Best Lunch in Sydney: Our Favourite Go-Tos

Nothing beats a long, leisurely lunch with friends at one of Sydney’s buzzing restaurants. It’s a time-honoured tradition that involves three essential elements: mouth-watering food, refreshing cocktails, and the joy of engaging conversation. Delicious views are a welcome addition. 

Sydney's lunch scene caters seamlessly to gatherings of all sizes, making it the ideal canvas for unforgettable moments with your crew. Let this curated list of the best lunch locations in Sydney guide you on your way. Hurry, there's no better time than now to make a date with your best girls!

Shell House

Shell House Sydney seamlessly combines the best of old and new in a meticulously restored 1930s clock tower building. The aesthetics are top-notch, from the dishes themselves to the thoughtfully designed interiors by Anna Hewett which we're sure your lunch gang will appreciate. 

The menu showcases an inventive blend of Mediterranean and French flavours, perfect for a lingering lunch. We recommend starting with fresh Sydney rock oysters or the caviar-topped steak tartare. 

Sitchu Tip: Have a drink at Sky Bar first before heading to either the dining room or the terrace. 

37 Margaret Street, Sydney 

NOUR 

A popular spot on Crown Street’s foodie trail, NOUR is perfectly placed for a mid-shop stop. The menu creatively pulls out the traditional flavours of Lebanon in dishes that will keep you intrigued throughout the meal.

The interiors are just as gorgeous with a contemporary fit-out with glass doors opening out onto a terrace. 

3/490 Crown Street, Surry Hills 

Longshore

If it's a seafood long lunch you're after, don't go past this hatted spot. The subtle coastal-inspired decor and lengthy wine lists are two huge drawcards but it's the menu that has stolen our hearts.

The Longshore offering consists of a chef's tasting menu alongside an experimental 10-course snack menu and curated bar menu so depending on what kind of lunch you're after, you can expect options. Look forward to the likes of raw Tasmanian scallops with mandarin koshu and makrut lime and Paroo red kangaroo tartare with salted muntries. Be sure to keep that dessert chamber open as there is plenty for you to sample.

5 Kensington Street, Chippendale

The Apollo

If you have a penchant for saganaki cheese and charred calamari, then The Apollo is the lunch spot for you. Their take on Mediterranean flavours (with a strong focus on Greek food), along with a smattering of dishes cooked over wood and charcoal, is out of this world.  To get the most out of your experience, opt for ‘The Full Greek’ that showcases The Apollo’s best of the best. For just $70 per person, you will be beyond satisfied with the eight-dish banquet – think baked saganaki cheese, tangy Greek salad and slow-cooked lamb shoulder slathered in creamy tzatziki - all perfect dishes to linger over. Plus, for just $5 extra per person you can add ouzo – which is the properly Greek thing to do!

44 MacLeay Street, Potts Point

Mimi's 

Set over the waves, mimi's celebrates the coastline and stands out as one of the best spots for lunch in Sydney for the views alone.

Simplicity and constrained elegance permeate through the food offering with skilful craftsmanship underpinning the quality seafood, meat and vegetables that are served up. 

Amid the chic, calm interiors, enjoy a drop from the 600-strong wine list to ensure your meal is perfectly accompanied. Save this one for the weekend as you won't want to be heading back to the office afterwards. 

130a Beach Street, Coogee 

Totti’s  

This modern Italian venue serves up hand-crafted pasta, meats and classic Italian cocktails in a relaxed setting. What more could you want from a lunch with the girls?

Totti's menu is fun, simple and delicious, suited to all ages and designed to share, built around Italian-style flatbread, cooked to order and accompanied by small plates of local and house-made charcuterie, Italian cheese and seasonal fruits. 

Drinks are simple, retro-Italian-inspired crowd pleasers, while the wine list focuses on small boutique wineries and organic drops with an Italian twist.

Bondi, Rozelle, CBD

North Bondi Fish 

There’s nothing that screams ‘Sydney’ more than sparkling sea views and North Bondi Fish delivers. It also ticks all the right boxes for a ladies' lunch in Sydney: a deck that soaks up the sun, a fresh and balanced menu (which, naturally, is all about seafood), and a huge selection of rosé.

The interior is bright and airy, and the clientele is hip yet relaxed – so you and your crew will fit right in. 

120 Ramsgate Avenue, North Bondi 

The Boathouse Rose Bay 

Want to wine and dine with a view? Book a table at The Boathouse Rose Bay. This popular Eastern Suburbs venue is perched right on the water, offering sweeping views of Sydney Harbour.

On the menu, there’s fresh seafood aplenty – such as crab, oysters, scallops and prawns – which is quite fitting with its sweeping bay views, don’t you think? 

594 New South Head Road, Rose Bay 

Dunes Palm Beach

Sitting atop Sydney's iconic Palm Beach, Dunes Palm Beach is Bringing a touch of the Mediterranean to Sydney. Surrounded by beautiful parklands that open out onto that famous stretch of sand, this alfresco-style restaurant and kiosk more than capitalises on its idyllic location - making it the perfect destination for a long lunch.

With a minimalist, white-washed aesthetic and laid-back, beach-friendly take on informal all-day dining (shoes optional) and concertina windows opening onto a decked terrace it's relaxed fine dining at its best.

1193 Barrenjoey Road, Palm Beach

Bathers’ Pavilion 

A beachside restaurant-slash-café-slash-bar, Bathers’ Pavilion is seemingly made for leisurely lunches with the girls. For a more casual affair, the café’s lunch menu offers Mediterranean-style food in a chic, yet colourful, setting.

The restaurant takes it up a notch for lunch with its French-inspired cuisine, degustation menu and extensive wine list. The best part is both venues come complete with uninterrupted views of Balmoral Beach and a cosy fireplace for the cooler months. 

4 The Esplanade, Mosman 

MISC.

Tucked away in Parramatta Park, MISC. is well-known in the area for offering the sought-after lunchtime trifecta: An Instagrammable space and sunny courtyard, incredible share-style menu and a drinks list you'll adore. 

While it's easy to load up on their famous puffy flatbread, don't miss out on other menu gems like a dry-aged ribeye. MISC.'s food is best enjoyed the way they've structured the menu: Order a bit of this, a bit of that; maybe a bit more and a bit on the side.

Little Coogee, Parramatta Park, Byrnes Avenue, Parramatta

FIOR

This 120-seat venue strikes the perfect balance between intimate and large-enough-for-a-group-lunch. Dishes are designed to be shared and the handmade pasta is available in half or full serves - perfect for a lingering meal. Cocktails are on point, there's a roving gelato cart and FIOR is open for lunch from Friday to Sunday - perfecto! 

Shop 2, 752-756 Kingsway, Gymea

Looking for more fun things to do in Sydney? The best lunch in Sydney is just the start. From bottomless brunches to cute date night venues, our city has endless inspiration.