Acclaimed chef Khanh Nguyen leads the kitchen at Bentley Group’s pumping East Asian restaurant. Don’t leave without trying the Filet-o-Fish inspired bao bun.

Surrender your phone at this opulent steakhouse and settle in for Riverine steak and a burger called one of the world’s best.

Favoured Roman trattorias and New York's legendary Gramercy Tavern were the inspiration behind Love Tilly Group’s dream Italian joint.

The headline act at The International in Martin Place brings white-tablecloth elegance to an iconic CBD site. Push the boat out with the finest steak and seafood cooked over woodfire, and an impressive list of wines from around the world.

Aalia’s Paul Faraag turns his attention to Japanese flavours at this glowing rooftop. Whether you treat it like a bar or a restaurant, you’re in for raw and robata-grilled dishes, plus cocktails by an alum of a top London bar.

Alejandro Saravia celebrates the vibrant cuisines of Latin America at the 150-year-old GPO building in Martin Place.

Tomoharu Shono's Michelin-recommended ramen chain has lines out the door no matter when you visit.

There are no surprises on the Bistecca menu. This underground steakhouse is all about Tuscan T-bone steaks, sold by weight and cooked over coals.

A veg-forward diner inspired by Turkey’s Aegean coastline. Meze is at the heart of the menu, and you can pair dishes such as beetroot falafel with Turkish wines you won’t find elsewhere.

From its opulent art deco interior to its theatrical service, Rockpool remains one of Sydney’s premiere special occasion restaurants. It champions sustainable, grass-fed beef from Blackmore Wagyu and Cape Grim, on a menu abound with raw seafood, pasta and uncomplicated sides. The experience is enhanced by a wine list to rival any in the country.

Soul Dining puts modern spins on classic Korean dishes like tteokbokki and sundae. It also brings the fun of eating out in Seoul to a sleek space that’s primed for both casual and special occasion dinners.

The cuisines of China’s “far flung” regional provinces come together at this enduring underground restaurant. The entire menu is stylish, vibrant and goes well with cocktails inspired by the Chinese zodiac.

This compact pasta bar is a contender for Sydney’s most consistently booked-out venue. Come for a daily-changing pasta menu and the kind of interesting, varied wine list you’d expect from the Love Tilly Group.

A whopping wood grill powers the menu at Bopp and Tone. Park in the bustling dining room or out on the leafy terrace for Mediterranean-inspired dishes and killer cocktails.

Pizza reigns supreme at this cosmopolitan Italian diner inspired by the country’s north.

Two of Sydney’s best fine-dining chefs are plating up Italian classics at this handsome laneway eatery.

Named after the Spanish word for market, Mercado brings the Med to midcity via whole-beast butchery, house-made charcuterie and a roving cheese trolley.

This spectacular ninth-floor restaurant is the heart and soul of Shell House. Come for seafood, pasta and protein-heavy mains matched with classic French wines and new world naturals.

South Asian and Sri Lankan flavours are the focus at this longstanding diner in Angel Place.

Alfie’s is where you can order a Riverine sirloin steak (aged and butchered in-house) and it’ll be on your table in 15 minutes. It also serves what might be the coldest Martini in Sydney.

This modern riff on a Japanese izakaya is hidden down a cobbled CBD laneway. Finding it is half the fun.

After more than 15 years, this sleek spot continues to set the standard for modern Japanese dining in Sydney.

Chef Jung-su Chang brings Michelin Star cred to Sydney’s Korean dining scene with this degustation-only diner. Come for an intimate, 15-course experience that’ll change the way you think about Korean food.

This spot blends fifties-style Shanghai glamour with CBD laneway dining. It's the more relaxed addition to the China Doll and China Beach family of restaurants.

Direct from Japan, this steakhouse lets you choose from three affordable cuts of meat, then watch as it’s slapped on a super-hot stone to cook at your table.

The liberation of Paris is the theme behind this polished cocktail bar from the team behind The Lobo. Settle into sophisticated surrounds for rum and rye Old Fashioneds and French-influenced dishes with modern Australian flair.

Meet the elegant restaurant making a strong case for hotel dining in Sydney. Ascend the grand stairway for a fire-powered open kitchen, a wine list celebrating Australian makers and leafy views of Hyde Park.

This is the show-stopping star of Matt Moran’s culinary empire. The artfully-plated dishes warrant the lofty price-tags, but those generous harbour views do a lot to offset the sting. This is one of Sydney’s great try-before-you-die restaurants – a pillar of modern Australian dining.

The Pellegrino 2000 team’s underground pasta cave is a love letter to northern Italy. It’s where you can lose track of time over a bottle of Barolo and a plate of handmade pasta, in one of Sydney’s vibiest dining rooms.

Martinez is about as close to the French Riviera as you’ll get without leaving Sydney. This handsome rooftop combines a breezy outdoor terrace with harbour views and a dining room serving up dishes from south-east France.

This heritage corner site has lived many lives – but its most recent one is arguably its best. Come for freshly shucked oysters from the cabinet, premium Australian steaks and a focus on local and French wine varieties.

The overhaul of this once notorious late-night dive was a long time coming. And the chic public bar, elegant European bistro and sunny rooftop were all worth the wait. The best part? You’ll actually want to be there during daylight hours, too.

A ritzy institution on the Customs House rooftop. An appropriate focus on seafood works a treat, given the jaw-dropping views of Sydney Harbour. Book ahead for the window seats.

Set within the historic Campbell's Stores precinct, this luxe Japanese diner lets you choose your own experience. There's an omakase counter where your meal is left entirely up to the chefs, and a bigger dining area with a set menu. There's fresh-caught seafood and sake on the cards no matter where you sit.

Burgers, craft beer, minimal intervention wine, thumping rock music and a fern-filled outdoor dining space with 30 seats. And the whole menu can be ordered vegan.

An ultra-luxe fine diner specialising in two of Japan’s great culinary traditions. The multi-course menus highlight premium produce, from lobster to Wagyu and abalone. But you can’t put a price on those stellar harbour views.

A pioneering Greek-Australian chef is celebrating the cuisines of the south Aegean at this handsome harbourside diner. Dig into spanakopita-inspired dumplings and chargrilled octopus in the heritage-listed sandstone dining room. Or snag a seat outside for cocktails with one of the country’s most iconic views.

This all-day eatery inside Hinchcliff House mills its own flour, using grain supplied by NSW farmers. That means house-made pastas and ciabatta to go with produce-driven share plates and cocktails.

The signature at this moody steakhouse is a 12-hour slow-cooked black Angus prime rib from South Australia, cut and served tableside in hunks of 300 or 400 grams with a simple combo of red wine sauce and horseradish cream.

This is the long-awaited Sydney outpost for the beloved Japanese dining empire, and it's brought its signature miso cod along for the ride. Dine on salmon-sashimi tacos and evaporate-in-your-mouth nigiri, knock back "sushi cups" and enjoy some aged sake.

For the theatre of a Michelin-starred meal without the stiffness, look no further than Alessandro Pavoni’s elegant Italian diner. Come for Genovese pesto pounded tableside, a roving gelato cart and sparkling harbour views.

Celebrated Irish chef Clare Smyth brings to Sydney the same farm-to-plate concept that earned her London restaurant three Michelin stars. Expect signature and locally inspired dishes, backed up a 3000-bottle wine list and spectacular harbour views from atop Crown Tower.

Each of the four kitchens at this ambitious fine diner harnesses a different element: fire, steam, smoke and ice.

The CBD outpost for the Western Sydney Indian favourite dials back the spice but keeps the classics intact. Crowd your table with butter chicken, kebabs, paneer tikka masala and samosas.

Contemporary Chinese meets native produce is the brief at Lotus. The group's Barangaroo restaurant takes full advantage of its waterfront location, and is a perfect spot for oysters, dumplings and cocktails.

Ethically sourced seafood on the waterfront.

Nashville-style spicy fried chicken, natural wines and craft beers.

The home of the richest, most unctuous tonkotsu ramen in town. Owner Mori Higashida rips through 300 kilograms of fresh pork bones every day to make his soup, which has been hailed by Dan Hong as the “most hectic” in Australia.

One of Sydney’s yum cha kings. This slamming Cantonese favourite can be a tad expensive if you're dining with a smaller group – but the premium is warranted. The quality of food, speed of service and deep history is undeniable.

In the old Golden Century site, this 400-seat Cantonese diner is ushering in a new era for Chinatown. The seafood tanks are full, the yum cha trolleys are back in action and late-night dining runs until 3am.

One of the few places in the centre of town where you can try Nanjing specialties. If you’re into duck, this is the spot for you.

Char kway teow noodles with jumbo prawns, Hainan chicken rice and a signature wok-fried crab are the highlights at Junda Khoo’s nostalgic Malaysian diner.

A Long Chim alumnus is behind this 30-seat Chinatown restaurant, where you’ll find punchy takes on classic Thai street food and home-style cooking. Think deep-fried barramundi with mango salad, Phuket-style curry with tiger prawns and betel leaves, and a refreshing coconut ice-cream with roasted peanuts and candied pumpkin.

This slamming Thai institution has all the classics you know. Plus, a hardcore Thai following to rival the corporates and students dropping in for an affordable lunch and dinner.

Affordable Malaysian food with a range of flavoured roti. If you don't get in before the lunchtime rush you can expect to queue for a while.

Thai food that pulls no punches.

Find this cavernous Thai grocer and cafe in the heart of Sydney’s Thai Town. Despite serving burgers, bowls and pasta, Boon doesn’t mix elements of Thai and western cuisine – it reimagines them like they always belonged together.

For fast-paced, real-deal Thai.

A swish and enormous restaurant with an exceptional yum cha service. It’s a contender for best yum cha in the CBD, but it's also one of the newest in the pack.

A wildly popular Chinese chain in the middle of the CBD, repping the spicy flavours of Sichuan. The tome of a menu here is telling of the huge portions you get here.

A no-frills Chinese restaurant serving the favourites and then some.