When it comes to food, Sydneysiders are utterly spoiled, but in all the best ways. From the food scene in the city, Sydney locals have come to expect quality and organic ingredients to be used in their meals - and they get it! Although they have a laid back Western culture, Australia's close proximity to Asia has created an eclectic blend of cuisines in the country. The visiting foodie looking to eat their way around Sydney should be prepared for a unique adventure filled with creativity, quality and an abundance of fresh seafood.

 

Marque Restaurant

Facebook/Marque Restaurant
Credit: Facebook/Marque Restaurant

Address: 4/5/355 Crown St, Surry Hills NSW 2010
Telephone: +61 2 9332 2225
Websitemarquerestaurant.com.au

For those looking to start their foodie adventure with something high-end, something that should set that bar for all other places in the city, then that place should be Marque Restaurant. Located in Surry Hills among the rich and famous of the city, Marque specialized in personal cuisine, food that is not tied to one specific culture. This innovative idea sprang from the mind of famous Sydney chef Mark Best that fuses his French roots and European training into unique dishes peppered with the Asian influences that are prevalent in Sydney. This results in fascinating dishes like smoked eel with parmesan gnocchi and pumpkin or blueberry, carrot and miso-spiced quail.

 

Spice Temple

spice temple rockpool
Credit: Facebook Neil Perry | Rockpool

Address: 10 Bligh Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Telephone: +61 2 8078 1888
Websiterockpool.com/spicetemplesydney

The Spice Temple is a rather odd Chinese-inspired restaurant that is located in the basement of the Rockpool steakhouse. Both are owned by celebrity chef Neil Perry and provide top-notch dining experiences. The only thing that could be more fascinating than the food in this sexy, subterranean Chinese hotspot is the decor. Visitors enter through a door that is actually a illuminated digital screen and descend a flight of screen into a dimly lit restaurant that hosts a decor of intimate reds and dark timber. The Spice Temple specializes specifically in spicy, yet flavourful Sichuan cuisine that is best showcased in the Ma Po-style stir fried Wagyu or the steamed blue eye filet with salted chili black beans.

 

Sixpenny

food sixpenny syndrey
Credit: Facebook/sixpenny

Address: 83 Percival Rd, Stanmore NSW 2048
Telephone: +61 2 9572 6666
Websitesixpenny.com.au

On the opposite end of the spectrum from Marque and the Spice Temple, Sixpenny is the small brainchild of two up-and-coming Sydney chefs, James Perry and Daniel Puskas. The pair have been cooking around Sydney for awhile, but Sixpenny is the place that they have made their own. The food is modern and very focused on seasonal, local produce. As such, their menu only has a few dishes to choose from at a time, but their kangaroo consomme with mussels or their pork with cindered garlic and caramelized witlof have helped put Sixpenny's name on everyone's lips.

 

Gumshara Ramen

Gumshara Ramen
Credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/82962172@N07/

Address: 211/25-29 Dixon St, Haymarket NSW 2000
Telephone: +61 410 253 180
Websitefacebook.com/Gumshara-Ramen

For foodies that are looking to dine on a budget, Gumshara offers up not only the best tasting, but the most beautiful ramen outside of Japan. Each bowl looks like it should be in a painting. They use fresh ingredients in every step of the process to prepare the perfect bowl of ramen. Of course, their most popular dish is also one of their biggest, the Super Mega Ramen Bowl. It features a spare ribs, a BBQ pork skewer, fresh fried tonkatsu, daikon radish, soft boiled egg, and green onions while still having room for ample amounts of thick broth and noodles. It's a dish made for sharing, but most people probably won't want to.

 

Porteno

portenohttps://www.flickr.com/photos/yewenyi/

+61 2 8399 1440

Address: 358 Cleveland St, Surry Hills NSW 2010
Telephone: +61 2 8399 1440
Websiteporteno.com.au

It may seem like there is a Chinese, Korean or Japanese restaurant around every corner in Sydney; however, the Argentinean-inspired Porteno has raised not only the diversity, but the standard of dining in Sydney. Local Sydneysiders know Porteno's for their humorous staff, but the lip-smacking suckling pig and lamb roasting over open fires before being serves on a board to your table doesn't hurt their reputation either.

 

Bodega

Bodega Sydney
Credit: Facebook/Bodega

Address: 216 Commonwealth St, Surry Hills NSW 2010
Telephone: +61 2 9212 7766
Websitebodegatapas.com

Spain meets South American in Bodega's classy and clever tapas-style menu. Bodega has become famous in the city for its fresh seafood dishes including their kingfish ceviche on grilled garlic sourdough bread or their sashimi kingfish with cuttlefish ceviche and mojama. Due to its popularity and location in Surry Hills, it's difficult to get a seat at Bodega, but there is usually room for small parties at the bar.

 

Kings Lane Sandwiches

kings lane sandwichesFacebook/Kings Lane Sandwiches

Address: 1/28 Kings Ln, Darlinghurst NSW 2010
Telephone: +61 2 9360 8007
Websitekingslanesandwiches.com.au

Foodies will find almost every kind of cuisine under the sun in Sydney, but sometimes there is just a need for s truly wonderful sandwich. Kings Lane Sandwiches is one of the few hole-in-the-wall joints in Sydney, but they specialize in true Aussie sandwiches. They are big, they are packed full of ingredients and they are a meal in and of themselves. Foodies can nosh on the popular chicken schnitzel with herb mayo or create their own mighty combo from a list of ingredients that puts chain sandwich shops to shame.

 

Knox Street Bar

Knox Street Bar
Credit: KnoxStreetBar.com

Address: 21 Shepherd St, Chippendale NSW 2008
Telephone: +61 2 8970 6443
Websiteknoxstreetbar.com

The staff at Knox Street Bar has done a fantastic job converting what was once an unused garage and car park in to a cozy little dive bar. Today, the space draws in customers not so much for the bar, but rather for the bar food. The menu sticks its hand in every culinary pot, sticking to no specific theme, but serving up what is good. With cola braised pork ribs, fried chicken with watermelon bahn mi and crispy chicharron, Knox Street Bar serves the kind of food that one can look forward to after a very long and tiring day.

 

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