2022 Update: Some restaurants may have closed. The ones we know for sure have closed have been marked accordingly.

What’s up, Nomsters! We spent some time in the land down under with the mission of finding absolute must try restaurants in Sydney so we could spread the word to all the travelers looking to take a trip out there and have happy bellies while exploring the city. We’re happy to say that after journeying far and wide through the various neighborhoods and trying out tons of what Sydney has to offer, we’ve come back with our definitive list of food spots you need in your life. So peep the list below, add them to your google maps travel list, and get ready to indulge!

1. Bare Grill & Cafe

We can guarantee one thing for sure – you will not leave hungry after eating at Bare Grill & Cafe. This burger and BBQ joint definitely tops our list of must try restaurants in Sydney, and has enormous portions, but they don’t sacrifice flavor for size… everything we had was delicious! The Grizzly Bare (pictured below) is a definite must-try. It’s got four layers of beef patty, cheese, and bacon, and we added some extra melted cheese on top.

2. Cafe Cre Asion

Cafe Cre Asion is an Asian-style cafe on a quiet street just off one of the busier roads in town, which has a super chill vibe. They specialize in matcha and hojicha flavored desserts and drinks, which were actually really good! Their matcha fondant cake was crazy awesome – it’s basically a matcha lava cake made of a warm brownie with a sweet, creamy matcha-flavored filling topped with matcha powder and served with matcha ice cream on the side. They also have a delicious hojicha latte that you should get when you go.

3. Kusuka (Permanently Closed)

Kusuka is a unique Indonesian spot that fuses traditional dishes with some modern, western flare and we really enjoyed it! Our favorite was, for sure, the Superbowl, which is a spicy mi goreng noodle dish with tons of toppings including pork belly, sausages, and cucumber among other things. They also do a rendang, but with crispy fried chicken! We wrote a whole post about this place, too, so check out all the noms at the link below!

4. Grounds of Alexandria

The Grounds of Alexandria was a really elaborate garden with tons of walkways, greenery, flowers, tables to sit at, and a couple cafes/restaurants. There’s even a little petting zoo in one section! We ate at The Cafe, and were blown away by their Freshly Baked Buttermilk Hotcake, which was beautifully plated, light, and perfect for a quick brunch before hitting the road for a day full of fun! We also learned about a common breakfast dish in Australia called the Brekkie Burger, and their version of it was avocado, egg, bacon, lettuce, cheese, and their special sauce all between a burger bun. We have to say, it could definitely compete with a BLT!

5. Betty’s Burgers & Concrete Co.

Betty’s Burgers is a fantastic diner-style restaurant with a bunch of locations across Sydney and Melbourne. Everything we had there was really good, but the crispy chicken burger really stood out. The chicken was moist, flavorful, and whatever they do to season it was spectacular. Diners don’t usually get us all that excited, but we’d definitely go back here. Plus, the location in Manly was right on the water, so if you go in the evening you can chow down while watching the sunset! They also make these desserts called Concretes, which are custard ice creams mixed with all kinds of different toppings – almost like a McFlurry, but a billion times better. We were stuffed after demolishing the burgers, but literally couldn’t stop taking bites of these things. Definitely a must try restaurant in Sydney!

6. Gelatissimo

We’ll keep this one short and sweet (literally), but Gelatissimo has locations all over Sydney and for good reason – it’s bomb! If you’re looking for a creamy, legit gelato fix, try this place out. We recommend the Veronese Chocolate for sure!

7. Nakano Darling

We stumbled upon this place while walking back to the hotel after a long day of exploring and it was such a welcome sight. It’s really tough to find a place that does legit Japanese comfort foods, BUT we finally found one! It’s just unfortunate that it’s all the way in Sydney and not closer to where we live. Nakano Darling does a whole bunch of different rice bowls and izakaya foods, but the one we were most excited about was the natto (fermented soy beans) over rice with egg. It’s a pretty common breakfast food in Japan that’s SO delicious, but probably sounds a little weird if you’re not familiar with it. But it’s definitely worth a try, and the staff was super friendly!

8. Song Kitchen

Song Kitchen is a trendy, upscale restaurant in the Song Hotel, and the food is a mix of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern spices and flavors. We recommend the Yemeni Spiced Wagyu Hanger Steak, which was served with grilled peppers and yoghurt. The steak was cooked to a perfect medium rare (per our request), and the best way to get the perfect bite is to get a little bit of everything on your fork like in the photo below.