Sydney is blessed with a number of exceptional fine dining restaurants, many of which are located in the beautiful surroundings of Circular Quay.
Known for the excellent quality of their food, outstanding service and impressive setting, these restaurants are perfect places to go to for an upscale date night, or other type of celebration.
Awarded multiple hats, and run by acclaimed restaurateurs and executive chefs, some of these establishments represent the creme de la creme of Australia’s dining scene.
They might involve taking a hit to your finances, but as your taste buds revel in the innovative gastronomic delights presented by these venues, you simply won’t care a jot.
With that in mind, here are 15 of the best fine dining restaurants in Circular Quay you simply have to go to.
Altitude Restaurant
Situated within the Shangri-La Hotel, the Altitude Restaurants boast one of the best views of Sydney.
Giving you the chance to ‘dine in the sky’, whilst sitting in a private, glass jewel box, this venue is perched 36 levels above the water. Which provides you with incredible view you’ve most likely witnessed before.
Dishing up fine, modern, Australian gastronomy, Altitude is open from breakfast, all the way through to dinner. They also do a terrific high tea as well. All of which can be matched with an impressive wine list.
A two-hatted venue, some of their delightful signature dishes include the likes of WA marron that is butter-poached with herbs and accompanied by a sliced fennel salad.
Address: 176 Cumberland St, The Rocks NSW 2000
Hours: Sun – Thurs 7 – 10:30 am & 12 – 2 pm & 6 – 10 pm, Fri – Sat 7-11 am & 12 – 2 pm & 5:30–10 pm
Phone: (02) 9250 6000
Saké Restaurant
If you love Japanese food, then you will love the Saké restaurant.
Nestled in the heart of The Rocks, this venue offers up superb contemporary dishes that are made, with a unique twist, from the freshest of ingredients.
Diners can enjoy an inventive gastronomic event, as the team here fuse classic Japanese flavours
with more modern ones to create a dining experience unlike any other you will find in the city.
Their impressive menu features a wide range of dishes including Himachi Kingfish, which they serve with a ponzu that is coriander infused, as well as their raspberry jelly goma.
Address: 12 Argyle St, The Rocks NSW 2000
Hours: Tues-Weds 6-9 pm, Thurs 12-3pm & 6-9 pm, Fri-Sat 12-3pm & 5-10 pm, Sun 12-3pm & 5-9 pm
Phone: (02) 9259 5656
Quay Restaurant
Another outstanding restaurant in the heart of The Rocks is the Quay Restaurant.
Nestled within the Sydney Cove Overseas Passenger Terminal, it provides diners with a fantastic backdrop of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge in which to look out towards as they eat.
Set within a space that includes an ocean decorated floor, and champions all things Australia, this three hatted restaurant dishes up some of the most exquisite dining experiences in the whole of Sydney.
Curated by executive chef, Peter Gilmore, the six course set menu is priced at $260 a head. But it features a wonderful array of pork, duck and fish dishes that are bursting with flavours, aromas, colours and textures.
If you don’t fancy the whole extravaganza, you can treat yourself to a taste of the sea for $140, included within a terrific selection of whines.
As you would expect, given its high end nature, the desserts here are sensational too.
Address: Upper Level Overseas Passenger Terminal, The Rocks NSW 2000
Hours: Sat & Sun (Lunch): 12 pm — 1:30 pm, Thurs to Sun (Lunch): 6pm — 8:45 pm (Booking required)
Phone: (02) 9251 5600
Mode Kitchen & Bar
Serving up classic dishes with an inventive twist, for many food critics, Mode Kitchen & Bar actually defines what contemporary Australian cuisine is all about.
Set within the atrium of the Four Seasons hotel, the restaurant has a reputation for being one of the best places to eat in Sydney. Attracting business and casual diners in equal measure their fine dining and the bistro offering.
Replete with ambient mood lighting, mahogany tables and leather seats, the venue is a very relaxed and elegant one.
Their menu comprises dishes made with incredible flavours, that have been derived from the freshest of local produce. They are served on hand-crafted stoneware plates and presented in the most artistic of ways.
Their signature 1 kg T-Bone is a feast fit for royalty, while their dry-aged and roasted duck breast, which they serve with soubise, pomegranate and radicchio is simply divine.
Address: Ground Floor, 199 George St, NSW 2000
Hours: Mon – Fri 6:30 – 10:30 am & 12 – 3 pm & 5:30-10 pm, Sat-Sun 6:30 – 11 am, 12 – 5 pm, 5:30 – 10 pm
Phone: (02) 9250 3160
Bennelong
Arguably one of Sydney’s most iconic dining venues, Bennelong is situated within the Opera House.
Run by the executive legendary chef Peter Gilmore, this establishment is part of his Fink restaurant group. It is known to be both a fabulous place for a quick drink and light bite, as well as for providing a full, immersive gastronomic experience.
Should you come here to dine, the restaurant offers a fantastic À La Carte or set menu that will set you back around $180 AUD.
Heavily influenced by seafood, as well as good old Aussie favourites like duck and lamb, the innovative plates available here will well and truly blow your mind.
Address: Bennelong Point, Sydney NSW 2000
Hours: Wed – Fri 5:30 – 8:45 pm, Sat 12 – 2:15 & 5:30 – 8:45 pm, Sun 12 – 3:30 pm
Phone: (02) 9240 8000
Opera Bar
No list of the best fine dining restaurants in Circular Quay would be worth its salts without mention of the Opera Bar.
Another restaurant located within the Sydney Opera House, this venue is the perfect place to go do for a pre or post show meal.
Not only are the harbourside views it offers breathtaking, the food offering is delightful too. Including a selection of cheese plates, main meals and desserts that are in keeping with the classy vibe of this
iconic structure.
Given its location, this venue is very popular. So it is worth making a reservation to ensure you get a seat.
When you do, you will also be able to enjoy one of their signature Sangria jugs. Alternatively, you may prefer to try something from their extensive beer and wine list.
Address: Macquarie St, Sydney NSW 2000
Hours: Mon – Thurs 11:30 am-11 pm, Fri 11:30 am – 12:30 am, Sat 11 am – 12:30 pm, Sun 11 am-11 pm
Phone: (02) 8587 5900
6HEAD
Offering premium views in The Rocks and exceptionally cooked steaks, 6HEAD is a great spot for meat lovers.
Championing local produce, the venue sources all their meat from well respected regional suppliers, which they offer in the form of an a la carte or set menu.
Headlining it is a quality selection of Wagyu and specialty cuts, as well as a top notch range of seafood.
The eatery itself is an industrial-chic venue, that also offers up relaxed vibes and a terrific range of hand-selected wines.
Their desserts border on extraordinary too!
Address: Bay 10 & 11, Campbell’s Stores, 7-27 Circular Quay W, The Rocks NSW 2000
Hours: Wed – Sun 12 – 10 pm
Phone: (02) 8629 8866
Cafe Sydney
Cafe Sydney has been a stalwart on the Circular Quay fine dining scene for over 20 years.
Situated on the roof of Customs House, this quintessentially Australian venue showcases magnificent views of the harbour.
It also presents a fantastic menu that truly captures the essence of Sydney via its exceptional selection of meat and seafood dishes. Try the pork belly, or roasted duck breast, and let your taste buds dance with delight.
Alternatively, the tandoori roasted salmon will leave you rubbing your belly with delight.
Address: Level 5 Customs House, 31 Alfred St, Sydney NSW 2000
Hours: Mon – Sat 12 – 10:30 pm, Sun 12 – 4 pm
Phone: (02) 9251 8683
ARIA
Run by celebrity owners Matt Moran and Bruce Soloman, ARIA is a fantastic two hatted restaurant in the heart of Circular Quay.
Nestled on the cusp of the Opera House, the venue serves up some of the finest views of the harbour you could ever wish to see.
Against this backdrop, the menu has a lot to live up to. However, under the guidance of executive chef, Tom Gorringe, this is something it does easily.
Its seasonal offerings take the form of a tasting, lunch, dinner and pre-theatre menu. All of which put Australian produce to the forefront, with a selection of dishes that are perfectly cooked and balanced, with precise and subtle flavours.
Try the Abrolhos Island scallops and glazed maremma duck and you will see exactly what we mean.
Address: 1 Macquarie St, Sydney NSW 2000
Hours: Wed – Thurs 5:30 – 9:30 pm, Fri 12 – 3 pm & 5:30 – 9:30 pm, Sat 5:30 – 9:30 pm
Phone: (02) 9240 2255
Kid Kyoto
One of the most interesting fine dining options in Circular Quay can be found at Kid Kyoto.
Tucked away on Bridge Lane, they offer a divine menu of non-traditional meals that pair native Aussie ingredients, with delicious Japanese flavours, that will titillate your taste buds.
Overseen by the highly talented head chef Rhys Watson-Lamb, the Izakaya experience offered at the venue, is up there with the best of them in Sydney.
Their exceptional range of signature cocktails and Japanese whiskeys only serves to heighten the overall experience too.
Address: 17-19 Bridge Street entry, Bridge Ln, Sydney NSW 2000
Hours: Tues – Sat 12-10 pm
Phone: (02) 9241 1991
Whalebridge
For some truly upmarket fare, its hard to go past Whalebridge.
Brought to you by executive chef Will Elliott, this fabulous restaurant offers a fantastic French-inspired menu that are sure to impress.
The lobster thermidor is as good as anything you can get in France, while the bouillabaisse de Marseille is to die for.
Presented within an elegant space that radiates a relaxed vibe, other dishes like duck confit, mussel frittes and stuffed zucchini, are sure to impress too.
Address: 8 & 10 East, NSW 2000
Hours: Mon – Thurs 12 – 3 pm & 5-9 pm, Fri – Sun 12 – 9:30 pm
Phone: (02) 9240 2255
Mr. Wong
Situated within the Establishment Hotel on Bridge Lane, Mr. Wong is the place to go if you want to experience Cantonese-style food at its finest.
Offering no less than 80 dishes, executive chef Dan Hong has created a vibrant menu that provides something to suit most tastes. With the stir-fried garlic prawns and BBQ duck being two of the favourites.
Radiating a distinctly 1920s vibe, this wonderful fine dining experience also features dimmed mood lighting and soft jazz music.
Address: 3 Bridge Ln, Sydney NSW 2000
Hours: Mon-Sun 12 – 3 pm & 5:30-10 pm
Phone: (02) 9114 7317
Pony Dining The Rocks
Set within The Rocks Centre, Pony Dining The Rocks is a lively, rustic-chic venue with exposed brick walls, earthy tones and an open kitchen.
Overseen by executive chef Neil Nolan, the venue is known for its modern Australian cuisine and divine sharing plates. Which includes a terrific range of meats and seafood dishes that are locally sourced.
Produced on a signature Argentinean wood fire grill, the meat and seafood is always perfectly cooked here and bursting with sensational flavour.
Address: Cnr Argyle Street and, Kendall Ln, The Rocks NSW 2000
Hours: Tues – Thurs 5:30 – 10 pm, Fri – Sat 12 – 10:30 pm, Sun 12 – 4 pm
Phone: (02) 9252 7797
The Meat & Wine Co Circular Quay
Found within the InterContinental Hotel, The Meat & Wine Co Circular Quay is one of Sydney’s leading restaurants.
Offering ‘Afro-centric’ dining, the venue boasts an attractive setting with wood and leather furnishings, as well as a dark and slightly mysterious ambience. Which, overall, makes for a lovely space in which to dine.
Proudly serving what has been labelled as ‘Sydney’s favourite steak’, this eatery, as the name suggests, is a meat lovers haven. Providing every cut of farmed Australian steak you can think of.
If you are looking to enjoy a more intimate and private celebration, they even offer three dedicated private group dining spaces for you to use too.
Address: Shop 12, InterContinental Sydney, 117 Macquarie St, Sydney NSW 2000
Hours: Tues – Sat 12 – 10 pm
Phone: (02) 9252 7888
Bar Patrón
How does a night of tacos, tequila and salsa sound to you? Well that is exactly what is on offer at Bar Patrón on Phillip Street.
Recently reopened, after a three year hiatus, the venue has quickly gotten back into its stride. Serving up an excellent range of authentic and traditional Mexican food.
This includes the likes of Scallop Ceviche, Chicken with Black Mole, Lamb Shoulder Birria and Tajima Wagyu Rib Eye. All of which can be eaten with house-pressed tortillas that can easily transform into
hand held tacos.
Contained within a bright and buzzy space, the restaurant is also renowned for its fantastic range of cocktails and tequila flights.
Address: 2 Phillip St, Sydney NSW 2000
Hours: Tues – Sat 12 – 3 pm & 6 – 11 pm, Sun 4 – 11 pm
Phone: (02) 9189 1957