Help take the pressure off the finances this Sydney Festival with these exclusive restaurant deals.
With Sydney Festival currently underway for yet another year, a number of restaurants have popped up offering specials to help punters eat well for less. There are a total of eleven restaurants forming part of Sydney Festival’s “Festival Feasts” program, all putting up either $30 or $55 a la carte specials that’ll run until the festival wraps up on January 26.
READ MORE: Our top picks for Sydney Festival 2025.
The best meal deals running for Sydney Festival
1. Beast&Co
Best for: Dinner before a show at Darlinghurst Courthouse
Surry Hills eatery Beast&Co is perfectly placed for a quick dinner before a show at Darlinghurst Courthouse. For Sydney Festival, the European kitchen is offering a $55 set menu that starts with marinated olives before giving you a choice of the kitchen’s best small plates. The set finishes with either a flank steak or roasted cauliflower main.
Address: 425 Bourke St, Surry Hills NSW 2010
Contact: (02) 8367 0985
Opening Hours: Wednesday – Thursday (5pm – 11pm); Friday (5pm – 12am); Saturday (12pm – 12am); Sunday (12pm – 10pm)
2. Georgie Wine Bar
Best for: Dinner before at show at City Recital Hall
If you’ve penciled in a show at City Recital Hall then pop into Georgie Wine Bar on Bond Street beforehand for an affordable set menu. For $55 per person, you’ll get a curated selection of the kitchen’s best bites. Given the space is pitched as a New York-inspired bar, expect small plates like duck liver pate and calamari fritti as well more substantial dishes like a signature Georgie’s cheeseburger and classic steak frites.
Address: Cnr George St, Bond St, Sydney NSW 2000
Contact: (02) 9250 9661
Opening Hours: Monday – Friday (7am – 10am, 4pm – 9pm); Saturday (8am – 11am; 4pm – 9pm); Sunday (8am – 11am)
3. Lotus the Galeries
Best for: Dinner before a show at Sydney Town Hall
If you’ve got at least two people in your party then head along to Lotus the Galeries before seeing a show at Sydney Town Hall. As a Sydney Festival special, the modern Chinese favourite is offering a special Dark Noon banquet for $55 per person. Think BBQ pork buns, salt and pepper tofu, barramundi with black bean sauce, crispy eggplant and squid ink fried rice, giving you a nice little feast before the main event.
Address: Level 1/500 George St, Sydney NSW 2000
Contact: (02) 9247 6868
Opening Hours: Monday (12pm – 3pm); Tuesday – Saturday (12pm – 3pm, 5:30pm – 9pm); Sunday (12pm – 2:30pm)
4. Cafe Sydney
Best for: Dinner before a show at Sydney Opera House
Cafe Sydney’s breathtaking views of Circular Quay sit at a premium on any given day of the week, so it bring part of Sydney Festival’s “Festival Feasts” program is a good opportunity to check it out on the cheap. Unlike most of the other specials on the list, there’s no designated set. Rather, Cafe Sydney is offering daily a la carte specials throughout the festival, running up until January 26.
Address: Level 5/31 Alfred St, Sydney NSW 2000
Contact: (02) 9251 8683
Opening Hours: Monday – Saturday (12pm – 10:30pm); Sunday (12pm – 5pm)
5. LILYMU
Best for: Dinner before a show at Riverside Theatres
If you’ve made the trek out to Parramatta to catch a show at the picturesque Riverside Theatres then take note of LILMU’s special Sydney Festival offering. The modern Asian restaurant has put up five dishes on a special $55 per person festival menu, ranging from kingfish and coconut ceviche to fan favourites like chicken gyoza and Kiwami 9+ wagyu massman with baby potatoes.
Address: 153 Macquarie St, Parramatta NSW 2150
Contact: (02) 7809 4952
Opening Hours: Tuesday (5:30pm – 9pm); Wednesday – Thursday (12pm – 2pm, 5:30pm – 9pm); Friday – Saturday (12pm – 2pm, 5:30pm – 9:30pm); Sunday (12pm – 2pm, 5:30pm – 9pm)
6. Jounieh
Best for: Dinner before a show at The Thirsty Mile
Sydney Festival’s signature hub this year is a strip called The Thirsty Mile over at Walsh Bay. While previous years had the festival’s round-the-clock lifestyle precinct in Hyde Park, this more open approach allows for a much more diverse experience. If you’re heading out that way, consider the $55 per person special running at Middle Eastern restaurant Jounieh. Menu highlights include golden cauliflower, slow-cooked lamb and Moreton Bay bugs served with dips, salads and sides with a house wine or beer included.
Address: Shop 2/17 Hickson Rd, Dawes Point NSW 2000
Contact: (02) 9247 6790
Opening Hours: Wednesday – Thursday (11am – 10pm); Friday – Saturday (11am – 11pm); Sunday (11:30am – 9pm)
7. Lotus Dumpling Bar
Best for: Dinner before a show at Sydney Opera House
Much like their sister restaurant, Lotus the Galeries, Lotus Dumpling Bar in Circular Quay is offering a $55 per person a la carte special to fill you up before a show at Sydney Opera House. The kitchen’s biggest hits are all included on the special menu, from handmade dumplings to more substantial mains and a curated selection of drinks.
Address: Young St, 50 Bridge St, Sydney NSW 2000
Contact: (02) 7258 6778
Opening Hours: Monday – Friday (11:30am – 3pm, 5pm – 9pm); Saturday (11:30am – 9:30pm)
8. Planar Bar & Dining
Best for: Dinner before a show at Palm Grove
If you’ve got a show in Darling Harbour locked in for your Sydney Festival schedule, consider popping by Planar Bar & Dining beforehand. The al fresco kitchen is offering a $55 per person two-courser showcasing modern Australian cuisine, offered along with a glass of wine. A kids menu is also available.
Address: Ground Floor/14 Darling Dr, Darling Harbour NSW 2000
Contact: (02) 9212 6789
Opening Hours: Monday – Thursday (8am – 9:30pm); Friday – Saturday (8am – 10:30pm); Sunday (8am – 9:30pm)
9. Pearl Dining
Best for: Dinner before a show at Sydney Opera House
Pearl Dining’s rich flavours of Hong Kong are also on the cards for Sydney Festival’s series of specials. The Circular Quay kitchen is offering a $55 per person set with six dishes including prawn dumplings, BBQ pork belly, wok-fried Angus beef flank and Asian greens.
Address: Level 1/50 Bridge St, Sydney NSW 2000
Contact: (02) 7227 6293
Opening Hours: Tuesday – Wednesday (5:30pm – 8:30pm); Thursday (12pm – 2:30pm, 5:30pm – 8:30pm); Friday (12pm – 2:30pm, 5:30pm – 9pm); Saturday (5:30pm – 9pm)
10. Pier Bar
Best for: Dinner before a show at The Thirsty Mile
Pop by Pier Bar at the luxe Pier One Sydney Harbour for a quick, straightforward spread of artisan cured meats, cheeses and pickles, served with your choice of house wine, beer or soft drink. Not bad for just $30 per person.
Address: 11 Hickson Rd, Dawes Point NSW 2000
Contact: (02) 8298 9999
Opening Hours: Monday – Sunday (11am – 11pm)
11. The Living Room at Park Hyatt Sydney
Best for: Dinner before a show at The Thirsty Mile
You can be as opulent as you want at The Living Room in Park Hyatt Sydney. The iconic luxury hotel is perfectly placed near the start of The Thirsty Mile. For Sydney Festival, the space is offering a simple $30 per person set that comes with a La Vie en Rose cocktail and your choice of a chicken katsu or tofu katsu sandwich.
Address: 7 Hickson Rd, The Rocks NSW 2000
Contact: (02) 9256 1661
Opening Hours: Monday – Sunday (11am – 10pm)
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