A groovy basement izakaya in the heart of Sydney CBD, fresh seafood by a Northern Beaches champion and New York-inspired indulgence in Newtown. This is a snapshot of Sydney’s new restaurant scene as of November 2025.
Sydney’s dynamic dining scene is constantly changing, and that has never been more obvious than in the past few years. After a swift recovery from the pandemic, the city started demanding more luxurious, world-class restaurants and was given a big influx of grand dining rooms as a result.
To help guide locals and visitors around Sydney’s new dining scene, we’ve listed our favourite new Sydney restaurants for you to check out (plus some upcoming newbies to keep an eye out for). And yes, consider this a challenge.
These are the best new restaurants in Sydney
Last Updated: November 2025
Editor’s Pick: Sakura House
1. Sakura House, CBD
The late-night Basement Izakaya tops my list of best new Sydney spots to try, not least because it comes from the team behind the Waratah, one of my favourite drinking holes in Sydney and the recipient of the 2025 Australian Bar Awards’ Pub of the Year. Pair that with plates from the ex-head chef of Cho Cho San, Nick Sherman, and you know you have a winner. Groovy, moody, and downright cool, the new spot is a walk-in only establishment and will feature live music that you can watch as you snack on plates like Takoyaki Skewer, Chicken Karaage, and Ebi Bao, and sip on a variety of sake.
Where: Basement, 82-88 Elizabeth St, Sydney NSW 2000.
2. South End, Erskineville
A little Euro diner led by chefs whose resumes include Fred’s and Ester? We’re in. South End in Newtown is a fuss-free eatery serving up a seasonal menu featuring fresh, simple produce. Current snacks available include green almond ajo blanco, potato rosti, smoked mackerel rillettes and baked ricotta with tapenade. For mains, you’re looking at a roast lamb, a pork loin chop, or a bouillabaisse of wild-caught fish with clams to share. Simple, easy, but really, really good.
Where: 644 King St, Erskineville NSW 2043.
Book your table here.
3. Joe’s Tavern, Newtown
Australia Street’s pocket of incredible restaurants has welcomed a new addition in the form of Joe’s Tavern, which replaced the veggie restaurant Flora, also by the team from Continental Deli. The new neighbourhood restaurant is unpretentious and small, seating only 30 people, and serving up New York-inspired plates. Think cold seafood, devilled eggs, steaks, whole fish and a signature burger. You can even get a PB & J ice cream sandwich for dessert.
Where: 206 Australia St, Newtown NSW 2042.
Book your table here.
4. Flaminia, Circular Quay
From the team behind the Northern Beaches hatted restaurant, Pilu at Freshwater, comes Flaminia, a relaxed Italian restaurant that’s bringing fresh seafood to Circular Quay. Using Sydney produce, they’re bringing plates inspired by Venice, Sardinia and Portofino, which you can enjoy with a spritz in hand. Located on Level 2 of the Pullman Quay Grand Sydney Harbour, guests will enjoy seafood cooked perfectly with a sun-drenched, unrivalled view. Skip the airfare and indulge in authentic Italian food closer to home.
Where: 61 Macquarie St, Sydney NSW 2000.
Book your table here.
5. Bistro Bondi
The team behind Lox In A Box is back with a full-service restaurant, featuring culinary contributions from Sydney hospo legends (think Love Tilly Devine, Ester and Shellhouse). Located just a short walk from Bondi Beach, and just around the corner from Beach Road Hotel (kick-ons anyone?), the bistro features a seafood-heavy menu including kingfish, oysters, snapper and prawns.
On Instagram, Bistro Bondi declared that “everyone’s favourite” is their decadent octopus dish: “tender, chargrilled octopus with a finely diced celery condiment… [it] sits on top of our house tonnato, a smooth Italian tuna sauce packed with anchovies, confit garlic, dijon and fresh lemon juice.”
Where: 17 Warners Ave, Bondi Beach NSW 2026.
Book your table here.
Opening soon…
6. Rick Stein at Coogee Beach
Rick Stein’s new flagship at the freshly opened Coogee Beach IHG is shaping up to be December’s most talked-about restaurant debut. He’ll be bringing his signature Cornish-style fish and chips and classic fish pie to the popular beachside spot, no doubt attracting a steady wave of customers in Coogee (and not just because of the suburb’s high population of Brits). The Chef already has two popular restaurants in Australia, with one in Mollymook, which opened in 2009, and another in Port Stephens, which followed in 2018. The restaurant will sit 224 guests, featuring bar dining and a courtyard terrace alongside the signature restaurant.
The sample menu includes Rick’s Fish and Chips for $45, Indonesian Seafood Curry for $56, Newlyn Fish Pie for $58 and Grilled Blue Eye Trevalla for $55.
You can book your visit to the restaurant here.
Where: 242 Arden Street, Coogee NSW 2034.
Opening date: December 1, 2025.
7. ard
Known for serving some of the best baked goods at The Rocks Markets, ard is finally settling into a permanent home this December. Christiana Daaboul will bring her tasty plant-based bakes to Stanmore, including cinnamon scrolls, inventive twists on baklava inspired by her Lebanese heritage, and irresistibly fluffy sponge cakes (I can’t stop thinking about the roasted white sesame mango sponge pictured on her Instagram). She’s also mastered a matcha blend that she’s been perfecting over the past few months.
Where: The expected location is 2a Stafford Street, Stanmore.
Opening date: ard will ‘soft open’ on December 13 and 14.
Why trust this list?
Sydney Travel Guide’s staff have spent weeks dining out at the best new Sydney restaurants to help put together this round-up for our readers. We realised that bloated dining listicles can end up giving people choice anxiety, so we wanted to keep it tightly curated and keep it just ten of our favourite new Sydney restaurants. This is by no means an exhaustive list, which is why we’ve included a section calling out a few other places you should eat around town.
Read More
- Here’s where to find Sydney’s best ramen
- Are these the best kid-friendly cafes in Sydney
- Here are the most romantic restaurants in Sydney for date night
