When I think of French food, I think of traditional Parisian bistros and casual country restaurants serving simple classics, rather than Michelin-starred temples of gastronomy.
French cuisine isn’t as well represented in Sydney as it should be but there are a few great places that transport me straight back to Paris. In my opinion, the best French restaurants are a touch kitsch with plush furnishings, moody lighting, lots of mirrors and tiles. Extra points for escargot served with snail tongs and wine poured from magnums. If you’re lucky you may even get live music. Here’s my list of the best French restaurants in Sydney.
Bistro Rex Potts Point
Paris meets New York in this large, mirror-lined bistro. Dark wood, dim lights and shelves of candle wax-covered bottles add warmth, while the circular banquets, high ceilings and spaciousness bring a modern vibe. The short menu is an intriguing blend of traditional (steak frites with Cafe de Paris) and modern (excellent kingfish ceviche with horseradish ice cream and puffed pork skin). Whichever way you lean, the creme caramel is a must!
Restaurant Hubert Sydney
Step down the curving wood-panelled staircase and back in time, into a subterranean cellar with live music, soft candlelight and closely packed tables of diners enjoying le petit aïoli, escargot with a modern touch of XO butter, chicken fricassee with green garlic and excellent passionfruit soufflé. Great wine list too! See video below to learn how to make le grand aïoli.
Bistro Gavroche Chippendale
A little bit of kitsch (like any good bistro), and a whole lot of delicious! This upstairs diner overlooking the Kensington Street eating strip ticks all the bistro boxes with bentwood chairs, brass-railed banquettes, hand-painted wall tiles and a well-stocked drinks trolley. I love their $78 Journey Menu offering classics from escargot and french onion soup, through confit and moules frites to flambéed crepes Suzette.
Little Felix Sydney
Walking into this cosy dimly-lit bar beside the larger Felix bistro is like taking a quick Parisian break without the jetlag. Fun retro cocktails and wine poured from magnums set the scene, alongside a simple menu of charcuterie, fromage, freshly shucked oysters and a few classics from escargot to hand-cut steak tartare and steak frites (or just frites with tarragon mayo if you’re feeling naughty!).
Macleay Street Bistro Potts Point
The snails in garlic butter, moules marinières and chateaubriand Béarnaise for two have stood the test of time at this cosy Sydney bistro (over 30 years in fact). Space is tight, staff are friendly and the Sunday roast chicken for two with roast veg and free BYO is legendary among the locals.
Updated 01 August 2025
In the city, Restaurant Hubert offers french cuisine with a twist and Little Felix channels a Parisian cocktail bar. Nearby, Macleay Street in Potts Point is home to both the modern Bistro Rex and one of Sydney’s stalwart French restaurants, Macleay Street Bistro. Bistro Gavroche in Chippendale offers traditional bistro dishes in a classic setting.
French cuisine isn’t as well represented in Sydney as other cuisines, such as Italian. But there are a few very good bistros and brasseries, serving French classics.
Most of Sydney’s best French food is in the CBD or inner suburbs such as Potts Point and Chippendale.
