From a rooftop garden bar adorned with plants to an unassuming Middle Eastern-meets-Japanese blended fusion, discover the best restaurants in North Sydney and beyond.
Most notably known for being Sydney’s second CBD, North Sydney also serves up an eclectic selection of delicious cafes, world-class bars, and impressive restaurants. Without further ado, read on for our guide to the best restaurants in North Sydney to tick off your bucket list.
Rafi
North Sydney’s best restaurant for relaxed vibes and fresh flavours.
Opening earlier this year on North Sydney’s Mount Street, Rafi is the 300-seat modern Australian eatery bringing a unique and playful vibrance to North Sydney’s lineup of best places to eat.
The menu is fresh and seasonal, inspired by the coastal elements of Sydney and utilising the abundance of colourful NSW produce cooked over charcoal. Expect tasty, nutritious, and sustainable dishes, with highlights including; Hummus with crispy chickpea & green chilli; and Glacier 51 toothfish with koji, charred lemon salsa & rocket.
The venue offers multiple backdrops from space to space. Dine under The Arbor – a semi-al fresco glass house, or perhaps take a seat on the tree-lined terrace for a sunny al-fresco lunch.
Rafi is open Monday – Saturday 11.30 am – late. Make a booking here.
Glorietta
North Sydney’s best restaurant for authentic Italian flavour.
Serving up a lively Italian ambience alongside impeccable service and world-class fare, Glorietta’s has effortlessly introduced a new lease of life to its metro locale. Grand floor-to-ceiling windows adorn the Mediterranean-inspired, 220-seat space with light resulting in a bright and airy dining space. After work, the al fresco courtyard offers the perfect spot to enjoy a signature Garden Party spritz, made with Gin, Cinzano Extra Dry, cloudy apple, mint, elderflower, and soda.
The food menu has a honed focus on simple, produce-centred food, including a selection of wood-fired Roman-style pizzas. Devour a ‘Silsiccia’ topped with mozzarella, pork sausage, charred leek, potato and chilli oil, or enjoy a shared feast of Porchetta Romana with zucchini alla scapece from the kitchen share-plate menu.
Glorietta is open Tues – Fri for lunch, and Tues – Sat for dinner. Make a booking and find out more here.
Green Moustache
North Sydney’s best restaurant for a tropical oasis escape.
This greenhouse-style rooftop restaurant and bar borrowed The Grounds of Alexandria’s resident horticulturist to bring its luxury garden oasis to life. The result is an other-worldly backdrop that couldn’t feel further from its CBD address, earning it’s place on our list of North Sydney’s best places to eat with the fit-out alone! Floor-to-ceiling glass windows, lush palms, ceiling plants, wicker chairs and tiled tabletops give tropical rainforest vacation vibes and the kitchen team have designed a tropical menu to match.
Expect seasonally sourced modern Australian-style dishes drawing inspiration from all of our favourite culinary destinations. Szechuan Black Pepper Squid is served with a sweet fish caramel; Handmade Burrata arrives atop red onion jam, pomegranate, molasses vinaigrette and sourdough crackers; and a Sweet Buttermilk Millefeuille with roast pistachio cream, rum and muscatel gelato, and sweet dukkha delivers a culinary world tour that will truly kickstart your travel bug.
Green Moustache is open Tuesday – Sunday for lunch, and Tuesday – Saturday for dinner. Find out more and make a booking here.
Lobby Boy
North Sydney’s best restaurant for lunchtime respite.
Hidden in an unassuming nook of North Sydney’s Northpoint Tower, Lobby Boy offers an unexpected escape from the hustle and bustle of the CBD. From the team behind The Grounds, the fit-out, although not quite as theatrical, boasts an air of luxe with a mix of lush, velvet upholstery, dark timber and marble tables.
The menu caters for the kind of lunch-on-the-run that affords you long enough to escape your desk for 30 mins. Expect a smorgasbord of Aussie brunch staples, executed to smashed avo and sourdough perfection.
Lobby Boy is open Monday – Friday 7am – 3pm. Find out more here.
Loulou Bistro, Lavender Bay
North Sydney’s best restaurant for French finesse.
Okay, while though technically not North Sydney, we think Loulou’s warrants an honourary inclusion in North Sydney’s best restaurants. Offering a French bistro, boulangerie and traiteur all in one, Loulou’s offering showcases some of Sydney’s best fresh sourdough, sweet bakery goods, charcuterie and rotisserie chicken as well as ready-to-go meals and French bistro classics.
With a combination of traditional French styling and contemporary detailing, the space is warm and opulent. Think brass accents, a curved inset entry and mosaic marble floors. Pull up a seat at the bar or choose from banquette, loose or long share tables.
French classics on the decadent bistro menu include; Escargot “Charentaise”; Chicken liver parfait served with warm brioche made fresh in the bakery; and for mains, Steak frites with sauce au poivre.
Loulou is open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner, plus bonus breakfast on weekends. Make a booking here.
The Botanist, Kirribilli
North Sydney’s Best Restaurant for a cocktail fuelled feast.
At this point, North Sydney has taken new meaning to include all our favourite north-of-the-bridge dining spots. Situated in the heart of Kirribilli, The Botanist is a neighbourhood gem. With a focus on sourcing premium, local and seasonal produce, and a passion for utilising sustainable practices, the restaurant and bar has become something of a local favourite.
The trendy interior features plenty of foliage and plant-predominant artworks backdropped to muted tones and gorgeous wooden furniture for a cosy courtyard vibe.
The menu is a haven of Mediterranean flavour with plates made for sharing. Menu favourites include; The Botanist hummus with labneh, apricot, pistachio, and sourdough; East coast wild caught octopus escabeche with bay leaf; and for mains Ragout of wild boar with casarecce & parmesan. The cocktail list is just as thoughtfully crafted with a fun signature list of reimagined classics, think Peanut Butter Old Fashioned, Rosemary Negroni and a Mezcal Espresso Martini.
The Botanist is open for dinner 7 days a week and lunch Wednesday – Sunday. Make a booking here.
No. 32, Crows Nest
North Sydney’s Best Restaurant for a unique culinary experience.
The No.32 menu tells the story of a decade-long journey across cultures in Asia, Europe and Australia. Seamlessly blending Middle Eastern and Japanese-inspired dishes into one expertly crafted menu, No.32 is the perfect choice when you’re craving something a little outside-the-box.
Behind an unassuming stone facade, the fit-out is a sensory stimulation of luxury textures: stone tables, sumptuous banquette seats and velvet menus, perfectly setting the scene for what follows.
Dishes by Persian-born head chef Hesam Nourifard (ex-Aria, Icebergs) tell a personal story of his journey as a chef, traversing through plates such as; Roasted Bone Marrow with herb salad and sourdough siche bread; Star Anise Lamb Shoulder with togarashi and TzatzikiStar tzatziki; finishing on sweet middle-eastern inspired notes of Lemon Sponge with saffron ice cream, pistachio, rose and cream snow.
No. 32 is open for dinner Wednesday – Sunday. Find out more and make a booking here.
Frequently asked questions:
What is the best restaurant in North Sydney with a view?
For a unique vantage point where CBD skyline meets tropical rainforest, head to Green Moustache’s rooftop sky bar.
What are the best Italian restaurants in North Sydney?
Head to Glorietta for authentic Italian fare, accompanied by an unmissable list of signature spritzes.
What are the best pubs in North Sydney?
For pub vibes, head to Finders Distillery. Moonlighting as a cocktail bar flinders is shaking craft spirits alongside artisan cheese platters.
