7 Best Restaurants in Sydney City Center, Sydney

A meal at Rockpool is a crash course in what Mod Oz cooking is all about, conducted in a glamorous, long dining room with a catwalk-like ramp. Thai, Chinese, Mediterranean, and Middle Eastern influences can be found in the dishes here. The menu is extensive, with caviar from around the world to start. The Wagyu beef is butchered on-site, with the premium oyster blade cut costing A$125; the tagliatelle with a rich mushroom and truffle sauce is equally satisfying. Don't miss the date tart for dessert—it's been a Rockpool favorite since 1984.

It's hidden behind huge black doors in one of the city's historic sandstone buildings, but once you're inside you'd swear you were in Paris. Dark-wood paneling, black-and-white photographs, and mirrors bearing the day's specials in flowing script lend a bistro feel. The fare is predominately Italian with a sprinkling of French and Mod Oz dishes. Try the Bambini spaghettini with sauté of Spencer Gulf King Prawns that has just the right amount of heat from chilies. A pre- or postmeal drink in the marble-lined, chandeliered Bambini Wine Room is a must.

Drawing inspiration from New York's legendary steak houses, this CBD venue is brought to life by head chef Sam Galloway. The starters are focused on extravagant raw seafood, showcasing premium caviar, prawn cocktails, and oysters served three ways. A standout is the scallops casino with butter and toasted breadcrumbs. You can also enjoy table-side filleted fish with your choice of sauce and the restaurant’s signature dish, spaghetti and clams. But really, this spot is popular thanks to its focus on fine cuts of steak, cooked in a state-of-the-art Josper charcoal oven and paired with delightful wines from around the world.

This elegant, pillared dining room is the perfect setting for showing off chef Peter Doyle's modern, light touch with Mod Oz cuisine. Menu highlights include the prawn tartare and the aged pork loin with rhubarb, mostarda, and cabbage. Finish off with a dessert of intriguing tastes—Earl Grey ice cream with blood orange citrus curd doughnuts and blood orange sorbet. There's also a four-course chef's menu (A$160) and various two-, three-, and four-course lunch options, but no à la carte menu.

This hidden gem is the city offering of the popular Grounds of Alexandria, a dog- and kid-friendly eatery with a on-site urban farm that's found just outside of the city. This French-style café is less country rustic and more city slick. It's all low lighting, vintage interiors, with soft velvet seating and intimate booths. And the menu edges toward Parisian-bistro influence, with its croque monsieur a favorite dish. There's outstanding coffee, fresh juices, and breakfast and lunch cocktails. The service is always exceptional.

Started as a specialty coffee creator, Pablo & Rusty opened a sit-down café back in 2010 and it has been a popular spot for coffee meetups ever since. The interiors are stylish and hip; there are single-origin espressos and sophisticated breakfasts and lunches. There's also outdoor seating.

The culinary focus of this chic basement eatery is regional China. There are dishes from far-flung Yunnan, Hunan, and Sichuan provinces, and as the names suggests, they all have a kick. The food is meant to be shared, and the menu features innovative dishes like tea-smoked duck and kung pao chicken, alongside a selection of dim sum and small plates. The elegant, contemporary interior provides a sophisticated yet relaxed dining atmosphere. Complementing the food, the extensive wine list and creative cocktails enhance the dining experience. It's a busy, trendy eatery (down a somewhat steep flight of stairs), so if you have to wait at the bar for a table, grab a cocktail and a spicy pork bun and take in the opium den ambience.