The Best New Openings So Far This Year
Sydney’s dining scene has hit the ground running in 2026, with a wave of exciting openings already giving us plenty of reasons to book a table.
From moody tapas bars in Bondi to waterfront Japanese dining and Beirut-inspired feasts in The Rocks, these new venues are bringing fresh energy, standout menus and seriously good vibes to the city. If you’re looking for your next night out, here are some of the best new restaurant openings in Sydney so far this year.
Bondi has welcomed a taste of Madrid with the arrival of Besa, a vibrant Spanish tapas bar from ESCA Hospitality Group.
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Turkish chef Somer Sivrioğlu has brought the flavours of Istanbul's seaside taverns to the New Sydney Fish Market with Hamsi Taverna.
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The team behind Alegre and Callao have turned their attention to Japanese cuisine with AORI, a striking new waterfront restaurant at King Street Wharf.
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Wine lovers have a new favourite haunt in Darlinghurst with the opening of Claret Club.
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British dining gets a modern glow-up at The James, a sophisticated new restaurant in Sydney's CBD from SRG Hospitality.
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Lebanese hospitality takes centre stage at Sahtein, a new Beirut-inspired restaurant in The Rocks.
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Fishnets Bronte is the second Bronte venue for the owners from of the popular Table Manners restaurant.
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Vitelli's Upstairs brings old New York red-sauce dining to Wunderlich Lane The Grana team, House Made Hospitality's Stephen Seckold and Elliott Pinn, are behind this Italian diner built around fresh pasta made daily. The menu reads like a greatest-hits list: familiar pastas, crispy lasagne bites, porchetta ribs, Milanese and multiple takes on tiramisu. There's also…
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ESCA Hospitality Group has launched AALIA Wine Room, an intimate wine-first extension of their acclaimed two-hatted Middle Eastern restaurant in Martin Place. This marks ESCA's first dedicated wine bar, and it's built around discovery. Sommelier Sarah O'Dwyer has curated a 235-label wine list featuring emerging and established producers, with 31 available by the glass. Expect…
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Ashe Sydney, the Bentley Group's Southeast Asian grill on Ash Street Ashe Sydney is a contemporary Southeast Asian restaurant led by Executive Chef Khanh Nguyen, located on the corner of Angel Place and Ash Street in the CBD. The 80-seat restaurant brings together the bold flavours of Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia, centred around a dedicated…
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