Best New Restaurants in Sydney: New Venues to Put on Your Radar

With COVID-19 turning our 2020 upside down, we have yet to discover all the best new restaurants in Sydney that have opened through lockdowns and social distancing. 

So, to whittle down your 2020 edit, we’ve taste-tested our way around town to reveal the hottest new restaurants on the Sydney dining scene. The best new restaurants in Sydney are so worth clearing a space in your diary for.

Jimmy's Falafel (Photo credit: Nikki To)

Jimmy's Falafel

Opening up just before lockdown, Jimmy’s Falafel is a place to hang out, share plates and pitas, and party until late. An homage to the madness and energy of the bustling takeaway kebab stores of the 60s and 70s, the space provides a nostalgic backdrop for two dynamic dining experiences. Up the front, the takeaway kiosk is designed to grab and go, with a menu of vegetarian pita, plates and wraps that can be ordered on digital tablets for ease and speed.

312 George Street, Sydney

Coogee Bay Hotel

Coogee Bay Hotel

This iconic beachfront venue has just undergone a sophisticated renovation, and just in time for the warmer weather! Coogee Bay Hotel has just reopened with a newly designed dining space, Marrah, and menu that features Mediterranean-inspired dishes and locally sourced seafood. The menu also uses produce from bushfire affected regions in order to support the local communities. Their must-try dishes include the chargrilled octopus and grilled snapper fillet with smoked oysters, and the zucchini blossom with fennel.

253 Coogee Bay Road, Coogee

Above Par

Above Par

Located amongst some of Sydney’s most popular small bars, Above Par offers a casual, all-day/late-night eatery. The venue caters to Sydney’s ‘work hard, play hard’ city dwellers, offering up authentic Middle Eastern fare – best shared with friends over chilled beers. Inside, Above Par channels chic but comfortable modernity, a stark contrast to the ancestral dishes it carries on its menu. The casual, indoor dining space features an open kitchen with extensive marble benchtop where diners can watch the chefs inaction.

215 Clarence Street, Sydney

Glorietta (Photo credit: Anson Smart)

Glorietta

This luxe eatery in North Sydney is bound to become one of your new favourite hangouts. Designed by Alexander & Co, Glorietta is inspired by a love of all things Italian. The perfect spot for an after-work spritz or casual dinner, the menu delivers big on pizza, pasta and antipasto. Our favourites!

Upper Ground Floor, 100 Mount Street, North Sydney

Henrietta

Henrietta

Surry Hills welcomes the new chick on the block, Henrietta, a 65-seat casual eatery, bar and take-away venue serving traditional Middle Eastern style charcoal chicken, with all the trimmings. Located on Crown Street, in the space formerly occupied by Pizza E Birra, Henrietta sits alongside Middle Eastern restaurant and big sister Nour, and you can expect big flavours and wholesome eats.

Shop 1, 500 Crown Street, Surry Hills 

Infinity at Sydney Tower

81 floors above the CBD streets, Infinity at Sydney Tower is set to take Sydney's dining scene to new heights...literally. Boasting beautifully, stylish interiors, jawdropping views and a killer menu showcasing the best of Australian cuisine, we can't wait until they open their doors!

Westfield Sydney (Located between Pitt & Castlereagh Streets, entry via Level 4 Westfield Sydney)

D.O.C.

D.O.C, Melbourne’s iconic Italian pizza joint, opens its first Sydney restaurant in the heart of the Inner-City food bowl, Surry Hills. Focussed on age-old simplicity, D.O.C is serving up pizza just like the Italians eat –  so crispy, springy pizza bases and simple combinations that don’t overload the crust. Alongside their signature pizzas will also be a delectable antipasto offering. The hero? D.O.C’s fresh buffalo mozzarella flown in directly from Italy. Lush.

78 Campbell Street, Surry Hills

North Spoon

Transport your taste buds to the Amalfi coast with a decadent dinner at North Spoon. A local fave come brunch time, the team at North Spoon have launched Italian Nights; a delicious dinner menu available Thursday through till Saturday. Expect a sensory feast of traditional Italian fare; from homemade pappardelle with slow-cooked lamb ragu to freshly made, creamy burrata. To make it an even more authentic experience, be sure to pair your meal with a fine Italian vino or refreshing aperitif.

165 Blues Point Road, McMahons Point

Bar Tikram

Bar Tikram, The Star Sydney’s newest venture, will be opening its doors later this month. A casual dining concept, the Middle Eastern-inspired restaurant will celebrate the exotic region’s vibrancy and culture. Led by Executive Chef of BLACK Bar & Grill Dany Karam, expect bold flavours, colour, and an electric atmosphere. 

The Star, Pyrmont

Pizza Fritta

A vibrant little sister to iconic Sydney restaurant Via Napoli, Pizza Fritta is Surry Hills’ newest dining spot. Inspired by founder and head chef Luigi Esposito’s Neapolitan heritage and the classic dishes of his childhood, Pizza Fritta pays homage to the humble flash fried pizza. Reminiscent of the lively bar scene you’ll find in the backstreets of Naples, pizza lovers can look forward to a refined menu best enjoyed over Aperitivo hour, followed by a flavoursome digestif.

428 Crown Street, Surry Hills

mimi’s, Coogee Pavilion

Locals are lining up to check out the long-awaited middle floor of Coogee Pavilion, and mimi’s is leading the charge. Set over the waves, mimi’s celebrates the coastline. A simplicity and constrained elegance permeates the food offering, with skilful craftmanship underpinning the quality seafood, meat and vegetables that are served up.

Amid the cool, calm interiors, diners can savour delicacies like roasted spanner crab, grilled pork collar and grilled wagyu flatiron, to name a few. Better still, the 600 strong wine list will ensure your meal is perfectly accompanied. Chablis, anyone?

Level 1, 169 Dolphin Street, Coogee

TOKKI

Inspired by the bustling Izakayas of Seoul and Tokyo, TOKKI in Surry Hills combines excellent food, incredible drinks and personality-packed service for a dining experience with a kick. Serving up a tantalising mix of small share plates, raw delicacies, bao buns, and their famous Korean fried chicken, you will fall in love with their flavour-packed dishes.

To pair with the delectable short rib and pork belly, TOKKI pours a killer range of cocktails that are guaranteed to kick your casual dinner into party mode. Sip your way through their gin-infused Tiger Brew and sweet Merry Soju, before perusing the saké menu.

44A Foveaux Street, Surry Hills

Henrys Neutral Bay

Set to open early this month, Neutral Bay will welcome Henrys to its leafy suburban streets. Following in the footsteps of its big brother, Henrys Cronulla, Henrys Neutral Bay will emulate its sibling’s laid-back atmosphere, but with an added element of sophistication. Expect this stylish hangout to be dressed up in elegant tones of black, white and rose gold, with natural and modern furnishings. Following the success of the Cronulla outpost, it’s sure to be a favourite for local hedonists in no time.

Shop 2, 19-25 Grosvenor Street, Neutral Bay

Una Màs, Coogee Pavilion

One of the other new venues to open on Coogee Pavilion’s middle floor, Una Más, is a local wine and tapas bar with a Mediterranean soul. A place where locals can walk off the beach and stop by for a quick bite or get lost for a few hours, this beachside dining destination is arguable one of the best new restaurants in Sydney. The menu is uncomplicated and recognisable, with influences from both Spain and Australia –freshly shucked oysters and eating plancha style.

Level 1, 169 Dolphin Street, Coogee

WingHAÜS by Bavarian

A wing-packed, sauce-smothered spin-off of The Bavarian has just opened down at Circular Quay and is ready to satiate your BBQ cravings. WingHAÜS by Bavarian is a new dining and entertainment concept by Rockpool Dining Group that fuses eight variations of sauce-doused, American-inspired chicken wings, and other treats and snacks, with 40 draught beers and margaritas on tap. There is a boisterous sports-bar vibe thanks to 20 large-screen TVs throughout the venue, complemented by the bright neon lights, nostalgic signage and sports memorabilia adorning the walls.

Gateway Centre, 1 Macquarie Place, Circular Quay

Sonora

From the brains behind Bondi’s Taqiza and Carbon comes upmarket Mexican restaurant and Mezcal bar Sonora; an eatery fast becoming known as one of the best new restaurants in Sydney. Far from your cheap and cheerful Mexican street food, the dishes rolling out of the kitchen at Sonora push the envelope, taking Mexican cuisine into fine-dining territory. The food is fresh a market to table vibe, and the bar focuses on Tequila and Mezcal: from top-shelf drops to boutique tipples.

37 Bayswater Road, Potts Point

Eugene’s

Although not a new venue, beloved Bronte café Eugene’s is now open for dinner service on Friday and Saturday nights. Expect a candle-lit affair in a charming yet casual space, with delicacies like Ora king salmon, Tuscan meatballs and coconut chicken curry. Make sure to save room for dessert as the tall carrot cake and lemon meringue tartlet are too delicious to pass up.

69 Macpherson Street, Bronte

Alala's

Taking residence along Ben Boyd back street with a direct access to the garden, Alala’s celebrates the strong feminine lineage of The Oaks’ family owners, and is reminiscent of a country homestead.

The light timber furniture complements a colour palette inspired by the dappled sunlight of the iconic oak tree including leafy greens, soft blues and apricot tones. Spilling outside into a terrace with café furniture and a light canvas awning, the transition from indoor to outdoor is seamless.

Central to the kitchen is the cast iron oven, which fills the air with aromas of roasted vegetables, meats and baked focaccia. Fresh and Euro-inspired, the menu is equal parts wholesome and indulgent, from delicious tartines to decadent terrines. To accompany the light and whimsical menu, the drinks menu focuses on the classics, with aperitifs and bubbles leading the charge.

118 Military Road, Neutral Bay