Diners' Choice: Innovative restaurants in Sydney

OpenTable

Updated June 05, 2025

Looking for the best restaurants that are fit for foodies in Sydney? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Restaurant Moon

4.8

4.8 (41)

$101 and over

Asian

Darlinghurst

About the restaurant

Located in Darlinghurst, Restaurant Moon offers a unique, changing degustation menu aimed at reimagining Thai cuisine through avant-garde dishes that surprise the eyes and taste buds of guests.

Using European cooking techniques, Chef Aum shares his innovative take on Thai cuisine. Artfully presented degustation menus are crafted to surprise guests through flavour and presentation.

With the belief that cooking should have no boundaries, Restaurant Moon was created as a place to show innovation, change and surprise. To highlight food in a different light, Restaurant Moon focuses on transforming ingredients in unimaginable ways.

Top review

Jennifer

Dined on Jun 8, 2025

What a wonderful dining experience. The degustation menu was delicious and beautifully presented . The drinks were done with style. Our waitress explained the menu in detail and was very helpful we had a wonderful night and would highly recommend.

Crafted by Matt Moran

4.8

4.8 (796)

$41 to $100

Australian

Sydney CBD

About the restaurant

The Art Gallery Restaurant, Crafted by Matt Moran, provides a unique dining experience in one of Sydney’s most stunning dining rooms. Reflecting Moran’s signature style, the restaurant showcases locally sourced produce and premium Australian meat and seafood through a light, Mediterranean-inspired menu guided by the seasons. The drinks menu features an all-Australian wine list as well as Champagne, cocktails, beers, ciders and a substantial non-alcoholic offering. The restaurant is operated in partnership with the Gallery’s culinary advisor, Matt Moran, who works with food and beverage partner The Fresh Collective to execute his vision.

Top review

Ruth

Dined 1 day ago

Consistently high standard but not fussy or pretentious. Just excellent quality , skill fully cooked cheerfully served. That’s 💯 to me.

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Experience

3 Course Archibald Menu + Ticket (no pre-payment)

Experience

Corporate Night Dining (invite only)

Nikaido Mascot

4.7

4.7 (95)

$41 to $100

Japanese

Mascot

About the restaurant

Welcome to traditional Japanese Yakiniku restaurant NIKAIDO!
Please enjoy ALL YOU CAN EAT or A LA CARTE menus.

From high grade wagyu to Aussie beef, you’ll find a huge array of meats at a great price.
The flavours of the meat are enhanced with the Nikaido miso sauce or salted sauce, which have been refined through many trial and errors. These sauces bring out the umami of the meat!

Accompany your BBQ with sushi, sashimi, and tempura side dishes.
The menu is rounded out with a carefully selected number of 'izakaya style' dishes.

Dine in luxury as our tables and interior. Please relax while eating and truly enjoy the food. With 100 seats ranging , large tables, Booth seats, Nikaido is perfect for everything from intimate dates to family dinners.
We also accommodate for parties and celebrations!!

Top review

Desiah

Dined 1 day ago

Food was very good quality & service was awesome, super helpful! Definitely recommend

Takam

4.7

4.7 (55)

$41 to $100

Filipino

Darlinghurst

About the restaurant

A Filipino food forward offering to the funky and vibrant Darlinghurst.

Takam’s philosophy is about #filipinofoodforward which showcases to their culture, nostalgia and passion for the traditional flavours and techniques of Filipino cuisine, but delivers in a elavated, harmonious and personalized manner. Takam are also inspired by the native Australian produce at Sydney’s doorstep, using native ingredients in their traditional cuisine and honouring both, will be at their forefront. A hybrid concept bought to life from lifelong friends, Francis Dela Cruz, Aileen Aguirre and Lesley Roque.

Top review

Chelsea

Dined 7 days ago

We had dinner at Takam Restaurant last night, and the food was amazing! Highly recommended to try the sinugba with achara the smoky flavors were delicious—and the ensalada was so refreshing. Great experience overall!🤍

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Experience

PULOT HAPPY HOUR

Nikkita Manly

4.7

4.7 (45)

$41 to $100

Cocktail Bar

Manly

About the restaurant

Nikkita is a vibrant South American bar and restaurant in Manly, led by Chef Masahiko Yomoda, renowned for his Japanese dishes and chef David Mckin for signature ceviche. Blending Latin and Japanese influences, Nikkita offers a lively beachfront atmosphere with cozy spaces, including a charming backyard. It's the perfect spot to enjoy creative cocktails and award-winning cuisine near the stunning Manly Beach.

Top review

Robbi

Dined on Jun 21, 2025

We had a lovely lunch with friends celebrating a special birthday. The meals and service were excellent. Definitely booking again.

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Experience

Chef's Menu $85

Experience

Sip Sip Hooray! | $15 Cocktails on Wednesdays

Experience

Bottomless Brunch

Betel Leaf @ Bathers’

4.6

4.6 (42)

$40 and under

Thai

Mosman

About the restaurant

Fresh and vibrant Thai, by Head Chef Air Jantrakool (ex head chef of Sailors Thai) with modern twists on the classics.

Betel Leaf occupies the first floor at Bathers’ Pavilion. Seating is available inside the restaurant and extends to outdoor seating on the Terrace.

Top review

Raelena

Dined on Jun 21, 2025

A fantastic dining experience from start to finish. The food was vibrant and beautifully balanced — standout dishes for me were the prawn betel leaf, the tender pork belly glazed in Thai whisky sauce, and the scallops. I also loved the mango and lime parfait, bursting with flavour. Cocktails were creative and expertly made, pairing wonderfully with the menu. Service was warm, attentive, and effortlessly paced. Highly recommend! We will be back.

Mod. Dining

4.6

4.6 (22)

$41 to $100

Asian

Sydney CBD

About the restaurant

MOD. Dining brings the vivid flavours of Asian cuisine to a contemporary setting in the Art Gallery of NSW. The menu by chef Sushil Aryal features locally sourced and seasonal produce, transformed into an array of vibrant dishes that pair perfectly with a range of crafted cocktails and unique wines.

Top review

Maria

Dined 6 days ago

Had a great experience at MOD Dining! The food was absolutely delicious — the crispy fried eggplant was definitely the highlight for me. Seriously, if you go, get the eggplant. Our waiter was super attentive and just a really cool person overall, which made the whole vibe even better. The restaurant itself has a beautiful atmosphere — stylish but still really comfortable. Highly recommend dining here if you’re looking for a great meal and nice vibe.

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Experience

Dine and Exhibition Package $89 | Min 2 guests

Experience

BANQUET -$69 | Min 2 guests

Experience

BANQUET VEGAN | Min 2 guests

Kuon Omakase

4.5

4.5 (104)

$101 and over

Japanese

Haymarket

About the restaurant

Kuon Omakase offers a truly unique dining experience, where you can entrust the chef to create a 20-course menu of the freshest sushi and sashimi. The menu changes daily depending on the season and produce available from the local fish market. You can expect dishes like osetra caviar with sea urchin and toro tartare, steamed abalone with abalone liver and sea urchin sauce, and Japanese egg custard with snow crab meat and netsuke monkfish liver. Matching wine and sakes can be added to complete the experience.

Top review

jeny

Dined on Jun 21, 2025

Absolutely loved the menu, everything was incredibly delicious and enjoyable. Both the Chefs and staff were amazing, love the Chef cracking jokes and making us feel welcome. The staff were very attentive and professional.

Kaiza Newtown - Japanese Vietnamese Restaurant

4.5

4.5 (45)

$41 to $100

Creative Japanese

Newtown

About the restaurant

Welcome to Kaiza, where the vibrant flavors of Japan meet the bold, fresh tastes of Vietnam. Our contemporary fusion concept brings together the best of both worlds, offering a unique dining experience that pushes the boundaries of traditional cuisine.

At Kaiza, we take pride in crafting innovative dishes using the finest local and seasonal ingredients, blending Japanese precision with Vietnamese vibrancy. Our menu features signature creations like delicate sashimi paired with fresh herbs, fragrant broths infused with umami, and artful plates that reflect both cultures’ culinary traditions.

Kaiza is more than just a restaurant—it’s a place where culture and creativity meet, inviting you to explore bold new tastes in a chic, welcoming atmosphere. Whether you're here for a casual meal or a special celebration, we look forward to making every visit an unforgettable culinary journey.

Top review

Clare

Dined on Jun 11, 2025

Fabulous flavours. The banquet menu was very good value. Cocktails interesting and delicious

The Grounds Coffee Factory

4.4

4.4 (207)

$40 and under

Australian

Eveleigh

About the restaurant

A story 10 years in the making, The Roastery is an experiential café unlike any other, a love letter to coffee and the memorable moments it creates. Housed within the historic Locomotive Workshops of South Eveleigh, The Roastery pays homage to its industrial past while providing an unforgettable experience for coffee lovers everywhere, letting you enjoy your brew amongst the very machinery that makes it possible.

Top review

Maddie

Dined 2 days ago

Beef burger was a generally alright dish, nothing special for how popular the place is. Avo toast with the chilli, we were told there was minimal chilli but instead they dollop quite a large amount, good if that’s your thing, bad if you originally didn’t want chilli. Would recommend for breakfast as they have much better options, particularly pastries, but find somewhere different for lunch in future.

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Experience

Lunch Group Menu

Experience

The Roaster's Room High Coffee

Experience

Weekend Brunch Menu

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