7 Best Restaurants in Inner City and the Eastern Suburbs, Sydney

The fashionable and famous just adore perching like seagulls over the swimming pool at the south end of Australia's most famous beach. It is one of the must-visit restaurants in Sydney, for both the sensational view and the exquisite food. The menu featuring modern Italian- and Mediterranean-inspired dishes, with signature options like spaghetti vongole and crispy skin barramundi. The elegant space includes a stylish bar with a broad selection of cocktails, fine wines, and craft beers. But it's the floor-to-ceiling windows providing breathtaking views of the iconic surf and coastline that is the true drawcard here—along with celebrity spotting. 

This bistro in the Woollahra Hotel spills over with happy-go-lucky patrons—mostly locals from around the leafy suburb of Woollahra—who have been coming back for more than 20 years now. The best dishes are inspired takes on Parisian fare, with the steak frites often hailed as one of the best in Sydney. But the French onion soufflé gratin, and port sausages with potato puree and Lyonnaise onions, are also divine. The casual café and bar, Moncur Terrace, serves mains such as Wagyu beef burgers and gourmet pizzas.

This harbor-front restaurant occupies the site of the old "airport" (back in the days when the fastest way to get to England was by flying boat), and has ringside views of the harbor and Shark Island. Patrons can watch modern seaplanes take off and land just steps away while dining on fine seafood. Perched on piers over the water, with a distinctive white profile, Catalina has been one of Sydney's standout fine-dining establishments since it opened in 1994. A unique concept for Sydney, the restaurant kitchen is open from midday to midnight (except on Sunday), allowing diners to turn up at any time; patrons can also pop in for a drink and graze on a casual bar menu. Seafood lovers relish the oysters, sushi, and sashimi created by the sushi master chef, while the signature dish of Catalina’s famous miso-marinated John Dory is a sensation. The views from the floor-to-ceiling windows, the open deck, and the cozy fire in winter make this a restaurant for all seasons.

For a long time, those wanting to experience Chin Chin had to head to Melbourne. But in 2016, a sister restaurant finally opened its doors in Surry Hills, and it has since elbowed its way to epicurean cult status among foodies. The Southeast Asian fare here is truly standout and so are the funky interiors, resulting in weekend tables being booked-out a month in advance. There are several "must" dishes on the 50-plus menu, including the massaman (a Thai curry) brisket and the chili salt chicken wings. There’s also an on-site cocktail bar open until late, serving weird and wonderful concoctions.

This classy restaurant has four levels in total: the ground offers traditional Australian pub fare, the second is a private dining area that can seat up to 250 people, and then there's a swanky cocktail bar. But the real jewel here is the rooftop bar and restaurant offering trendy cocktails and a modern Japanese menu of sushi, sashimi, and sizzling plates.

This South American--inspired restaurant offers a wide range of flame-grilled and charcoal-roasted meats that come with a variety of fresh sides, like char-grilled vegetables or light salads. But it's the wine list that is the star of the show here, with more than 300 wines from South America, Italy, and Australia to choose from.

Once just a standard pub in Surry Hills, this spot was completely gutted and renovated and recently opened as a high-end dining experience. Upstairs you can start with a cocktail or two, which gets very lively on weekend. Then downstairs, the dining space is expansive but feels intimate with low lighting. Each dish is carefully prepared and a taste explosion. Roasted chicken skin with liver mousse and sweet Davidson plum is a must to start, followed by the dry-aged Aylesbury duck with rhubarb. The wine list is extensive, the cocktails carefully mixed and for art lovers, there's a vast array of bold art throughout the restaurant.