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You know you've reached peak Sydney when you're sipping a crisp vino over a beautiful meal and outside the windows is the big blue. Perhaps it's three-courses of modern Aussie fare from Bennelong Restaurant overlooking Sydney Harbor? Or maybe you prefer spots that are right on the sand like Doyles and The Boathouse Shelly Beach? One thing's for sure, eating by the water gives your meal that extra shine, which is why so many Sydneysiders and visitors alike flock to the shores for a special occasion, year-round.
For your next extra special soiree, book a table at one of the best waterfront restaurants Sydney has on the books, rounded up by Blondes Abroad's Fallon Fitzgerald, who has had her fair share of long boozy lunches by the sea.
1. Bondi Icebergs
Is there a better seat in Sydney for lunch than Icebergs Dining Room and Bar? Probably the most famous oceanfront restaurant in Sydney, Icebergs truly capitalizes on the glory of Bondi Beach, perched on the cliff looking over the Pacific towards North Bondi.
Expect a luxe, modern Italian menu spanning antipasti, pasta, fish and meat mains and desserts, with a popular $220pp set menu ticking off favorite suspects. The terrace bar is the best spot for ocean views with a signature cocktail and serves more relaxed snacks.
2. Bather's Pavillion
Balmoral Beach is blessed. Not only does it have an inviting sandy beach and great water views, but it also has one of the best eating strips north of the Harbour Bridge. Queen of the strip is Bathers' Pavilion, which includes a restaurant, café, and lavish private dining room. Here you'll find a menu packed with the best local ingredients, where wine is poured with a smile, dishes appear and disappear like magic, and you forget about the time. Bathers' Pavilion will always be one of my favorite spots. And with views that good, why would anyone be in a hurry?
3. Hugo's Manly
An icon of the Manly waterfront, Hugo's has been serving up the good stuff (that's food, drinks and views) for the better part of two decades.
The menu has plenty of fresh Italian flavors that evoke a summer's day in Sicily, with picks like yellowfin tuna carpaccio with chili and extra virgin olive oil on char-grilled crostini, surf and turf tasting plates of fried calamari, pork and beef meatballs, kingfish sashimi and fig, mozzarella and prosciutto salad, and a hefty pizza and pasta selection.
Come for lunch, and watch the ferries roll in and out, or enjoy sunset dinner here, and admire the beautiful people dressed in their Northern Beaches uniform of relaxed linen, and Camilla and Marcs ensembles.
4. Bennelong Restaurant
You are bound to think to yourself, "what a breathtaking spot to enjoy a meal" while dining beneath the imposing, post-Brutalist arches of executive chef Peter Gilmore's restaurant nestled within the Opera House sails. This impression is bound to occur even before laying eyes on the food, which makes a gesture towards the Australian-grown and the indigenous without discounting the vital contributions of the nation’s newer arrivals, its immigrants.
A three-course menu with sides is $200 pp, and you can make your selections from the entrees which include: the Ravioli of Hervey Bay scallops with Tasmanian white asparagus in a brown butter emulsion, the Quail breast with radicchio, prunes and crisp Brussels sprouts, or the Western Australian marron with finger lime, cultured cream ume and buckwheat pikelets. For Mains you can make a selection from dishes such as the Tasmanian Southern Rock lobster, The Roasted Maremma duck or the Wild caught fish. (John Dory.) The desserts are a work of art, notably the "chocolate crackle" a play on an Australian kids' birthday party treat, features a chocolate mousse with salted caramel filling, covered in puffed rye and broomcorn with organic brown rice crisps.
5. Doyles on the Beach
The Doyle family have owned and operated this waterfront restaurant for the past 135-plus years and pride themselves on their fabled fresh seafood: Most produce is sourced daily and processed in their own facility at the Sydney Fish Market in Pyrmont.
Facing west on the beach at Watsons Bay, Doyles is ideal for waterfront lunch or sunset dining which can be taken in either at the casual garden bar or the white linen-tableclothed restaurant. Watch the Ferries roll in from the city and peep the famous city skyline across the harbor while you sit by the water's edge enjoying a glass of ice-chilled champagne and some Fresh Sydney rock oysters, and Balmain Bugs.
6. Pier One (Bar & Dining)
Enjoy Sydney's sunny weather at Pier Bar, a waterfront venue that made a grand entrance in September. Situated right on the water at the iconic Pier One in Walsh Bay, Pier Bar provides stunning views of Sydney Harbour and a perfect setting to admire the vibrant sunset while sipping on a cocktail. Taking cues from Pier One's maritime heritage – established in 1912 as a seafood and entertainment hub – Pier Bar offers refreshing cocktails and fresh seafood reminiscent of just being caught from the sea. Come for their "Sunset Hour" Specials, Monday-Friday from 5:00pm - 6:00pm where you can order $2 oysters and an assortment of $12 cocktails. Stay for dinner at the magnificent restaurant adjacent the bar "Pier Dining" Open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 5:30pm till late, where you can enjoy dishes such as: Skull Island prawns with macadamia pill pill, BBQ Freemantle octopus with eggplant and charred potatoes, Queensland coral trout with green mango, chili and ginger served tableside, and a dessert pavlova that will make your tastebuds dance.
7. Promenade Bondi Beach
The owners of "House Made Hospitality" have acquired one of the most iconic venues in the city. The historic Bondi Pavilion, which has been present since the establishment of municipal surf sheds on the site in 1911, has recently undergone a multi-million-dollar restoration. Fortunately, the restoration has preserved its distinctive Spanish-style roofing and archways. Its expansive 900-square-meter location at the heart of the beach makes Promenade Bondi Beach the largest beachside restaurant in Australia, with an unparalleled position. The establishment houses a beach bar, for a more relaxed casual dining experience on the terrace, open for breakfast and lunch, a Kiosk which is open from 6:30 am - 3:00pm where you can grab hot and cold drinks, snacks or fish and chips to enjoy at the beach, and a Dining Room where you can enjoy a finer dining experience. Enjoy dishes such as the wagyu beef tartare with pistachio and egg yolk, whipped chicken liver parfait with apple and mustard seed chutney, and the blue swimmer crab and scallop dumplings with yuzu ginger butter sauce.
8. Sails Lavender Bay
Situated on the Lavender Bay waterfront, just two steps from the ferry terminal, and opposite Sydney's Iconic Luna Park, Sails offers a relaxed and elegant dining experience with breathtaking views of Sydney Harbour. A bespoke haven of relaxed sophistication, Sails provides an authentic Sydney dining experience.
The menu embraces simplicity with its vibrant, unassuming dishes that highlight the finest local and seasonal ingredients, featuring an exquisite selection of seafood that honors the beautiful waterfront setting. A dining fixture on the lower north shore since the 1970s, Sails on Lavender Bay has been in the hands of former Aria chef Greg Anderson and partner Patricia Nunes for the past 15 years, this year it re-opened under the stewardship of new owner Bill Drakopoulos who has built one of Sydney's largest restaurant groups: "Sydney Restaurant Group," with a fresh and whimsical Mediterranean renovation, it's the perfect spot to come for a long lunch or an early sunset dinner where you can watch the ferries roll in and out in front of the famed Luna Park. Order the MORETON BAY BUG SPAGHETTINI with XO shellfish emulsion, and Thai basil oil - you won't be disappointed!
9. Pilu Freshwater
Located within a beautiful Hamptons-inspired beach house at Freshwater Beach, Pilu is a must-visit for those seeking to enjoy top-notch waterfront dining in Sydney's northern beaches along with a refreshing sea breeze.
The menu is inspired by owner Giovanni Pilu's Italian home, Sardinia, but champions local produce.
This two-hatted restaurant encapsulates the essence of Sydney's Northern Beaches, its elegantly chic dining rooms, set against a backdrop of Freshwater beach is simply breathtaking, and reminiscent of Giovannis hometown, in Sardinia. Giovanni and his Wife, Marilyn opened Pilu in 2004 and have been dazzling diners ever since.
The hero of the menu has to be the crisp-skinned suckling pig for two with rosemary potatoes, and the extensive Wine list, where Giovanni imports local Sardinian wines directly for the restaurant.
10. OTTO Dining
Located at the stunning Finger Wharf in Woolloomooloo, OTTO is widely recognized as one of Sydney's most esteemed dining establishments.
The restaurant's core values lie in traditional hospitality and enduring connections with a dedicated and loyal customer base. Friendly yet sophisticated service complements contemporary Italian dishes, outdoor dining, and iconic waterfront views.
OTTO is the quintessential Sydney dining experience and has remained a local favorite for over twenty years.
At OTTO, the cuisine is delightful and straightforward, blending modern Italian influences with traditional roots. Chef Richard Ptacnik's menu focuses on fresh, seasonal ingredients, allowing the quality of the produce to shine through.
Enjoy dishes such as: the Byron Bay Berkshire pork cutlet with apple, celery, and mustard jus, the Dry aged Wollemi duck breast with celeriac, and blueberry jus or an assortment of in-house made pastas such as the Saffron linguine with Moreton Bay bug, zucchini, anchovy and pine nuts.
Ottos is the perfect spot for a long boozy, ladies lunch or a beautiful dinner date night with somebody special.
So that concludes my round up of the best waterfront restaurants in Sydney. I could comfortably add several more to the list, these are the ones I visited during my most recent trip, but others that deserve a mention are:
Ripples at Chowder Bay
Quay
Aria
Manta
Cafe Sydney
Catalina
China Doll
Aqua Dining
The Fenwick
Ventuno
Ripples little Manly
The boatshed at Shelly Beach
The Collaroy
The Pantry
Manly Pavillion
Jonahs
If you have made it this far, hopefully you feel inspired to save this list for your next trip down under, if not, perhaps it has made you hungry, as it has me. I'm off in search of my next waterfront dining experience, until next week.
Happy eating,
Fallon xo
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