9 Best Restaurants in Darling Harbour and Barangaroo, Sydney

Sitting at the edge of newly completed Barangaroo like an elegant stack of wide, plant-filled bowls clad in charred timber, this three-level spaceship has a seating capacity of 900 people and offers three ways to dine: the House Bar at the pedestrian promenade level offers craft beers, cocktails, or coffee and share plates, Rekōdo restaurant & Vinyl Bar, a sprawling fine-dining restaurant offering Japanese fusion with both indoor and outdoor dining, and the buzzy rooftop bar, Smoke, which has good views across the harbor and an outstanding cocktail list.

It's named after a cloud, but with its floor-to-ceiling-windows looking out on Cockle Bay, timber fencing (both on the floor and strung in different lengths from the ceiling) akin to what you might see in sand dunes, a suspended/flying vintage speedboat, and perhaps the best and freshest seafood offerings in Sydney, Cirrus may as well be named for the sea it floats above. The five-course, degustation-style menu is very popular, with courses involving high-end fare like caviar, oysters, and scallops. The grilled Moreton Bay bug on the à la carte menu is sumptuous and a must try. The wine list is carefully curated with a focus on pairing white wines, with red limited to those light in body.

Head chef Justin Wise’s focus here is celebrating the elements of air, land, and sea in a menu that celebrates local farmers and fine Australian wines. Even the name "12-Micron" refers to the micrometer scale used in scientific measurements, a nod to the chef's attention to detail and precision in his culinary approach. The menu typically includes a range of innovative dishes and a curated selection of fine wines, creating a memorable dining experience for guests. Menu highlights include the Wagyu beef tenderloin, served with truffle mash, or the divine seared scallops. There's a seven-course dessert tasting menu if you prefer to skip dinner.

You can find better basic Chinese food elsewhere in town, but for duck and pork, barbecue-loving Sydneysiders know that this is the place to come. The poultry hanging in the window are the only decoration at this small Chinatown staple, where the food is so fresh you can almost hear it clucking—make sure you sample the duck pancakes. Barbecued pork is the other featured dish, and the suckling pig is especially delicious. It's open from 11 am until late at night, when the average customers are large groups of mates sprawled at the Formica tables feeding their drunken munchies, or Chinatown chefs kicking back after a day in the kitchen. The service can be a little brusque, but it's all part of the low-budget charm.

Blackbird Café is great place to take a break while exploring Darling Harbour. The weekday lunch specials are a good value. There are great views from the balcony, so try and nab a table there. The à la carte menu includes starters of salt-and-pepper squid, or grilled prawns and crab, and there's a wide range of pizza, pasta, burgers, and grills.

With a yacht-club theme, this new Sydney venue features a spacious setup with indoor and outdoor seating for over 350 guests, a 20-meter (65-foot) stone bar, and lush greenery making you feel a little farther away from the bustle of the city than you are. Head chef Kyle Quy crafts a menu that combines classic pub cuisine with Mediterranean flavors. There's also theater-style kitchen and a DJ deck, making it a vibrant spot for both dining and evening entertainment. 

For two hours—or as long as it takes for you to consume delicately steamed prawns, luscious mud crab with ginger and shallots, and pipis (clam-like shellfish) with black-bean sauce—you might as well be in Hong Kong. This restaurant has a cult following, having closed its doors in Chinatown only to open in nearby Star Sydney, a luxury hotel with many restaurants, bars, and a nightclub. The same menu attracts here, with a more upmarket interior in line with the hotel. Come for the big-ticket seafood or a simple meal of deep-fried duck. Supper is served until 11 pm so it's popular with late-night revelers.

The cocktails are legendary, the view is captivating, and the food, a traditional Chinese/Malay fusion, is extraordinary. After over 50 years in the business (first opened in 1963), in different venues around Sydney, this modern Asian restaurant still does a roaring trade. Signature dishes include beef rendang (Indonesian-style beef curry), and the spanner crab san choy bow, a fabulous twist on a classic Chinese lettuce wraps. Try one of the four set menus (for a minimum of three people) for a true feast on the extensive menu's flavor combinations.

A bit of a hidden gem, to enter this New Orleans--inspired smokehouse you have to come through a door in an alleyway just off Barangaroo waterfront. Take the elevator up two floors and when the doors open you'll be hit by that incredible American barbecue smell. This 270-seat restaurant has water views, around 500 whiskies and a 2½-meter-long open-grill fire pit and a hickory-packed smoker. The atmosphere is buzzy every night of the week.