2 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.