20 Hatted Restaurants in Sydney to Book a Table At

For foodies with their finger on the pulse, the annual release of the Australian Good Food Guide’s Chef Hats is a pretty big deal. For chefs and restaurants, getting a ‘hat’ is the highest honour. To score a hat, a restaurant needs a minimum grade of 14 out of 20, which considers factors like ingredients, taste, presentation, technique, value, and consistency. As for two or three hats, the competition is stiff. 

Not sure where to start? For food with all the frills, tip your hat to these award-winning, hatted restaurants in Sydney – which ones will you be booking? 

Oncore by Clare Smyth

Set 26 levels above Sydney Harbour, with one of the best views in the city, Oncore is a world-class restaurant from Clare Smyth, the only British female chef with three Michelin stars. It's little wonder this year Oncore has maintained its three hats! Oncore, her first international restaurant pays homage to Core, Smyth’s UK restaurant, and highlights sustainable ingredients.

Level 26, Crown Sydney, 1 Barangaroo Avenue, Barangaroo

Sixpenny

Helmed by Daniel Puskas and Anthony Schifilliti, Sixpenny has been awarded three Chef Hats for four years in a row, thanks to its ever-changing modern Australian menu. Housed on a corner terrace near Stanmore station, Sixpenny oozes elegant dining with a cosy venue and innovative dishes. The ever-changing menu plays on seasonal produce, which keeps diners constantly intrigued. Enjoy masterful creations like potatoes with oysters and raw mushrooms or lamb rump with leek and caramelised pumpkin juice. 

83 Percival Road, Stanmore

Quay

Situated in one of the city’s most impressive locations, Quay has held onto its three Chef’s Hats for the 22nd year in a row, making it one of the most-hatted restaurants in Sydney. Executive Chef Peter Gilmore’s nature-based menu has been the recipient of many accolades, and a quick Instagram trawl of Quay’s masterfully plated imaginings will give you a clear demonstration of why - every dish is a work of art.

Overseas Passenger Terminal, Hickson Road, The Rocks

Aalia (Image Credit: Jason Loucas)

Aalia 

Prepare for your experience of Middle Eastern food to be forever altered. The flavours coming from this unassuming two-hatted restaurant are nothing short of impeccable. Located in the centre of Martin Place, the experience at Aalia is a breeze from the get-go with a relaxed, modern and elegant dining room that fuses indoors with out.

Executive Chef Paul Farag's menu incorporates flavours from his travels in the Middle East and North Africa resulting in dishes you won't find elsewhere. Start with a handful of raw dishes, move into mezze, mains and sides and do not leave without dessert. To top it off, the staff here are exceptionally well-informed and friendly to boot. 

25 Martin Place, Sydney 

Ester

With polished concrete arches and lights hanging from the ceiling, Ester is the perfect backdrop for a flavoursome feast. Ester's fare is honest and wholesome but that doesn't mean it lacks complexity. Seasonal Australian flavours and unique international influences are woven throughout the menu with ingredients like finger lime, black garlic, macadamia and sake making regular appearances. The woodfire oven is also in frequent use which adds a further element to the layers of intrigue within each dish. And it's not just chef hats that Ester has deservedly come by.  

46-52 Meagher Street, Chippendale 

Saint Peter

A must-visit for lovers of all things fish, ocean-centric fine diner Saint Peter is more approachable than most with an inspiring menu that changes as the catch does. Owner and chef Josh Niland and his team let the produce speak for itself with the open kitchen providing endless entertainment for the 22-seat dining space. 

362 Oxford Street, Paddington

Aria

This two-hatted stalwart delivers ‘haute cuisine’ with gastronomic artistry rarely matched in Australia. Just steps away from the Opera House, Aria champions local produce and in every dish, expect full flavour and impeccable presentation.

1 Macquarie Street, Sydney

Pilu at Freshwater

As the only authentic Sardinian restaurant in Sydney, Pilu at Freshwater certainly has a reputation to uphold, and Chef Giovanni Pilu and his wife Marilyn Annecchinni, never disappoint. Aside from the mouth-watering menu, which includes degustation's and an impressive wine list, Pilu’s panoramic view of Freshwater Beach alone is worth booking a table for.

On the beach, Moore Road, Freshwater

Yellow

Vegans, we’ve got you covered too. Set inside a converted 1950's art gallery, Yellow is as hip as it is healthy. Australia’s first vegan restaurant to be awarded two Chef’s Hats, this achingly cool eatery has kept its coveted ranking in 2024. Crafting a menu that heroes unique heirloom vegetables grown by local suppliers, Yellow offers a six-course vegan tasting menu showcasing the best of the seasons.  

57 Macleay Street, Potts Point

Bennelong

Celebrated Australian chef, Peter Gilmore (from the three-hatted stunner, Quay) is also at the helm of Bennelong, one of Sydney’s most picturesque fine dining experiences. It’s set within the iconic sails of the Sydney Opera House, taking full advantage of its multi-level layout ensuring that every patron takes in a full view. Much like its landmark surroundings, the menu is aptly Australian, championing local produce and wine throughout. 

Bennelong Point, Sydney Opera House, Sydney

Ormeggio at The Spit

In Mosman, Ormeggio is sitting pretty retaining its two coveted Chef’s Hats for yet another year. That’s thanks to Executive Chef Alessandro Pavoni, whose menu leads diners on a culinary tour around Italy and Spain. It’s a new chapter for the thirteen-year-old establishment which went meat-free a few years ago. Now, with a heavy focus on sustainable seafood and homegrown produce, diners can expect an entirely new Ormeggio experience. Surrounded by glistening waters and some of Sydney’s best real estate, this northside institution has two tasting menus on offer featuring signature dishes and chef picks alongside an award-winning wine list.

D’Albora Marinas, Spit Road, Mosman

Petermen

From the husband and wife duo behind Saint Peter, Fish Butchery and Charcoal Fish, comes Petermen, who, after only opening this year, have already scored two hats - no mean feat!

The menu is punchy and exciting with dishes like Eden line-caught John Dory, Jervis Bay mussels and Tasmanian saffron, Mooloolaba yellowfin tuna and ananda capers and sweet and sour Ulladulla blue mackerel catching our eye. 

Another bonus? There's an outstanding kids' menu if you're keen to check it out with your little one in tow. Treat them to the fancy BBQ fish, salad and chippies because you're never too young to start to appreciate good grub. 

66 Chandos Street, St Leonards

Cirrus

From the dream team behind Bentley, Monopole, and Yellow, Cirrus is a standout on the Barangaroo strip. The fine-dining restaurant retained its hatted status for its sustainable seafood menu. If you’re feeling as flush as the harbourside location, start with a serving of caviar, before moving on to the sea tiger prawns with garlic parsley butter and fried steam buns. The miso caramel sticky date with pear and vanilla ice cream is definitely worth saving room for.

23 Barangaroo Avenue, Barangaroo

Clam Bar

Another 2023 opening, Clam Bar has hit Sydney's dining scene with a bang, scoring two hats from the get-go. Serving immaculate boujee New York grill, we're not surprised they're already raking the awards. From the team behind Bistrot 916 and Pellegrino 2000, you can expect perfection from this newly opened restaurant. The freshest Australian seafood available is paired with decadent New York cocktails in a combination we adore. Giving just the right amount of 70s nostalgia, you can expect a raw bar stacked with caviar, seafood towers, a range of steaks and a classic cheeseburger. Get amongst it as soon as. 

44 Bridge Street, Sydney 

Brasserie 1930  

We know we're starting to sound like a broken record but 2023 is the year of the best openings to date. A third restaurant jumping straight from opening to two hats is Brasserie 1930. Traditional brasserie meets contemporary Australian fare – it’s a match made in heaven. The Bentley Group (Monopole, Cirrus, Yellow) has wowed diners with Brasserie 1930’s unique menu, designed to share, utilizing a range of cooking methods from curing and smoking to charcoal grilling and fermenting. Your journey begins upon your entrance to Sydney’s historic sandstone precinct and culminates in the restaurant’s sophisticated dining room. Australian produce is championed throughout with finger lime, Murray Cod and local oysters set to grace diner’s plates.  

Capella Sydney, 2-4 Farrer Place, Sydney  

Itō (Image Credit: Jiwon Kim) 

Itō

After just six months on the Sydney scene Surry Hills favourite, Itō, has scored its very first hat. Head Chef Erik Ortolani has combined his Italian heritage and passion for Japanese cooking to craft something truly unique. Dishes like yellowfin tuna served on bonito bread with shaved bottarga and Wagyu mafaldine paired with white shimeji and miso grace the menu and will give you a whole new appreciation for fusion cuisine. 

Key to the Itō experience is the drinks menu which features Japanese inspired classic cocktails, a quirky selection of wines from Japan and an extensive sake selection. The pared back interiors with fun pops of colour set the scene for the perfect night out. One of our favourites! 

413-415 Crown Street, Surry Hill

Restaurant Ka 

Every now and then you stumble across a restaurant that has you feeling like a regular from your first visit. Restaurant Ka is just that! Ka means family and that's how you're treated from the moment you walk in the door and sit yourself at the 10-seater bar. The casual yet elegant dining experience is not one you're going to forget anytime soon. Chef Zac regularly rotating menu blends modern Australian, Cantonese and Japanese cuisine seamlessly and crafts dishes that are as unsuspecting as they are delicious. Even the palate cleanser and cheese course will catch you by surprise in the very best way. It's little wonder they've scored a hat in the first year of trading! 

13B Burton Street, Darlinghurst 

Urban Tadka

A hidden gem on Sydney's Northern Beaches, Urban Tadka puts a thoroughly modern (and delicious) twist on Indian favourites.  Presenting refined dishes from diverse regions and states, and reflecting on modern food trends, expect a range of quality Indian grills, tandoori, curries and tapas selections to satisfy your every craving.

Sitchu Tip:  The Taco Chaat is a delicious spin on the traditional savoury snack filled with potatoes, chickpeas, spiced yoghurt and mint chutney. Be sure to save room for something sweet, though, as the Egg-Citing Showstopper (think a chocolate crunchy shell with a mango liquid centre) certainly lives up to its name. 

321 Mona Vale Road, Terrey Hills

Poetica 

Having only just opened in September 2023, North Sydney's Poetica, has already secured itself a hat. A refined and light-filled restaurant and bar, the 120-seat space has made a bang with a 700-bottle wine wall, dry-ageing cabinets and a 15-metre-long open kitchen. Stone, copper, wood and burnt honey upholstery contribute to the relaxed yet luxurious aesthetic. 

Head Chef Connor Hartley-Simpson's menu champions local produce as well as cooking methods that have stood the test of time - from pickling and fermenting to wood-fire and charcoal. You can expect to see dry aged swordfish cooking over the fire before being caramelised on the hot grill whilst leek tops are charred in the Josper. As for the wine list, vintage gems and beloved classics make up the 450-strong offering. One for the bucket list! 

Mezzanine Level, 1 Dennison Street, North Sydney

Palazzo Salato 

A new opening from the good people who brought us Love Tilly Devine and Ragazzi, Palazzo Salato is set to be your new haunt for Italian feasting with it's new one hat status. The 120-seat venue is brimming with kitchen space which means an even wider variety of unique hand-shaped pasta, grilled meats and more. Diners have the choice of the walk-in-only bar and the dining room, with interiors inspired by traditional Italian trattorias (that’s a relaxed Italian eatery to you and I). A 500-strong wine list rounds out the offering.  

201/203 Clarence Street, Sydney  

Bagged yourself a table at one of these hatted restaurants in Sydney and looking for something a little more lowkey? From edgy Chinese restaurants and unbeatable Italian eateries, to group dining favourites and BYO gems, there are so many cool restaurants in Sydney to visit.