pedestrianised Dixon Street in the Haymarket area (between Central railway station and Darling Harbour), Chinatown was once the province of market gardeners. Today this intensely urbanised area offers a range of Asian-style cuisines, including Korean, Vietnamese, and Malaysian. But the heart of the Chinatown dining experience is still very much Chinese food.
Pull up a pew at the long-established Golden Century Seafood Restaurant for a traditional and highly consistent Cantonese dining experience, or visit the Friday night Chinatown Markets to sample a selection of street food staples. For sweet treats, swing by the popular Emperor’s Garden Cakes in Dixon Street.
2. Cabramatta
Cabramatta is a poster-suburb for multicultural success and home to the best Vietnamese cuisine in Sydney. The food is so wonderful and affordable, that it makes the 50-minute train trip west from Central a small price to pay. Once you get there, just stroll down John Street or Cabramatta Road and see what takes your fancy. Eateries stand cheek to cheek, and chefs vie to produce the best noodles, beef pho, crispy chicken, and sugar cane prawns. There are plenty of vegetarian and vegan venues in this part of the capital; Loving Hut is a stand-out.
3. Bondi Beach
Over on the opposite side of town in Bondi Beach, the combination of fresh seafood and ocean views will rock your world. Currently, the most celebrated east-side eatery is Icebergs Dining Room, which offers a seasonal menu of modern Italian cuisine (with a focus on sustainable seafood) and front-row seats overlooking Australia’s most famous stretch of sand. For a cheap-and-cheerful version of the above, try the Bistro at the original Bondi Icebergs Club (named for its fanatical cohort of year-round swimmers). The seafood is also sensational at North Bondi Fish, which serves up delectable daily specials in a stunning, absolute beachfront location.
4. Surry Hills
When you get tired of all that sea air, the inner-city suburb of Surry Hills presents just the right mix of urban grit and high culinary aspiration. Seek out Single-O for the best of cafe culture, The Dolphin Hotel for high-end pub grub, and celebrated Toko for Izakaya-style Japanese eating and drinking. Devonshire, Foveaux, Reservoir, Crown, and Commonwealth Streets are all bursting with cafes and restaurants; just wander up from Central and dive in!
5. Newtown
With less emphasis on fine dining and a more alternative, student-orientated vibe, Newtown in Sydney’s inner west is another food hub characterised by diversity and great café options. Take the train from Central (just three stops) and wander along King Street to discover a United Nations of eatery choices. If you’re in the mood for Thai, you can’t go wrong at ever-reliable Thai Pothong. Pizza is the cash-strapped student’s friend and Gigi Pizzeria gets great reviews. Vegos can feel the Vietnamese love at Golden Lotus, which is 100% vegan. After your meal, indulge in a gelato chaser (also vegan-friendly) from the wondrous Gelato Blue.
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Cover image: Chinatown, Sydney. Image: Destination NSW/Daniel Boud
About the writer
Roslyn Jolly is a freelance travel writer whose work has appeared in Escape (News Limited), Mindful Puzzles, Vacations and Travel, and Mindfood. In her former career as an English Literature academic, she studied and taught the work of great travel writers, such as Henry James, Herman Melville and Robert Louis Stevenson, and became fascinated by the history of travel and tourism. Two years at school in Wales and three years at university in England allowed Roslyn to travel extensively in Europe and North America, which she continues to do.
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