Best restaurants for a first date
Make your first date memorable whether it's a blowout degustation or $6 pastry
Go all out...
Claude's Woollahra
If you
appreciate subtlety and skill, you’ll see the appeal in Chui Lee Luk’s
food.
Est. CBD
Peter Doyle, mad-keen surfer and chef of chefs, cooks flawless food.
Marque Surry Hills
Marque is an occasion and a half. Yes, it can be expensive (you’re looking at $220pp for the degustation with matched wine), but you’re paying for the entire experience from food to wine to staff to fun. And it’s incredible.
Quay The Rocks
Floor-to-ceiling windows guarantee that no matter where you are in the room you’ll be looking over Sydney harbour. And if you can swing it, the tables at the very front of the room make you feel like you could topple straight into the swim. Very Sydney.
Rockpool The Rocks
The flagship restaurant is still a very attractive offering – double clothed white surrounds, an incredibly impressive wine list, immaculate service and of course, some of the world’s best food.
Tetsuya’s CBD
A world class all-round dining experience that leaves the rest for dead with stunning ingredients, outstanding service and BYO to boot. Tetsuya’s is currently ranked at 17 by Restaurant Magazine as one of the top 50 gastronomic experiences on the planet.
Impress for (slightly) less...
Assiette Surry Hills
Warren Turnbull brings strange samples, twisted riffs and teased textures together causing an explosion of flavour that, while not always safe, is always superb. And on Fridays, you can have it all for $30.
Atelier Glebe
It’s gotta be one of the best value three- course dinners in town. A sweet little cottage at the beginning of Glebe Point Road, Atelier offers a midweek dinner special of $59 or three course. Start with the standout Berkshire pork rillettes – rich, sweet shreds of pork are captured in their own fat and served warm with a side of crispbread, caper berries, cocktail onions and gherkins
Burlington Bar Dining Crows Nest
For those that loved the early, more casual years of Balzac, Burlington Bar and Dining is a welcome return, and to others who like the double cloth and heavy silverware... well, there’s still Balzac. This menu’s broken up into entrée or main size servings which means you can go classic a la carte or get a bit funky on them and make your own mini degustation.
Etch CBD
This restaurant is the best thing to have happened to Sydney dining in some time – it’s reasonably priced, the food is cranking and the service is top notch. Get there now.
Fishface Darlinghurst
Having worked with all things piscine for about as long as Methuselah, he has a more in-depth knowledge of seafood than just about anyone in town. Oh, and he can cook like buggery. There’s sushi and sashimi too. The room’s a hot shoebox but if you can score a seat outside you’ll be a happy camper.
Flinders Inn Paddington
Flinders Inn is your ultimate neighbourhood restaurant: simple, straightforward food with peerless service and a fun wine list. It’s perfect for a laidback midweek meal or an early Friday night dinner before you hit the Local Taphouse a few doors down.
Oscillate Wildly Newtown
Oscillate Wildly has changed. Yes, it’s still owned by Ross Godfrey. Yes, they’re still doing eight wild and wacky courses for $95 and yes, it’s still in the same dinky space it’s always been. But something’s up. Adrian Hobbs (ex-Forbes and Burton) is on the floor and it’s now a picture of serenity, calm and sophistication. Even the music is better.
Tastevin Darlinghurst
The food is refined and comforting, the vibe is great, the service fantastic and the wine list inspired. If you go easy on the wine you can get away with eating quite well for not much dosh and, best of all, they’re open till 2am.
Cheap dates...
Adriano Zumbo Balmain
Any restaurant in town could serve one of these desserts and be proud of what they’re putting on the plate. Layers of fine pastry hold a gooey custard and dulce de leche cream centre, topped with South American caramel. There’s also a seriously killer selection of chocolate goodness.
Black Star Pastry Newtown
Bag one of the wee tables outside on the footpath; you might even be lucky enough to get the Philippe Starck gnome table. The bread and butter pudding, served in a little cardboard container, comes with a stout jug of crème anglaise. Topped with candied orange peel, this crisp, buttery pudding studded with raisins and swimming in as much custard sauce as you can handle with make you think you’ve carked it and gone to pudding heaven.
Ruby’s Diner Waverly
Ed’s coffees are a red-hot shot of Sydney’s own Single Origin espresso. Follow it with a burger and milkshake. And don’t let Ed bully you into another ristretto. Unless you want to, of course.
Spice I Am Surry Hills
If you like your Thai food authentic, spicy and tasty as the day is long, you’ve come to the right neck of the woods. Their som tum is the best in town as well as being fab value – shreds of green papaya are fired up with chopped chili, peanuts, teeny dried shrimp and cherry tomatoes dressed with a mix of palm sugar, fish sauce and lime juice. Bright and refreshing, it’s spicy and might just be the best Thai that Sydney offers for tiny dollars.
