Sydney Restaurant Tips by cjg1

Restaurant Name: Summit

We came here for one reason. Ok two. Because everyone said don't waste your money on the AMP tower (which I had already been up previously) and come here and spend the money on a drink. That and we had invited Doug to lunch. So we all had a lightish lunch and drinks for Janet and I as Doug was driving.
From the 47th floor the views are great. The dining floor revolves. And it makes for a very pleasant time.

Favorite Dish: I had the steak and spinach washed with a mojito. It was very very good.

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Theme: Eclectic/International
Comparison: more expensive than average
Prices: US$31-40  » Currency Converter

Restaurant Name: Lowenbrau Keller

This is one of the few places I have been to every time I come to town. I love the atmosphere and the liters of Spaten. Located right next to the Rocks Sydney Visitor’s Center on Argyle Street it’s just a place I always find myself for at least one beer per trip.

I must admit it doesn’t get to be much more than one or two though as its only a liter and they charge $19. You can get the same amount of beer just down the street for $12 to $14. And that adds up quick. So I go and enjoy one or two and then move on.

The nice thing here is that they do have a large our-door seating area with bench tables and also individual tables and then inside a couple large rooms. So the atmosphere will be one where you can easily relax. In fact I would say this is my favorite pub atmosphere in Sydney.


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Theme: German/Austrian
Comparison: more expensive than average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Phone: 61 2 9247 7785
Address: Corner of Playfair & Argyle Streets, The Rocks
Website: http://www.lowenbrau.com.au/

Restaurant Name: Dixon

Dixon Restaurant is a place we stumbled upon. We were walking up through Chinatown when this place was SO much more crowded than the others and with Asians mostly. So this meant we decided to check out the menu and sit down.


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Theme: Chinese/Dim Sum
Comparison: less expensive than average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter

Restaurant Name: Sydney Fish Market

The Sydney Fish Market is one of those places you always hear needs to be visited. It took until my fourth trip to Sydney to make it here. And boy was it worth the wait.

We paired this with the super ticket for the light rail and rode out from Sydney Central. Upon our arrival we had to cross the tracks and follow the signs up and across the road. You then come in to the parking lot with some restaurants right there that make you wonder, “Is this all it is?” Well luckily no it is not all it is. You must walk across the parking lot and enter the opposite corner of where you arrived.

As you walk past the toy and knife shop, you get the full experience. And that I must say was somewhat disappointing from what I was expecting. It is just a row of display cases and stall fronts. But the food from these places are SO worth it.

We first stopped at a BBQ place to get BBQ breaded prawn and BBQ Salt and Pepper Squid. As it was crowded we walked back and got a seat where I said I wanted to buy additional prawns which I did buying a half kilo of cooked jumbo king prawns. These things were 8 inches long before I cleaned them as I ate.

Favorite Dish: The Salt and Pepper Squid was so fresh and so good I am already dreaming of it and going back for more. The prawns I bought were great too and so much tastier than what I have had in recent memory.

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Theme: Seafood
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Phone: +61 2 9004 1100
Address: Bank Street, PYRMONT, NSW 2009
Website: www.sydneyfishmarket.com.au

Restaurant Name: Harry's Cafe de Wheels - Pies

Harry’s is a Sydney institution. I have seen others around the city but this trip I found myself passing the original nearly every day on the bus back to the hotel. So we stopped and got off to get a pie for a snack.

You will always find that there is a crowd here. We even had people waiting behind us while I decided quickly what I was going to eat. The do quite a bit of business and are worth the visit at least once. They’re an attraction for a reason.

Favorite Dish: I had the curry pie and she the hot dog. I was pretty impressed in the curry pie and do wish I had bothered to stop and get another during the week but with so many better food options just up the stairs in Potts Point we never did.

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Theme: Street Vendor
Comparison: least expensive
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Phone: +61.0292112506
Address: Cowper Wharf Rd, Woolloomooloo NSW 2011
Website: http://www.harryscafedewheels.com.au/

Restaurant Name: Yellow Bistro and Food Store

My favorite restaurant in Sydney. That should say it all. But I will go on.

Our first visit here was just for dessert take-away. We came into the shop and were amazed and awed by the large display of desserts. The pic above only shows one side of the display. After some time to decide we settled on our picks. I was to have the rhubarb pie and Liz chose the chocolate truffle cookie.

After these amazing treats we decided we had to eat a meal here. And that was to come a couple days later when we stopped in for her birthday lunch. We were given a corner table with a good view of the small dining area for our semi-late lunch. WOW. What a great lunch we had. After a quick Cascade beer our food shows up. She had what I consider the single best meal in all of Sydney. The spinach gnocchi was absolutely amazing. So much so she’d have it again for our last dinner on Saturday night. I had decided I needed a filling comfort meal and ordered the fried fish and chips. This was just perfect. Tasty and filling I came away praising it well. And of course we had to take some more tasty desserts with us. She chose the cheesecake and I got the $15 tub of Tiramisu. Admittedly I let it go for a couple mornings before I ate mine but she ate up and loved hers.

We then also chose this as our last meal in Sydney this trip. We walked in at about 6pm and were surprised to be asked if we had a reservation and then that it might be a problem. In the end it wasn’t and we got our table.

She went ahead and ordered as I mentioned the spinach gnocchi again. I decided this time to go with the fusilli with chili prawns. Once again I was completely thrilled with my meal and hers was just as she expected. We both chose to not drink anything but sparkling water this time. Then on our way out we got dessert again. I once again had the rhubarb pie and she had the caramel crème puff. Wow once again.

Throw in the stop for just dessert the day between the two meals here for an apricot tart for her and you can see that it is my favorite restaurant.


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Theme: Bakery
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Phone: (02) 9357 3400
Address: 57-59 Macleay St, Potts Point NSW 2011
Website: http://www.ycook.com.au/

Restaurant Name: Fratelli Paradiso

We had walked past this place several times before we finally stopped in. After all it is just a couple doors down from the Simpson’s. Each and every time it was jammed packed. Always so busy, breakfast lunch and dinner, that one wondered if a table could be had.

A fairly dark place they have the menu written up on a blackboard in Italian. They come around and seem to take joy in having to explain it all to you. So they did seem disappointed when we knew what we wanted and ordered it without the whole thing needing to be explained. After all, especially with food, language is often without need of translation.

They sport themselves a rather decent wine list which seems to be the norm in this section of town. The service is quite good and they do not seem to be in any rush to make you leave. Both times we ate here we had to ask for the bill to come and still it took some time. And truth be told, I like that in a place. Nothing worse than paying for a meal out and being rushed right out because you’re not eating or drinking enough.

Favorite Dish: The first time she ordered the Gnocchi with Veal and I was to have the Lasagna. I found out after we ate that the lasagna is one of their signature dishes. I can completely understand why. It was very good and just what I needed after a very long and hard day that had started on the beach in 95 degree weather and was ending back in this wonderful neighborhood with temps in the mid 50s. I didn’t even mind that their lasagna has meat in it. I normally do not like it in mine, but theirs is quite good and as I said, just what I needed. We also had a salad to share.

The second time we were here we thought we’d get her the gnocchi again and were surprised to find that the menu had changed. I don’t know if they could have or would have made it anyway as she decided on the Risotto, which much to her surprise she enjoyed very much and has already recreated in the first couple days home in New York. This time I had the Tagliatelle. I however did not expect what I got, based on an improperly named dish at a different restaurant. But hey, surprises are not a bad thing. I enjoyed it very much. We once again decided to skip their desert and go to Yellow around the corner before heading back home.

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Theme: Italian
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$21-30  » Currency Converter
Phone: (02) 9357 1744
Address: 12-16 Challis Avenue, Potts Point 2011
Other Contact: Email: fatelliparadiso@bigpond.c

Restaurant Name: Pancakes on the Rocks

Pancakes on the Rocks is one of those love it or hate it places. It’s a simple enough place that could pass as a diner in most places. But food is quite good here. Granted I’ve only tried the pancakes. Although on the menu I just can’t see ordering lunch and dinner food at a place call Pancakes on the Rocks.

Our first visit was on Monday morning before switching hotels, as we did not have a breakfast plan at the first one. The place was half full when we arrived and we seated at a large booth table. Quick and efficient the waitress ran over with water and menus. The decision was easy for me. They had a picture on the menu of the Strawberry Patch and I just had to have it. Complete with two buttermilk pancakes and surrounded with strawberries would have been enough. But it was topped with a cream and vanilla ice cream on top of that. Simply amazing. Liz decided on the Cinnamon Sugar Apple Struessel pancakes which is the buttermilk pancakes covered in cinnamon with apples around it topped in the cream and ice cream. I preferred mine but she’ll rave on about hers too.

As we liked it so much the first time we came back here for the birthday breakfast three days later. Quite funnily they seated us at the same table. This time we were determined to try something new. I went simply with the Bananarama. This is, two buttermilk pancakes with grilled bananas around it topped with the cream and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I honestly can’t tell you which of the two breakfasts I had here I liked best. They were both amazing. This time Liz went with just the regular stack. This is, just three buttermilk pancakes with syrup and a couple of hot cocoa. Quite nice but I was enjoying the specialty plates.

Both times we were out of here for under $30, which is not bad for a sit down breakfast in Sydney. Especially one of this quality.


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Theme: Breakfast
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Address: 4 Hickson Road
Directions: Rocks

Restaurant Name: PJ O'Brien's

PJ O’Brien’s is one of the places I would hang out when I was here in 2005. My latest visit had us stop in here for a pub dinner. A nice multi level bar in the famous Grace Hotel they also serve a decent menu.

For dinner this day we both went simply with the burger. For about $15 each they offer up a decent burger easily paired with a schooner of your favorite beer.

This is also a place to watch sports from around the world all day long.


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Theme: Pub/Brewery
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Phone: +61 2 9290 1811
Address: 57 King Street
Website: www.pjobriens.com.au

Restaurant Name: La Renaissance

Now this is a place I honestly can’t believe I hadn’t been to before. A simple little pastry shop with a shared court yard in the back that is actually quite spacious you will find yourself enjoying life quite nicely when you visit.

As you enter this narrow little shop you see the display case and attendants on the left. And this is where you’re fun begins. They have such a great variety of extremely tasty treats I am sure you’ll find something you’ll love.

We ate here three time during our week on this last visit in 2007. The first time we had the Crème Brulee and a large Meringue. Both of these were quite good and got us going with a quick sugar ingestion.

In the coming days we stopped back here several times looking for the Crème Brulee but were turned away as they didn’t have any at that time.

Finally were in luck when on our last day before meeting up with friends we stopped by here around 11am. Crème Brulee and this wonderful Raspberry Sponge Cake creation that I must admit I only chose because it was in the picture of AussieDoug’s tip on this place. And well, since I had a second one later in the afternoon upon our second visit of the day here, it was well worth the choice.


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Theme: Bakery
Comparison: about average
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Phone: +61 2 9241 4878
Address: 47 Argyle Street, The Rocks, Sydney NSW 2000
Website: www.larenaissance.com.au
Other Contact: la.renaissance@bigpond.com