Love seafood? You’ve come to the right place! Sydney is arguably the best seafood city in the world, with freshness, diversity and smart chefs who know how to treat it right!
Most of Sydney’s top restaurants have seafood-heavy menus showcasing the great produce that’s caught locally and arrives by road and air from all over Australia. But we’re especially blessed with a few dedicated restaurants that make seafood their almost-exclusive focus. Here’s five of the best seafood restaurants in Sydney – try them soon for some of the world’s finest seafood, innovatively prepared without compromising its pure, fresh flavour.
Sala Dining Pyrmont
In the rustic industrial space at the end of Jones Bay Wharf, Danny Russo presents spanking fresh seafood with simple Italian flavours. From a killer crudo plate (above) and jumble of spaghetti alla chitarra tossed with pipis and baby artichoke (pictured) to a striking half john dory simply grilled with lemon, seaweed butter and capers.
Margaret Double Bay
“We just take the freshest seafood and try not to screw it up,” says Neil Perry. You’ll get it when you taste his King George whiting after a quick grill, seasoned simply with evo, lemon and salt. Go fancier if you will with the likes of pearl meat sashimi or spicy Korean-style big-eye tartare, but always finish with the nostalgic ‘Memories of a Mirabelle Tart’.
Ormeggio Mosman
Alessandro Pavoni and Victor Moya’s menu at this Middle Harbour fine diner combines great seafood and views. Some dishes, like tagliatelle alla Bolognese, are a seafood riff on Italian classics, while others, such as piadina-wrapped charcoal-grilled octopus with stracciatella, cime di rapa and chilli (pictured), are just pure fun. Love the gelato bar!
Cirrus Dining Barangaroo
Brent Savage’s creative combos take seafood to the next level – whether it’s charred Fremantle octopus with yellow pepper, olive, chorizo and crisp rice (pictured); scallop crudo with nectarine, tangerine & lime; or flame-kissed bonito with blood plum & salted jujube. Add Nick Hildebrandt’s superb wine pairings and I’m in heaven!
Saint Peter Paddington
Who doesn’t love this tiny, exposed sandstone restaurant where fish whisperer Josh Niland takes an almost meat-like nose-to-tail approach to seafood. While dinner is a set 7-course menu, lunch provides the chance to sample the likes of flathead mortadella, swordfish belly bacon and coral trout head terrine.
Updated 09 Apr 2024
