Seriously Cool Sydney Food Experiences

Fancy fine diners, paddock to plate advocates, kids and coffee crowds – foodies come in all shapes, sizes and ages.

Whether you’ve spent years cultivating your taste buds or you’re just trying to get the kids to eat vegetables, there are plenty of cool Sydney food experiences in and around the city.

Family friendly

Got the kids in tow? Touch down at the airport, grab your rental car (or taxi) and head straight to The Grounds of Alexandria. Halfway between the airport and the CBD, The Grounds have transformed one corner of an industrial park into an inner city garden. Be prepared to wait for a table in the main restaurant but on weekends little stalls are set up around the gardens, with BBQ meat, bacon and egg rolls, homemade lemonade and pastries galore for sale. Kids will love meeting the resident animals – pig, chickens, goats. Pop next door to The Potting Shed for lunch and dinner too.

Fashionistas

The Sydney CBD is a fashion mecca – Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Christian Dior, Zara, Ted and Baker – there are hundreds of shops to peruse, on the main streets or in shopping centres. Just down the street from Westfield Sydney is the Sheraton on the Park. This luxury hotel has just launched a Fashion High Tea. The most stylish sweets in town are served in the luxe Gallery Tea Lounge. Think chocolate truffle high heels, strawberry cream purses and gorgeous berry sun hats. All edible, thanks to the talents of the inhouse pastry chefs.

History on a plate

These days you’ll find much more than banks and business offices in the CBD. Some of Sydney’s beautifully preserved historical buildings have been given a new lease on life as restaurants, bars and cafes. Swine & Co opened earlier this year in what was once the old Bank of NSW. Now you can sip French champagne in the old bank manager booth or head downstairs to the glam restaurant for, as the name suggests, pig served every way possible. Swine & Co is now also open on Saturdays when many of the city eateries are closed.

You can tick sightseeing and supper off in one go at The Governor’s Table Bar & Dining. This new eatery and bar sits inside the Museum of Sydney and takes plenty of queues from the past, with a menu that brings traditional techniques to life with very modern twists.

For the big kids

Theatre buffs will appreciate The Theatre Bar at the End of the Wharf, located inside the Sydney Theatre Company. Just as the name suggests, you’ll walk all the way down to the very edge of Pier 4 but the views out over the harbor are worth it.

If cocktails are your calling, check out Apothecary, the brand new small bar by award winning Eau-de-Vie in Darlinghurst. Eau-de-Vie has won the title of World’s Best New Cocktail Bar so they know what they’re doing. Tucked into a side corridor, this tiny drinking den is all about the art of cocktails. Think liquid nitrogen, smoking guns, test tubes, beakers and plenty of quirky ingredients on a menu designed for flights of cocktails. A cocktail degustation if you will. Whether you choose His & Hers (designed for couples) or Down the Garden Path (whimsy galore), you won’t be disappointed.

If you’re out exploring in The Rocks, save time to check out Bar Ananas. Named after the French word for pineapple, the restaurant Ananas and Ananas Bar mesh the fruit theme with a fun 1920s vibe, harking back to the decadence of the past. The brand new cocktail menu showcases fresh local produce and some serious skill from the bar tenders.

Sweet tooth? Make a beeline for one of the Gelato Messinas around town. With stores in Darlinghurst, Bondi, The Star in Pyrmont, Surry Hills and Parramatta, this artisan gelateria has a cult status in Sydney. Queues down the street do move quickly but you’ll need the time to choose flavors from the likes of Salted Caramel and White Chocolate, Bounty or Banana Split. Don’t make your decision without checking out the specials – there’s been Game of Thrones, Steve Jobs and The Spider.