This “little restaurant in Stanmore” serves ferment-forward dishes that are inventive, accessible and deeply Australian all at once. It’s a vision brought to life in a tiny historic building on a suburban backstreet.

There’s nowhere else quite like chef-restaurateur Alessandro Pavoni’s waterside institution. While the trifecta of seafood, crisp Italian wines and house-made gelato mostly succeeds in capturing the essence of a coastal Italian diner, those Middle Harbour views from Ormeggio’s breezy dining room make for a quintessential Sydney experience.

The Middle East’s lesser-known cuisines brought to light on a menu informed by ancient recipes and modern techniques. You can also try wines from Syria, Jordan, Morocco and more, in a stunning contemporary space in the former MLC Centre.

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.

High-quality produce cooked over a naked flame, with no sauces to hide behind.

A pioneering “fin-to-scale” eatery by Josh and Julie Niland. In the large open kitchen, the chefs utilise all parts of the fish to create a menu of wildly inventive dishes. A meal here is thrilling, educational, and enhanced by an impressive selection of Australian wine and Japanese sake.

In the hands of Federico Zanellato, the fusion of Japanese and Italian cuisines makes so much sense, it’s a wonder why more people aren’t doing it. Settle in for an ambitious degustation with matched wines, and the serene views of Pyrmont Bay will keep you occupied between courses.

The pitch for one of Sydney’s most influential restaurants is a simple one: a neighbourhood place using local and sustainable ingredients, serving organic and biodynamic wine, all of it ever-changing, all of it centred around a woodfired oven.

This elevated vantage of Bondi’s sloshing surf is one of Australia’s great views – one a less conscientious restaurateur might easily lean on. Not Maurice Terzini, who’s been pushing his resplendent Italian diner to greater and greater heights since 2002.

At his first solo restaurant, acclaimed chef Phil Wood explores and expands Australian cuisine with a produce-driven menu combining classic European cooking with local ingredients. There are nods to Aboriginal history, too, plus a fresh take on the classic peach Melba dessert.

It’s been attracting the glitterati since 1994, including Beyonce and Jay-Z, Madeline Albright and Bono.

Caviar, champagne, tanks of live lobsters – there’s a certain swagger to this high-end restaurant in a relaxed waterside locale.

From its opulent, art deco interior to the theatrical service from floor staff, 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.

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.