The Best Restaurants in SYDNEY

Alpha Restaurant, occupying the remnants of a 1880s church on Castlereagh Street, is famous for Greek Chef Peter Conistis’ signature recipe: Moussaka of Eggplant with Seared Scallops and Tarama. His gorgeously luxe moussaka of just-cooked scallops layered between slices of creamy eggplant is a holy trinity of heavenly flavors that harmonize perfectly. The surrounds are as "Grecian modernism" as the menu, with fishing net-inspired hanging lights and a dramatically battered Greek-inscribed wall that looks the result of an archaeological dig. The large, high-ceilinged space includes banquette seating, an artisan food store and a casual cafe in front, with a high-stooled counter and bar in back that accommodates early evening mezze nibbles and lunchtime displays of Greek comfort food.See the Blog Post: http://simonfoodfavourites.blogspot.in/p/my-top-dishes-of-2014.html

Run by chef-owners Sarah and James Robbins, Bar Luca is home to the famous Blame Canada hamburger. Salty and sweet, a poutine of hot chips and melting cheese curds forms the base of the burger. Stacked with 200 grams of succulent Wagyu, addictive maple candied bacon, American cheese and maple aioli, it’s all cradled in a soft milk bun. While the pub offers craft beers, cocktails, milkshakes and coffee, this superb burger is their biggest seller, voted the best burger in Sydney. 

Australian Chef Bill Granger was the first to put avocado toast on his menu in 1993. “I’ve always been a morning person,” he said. “And breakfast recipes are never too complicated – it is short-order cooking and I’m a short-order cook.” Granger’s most popular dish, avocado toast, was on the menu the day he opened. “It was a natural thing to do,” Granger said. “Australians are not a sweet-toast eating country – jam isn’t our thing – and avocado struck me as a healthier alternative.” For the perfect example of this simple, creamy, peppery dish, bite into his open-face sandwich of multi-grain bread lathered with mashed avocado, salt, pepper, olive oil and lemon juice, finished with a dusting of red pepper flakes.  

If sandwiches are your thing then Hole in the Wall has plenty of yummy sandwich choices on their menu but I recommend you first try the #18 The Will Special ($9.20 Turkish bread). It's a great sandwich combination of turkey, cranberry sauce, crispy proscuitto, lettuce, mayo, beetroot, onions & tasty cheese. The salty crispy prosciutto makes what could have been an ordinary sandwich into a winning sandwich. During peak lunch times the line can get long but the wait is worth it. You can also pre-order you sandwiches online to save time.

There are plenty of Malaysian eateries in Sydney but Malay-Chinese Takeaway is one of the most popular and well-loved spots to get your laksa fix. Arrive before noon to have any hope of getting a table. Their laksa has great depth of flavor and is available as chicken, prawn, tofu, vegetable and seafood. They also have a Har Mee weekly special worth trying and an Assam Laksa, which is only made once every 5 weeks. Seating is simple and the atmosphere is busy and buzzing.

With a wave of Mexican restaurants popping up in Sydney, there's a lot of competition for great-tasting tacos. The Grilled Ocean Trout tacos ($16, 3 pieces) at Méjico aren't particularly big for the price but when it comes to flavor they hit all the right notes for me. Tasty fish with chipotle mayonnaise, pickled red cabbage and jalapeño makes for a very moreish taco you won't want to stop at one. There's a nice heat from the japaleño and the fish is moist and juicy. The restaurant has a happening vibe and staff are efficient.

Leave the sweet pancakes for breakfast and head to Phamish for savoury pancakes that pack your taste buds with Vietnamese flavours. Duck and Prawn Pancakes ($14, 2 pieces) are one of their most popular menu items, which tend to be the first to sell out during a dinner service so best to arrive early to avoid disappointment. Juicy and tasty duck with decent sized prawns are wrapped together with fresh lettuce, mint and bean sprouts in a savoury pancake and then a final layer of rice paper on the outside. Dip them in the nicely balanced Vietnamese Nuoc Cham dipping sauce for extra flavour. Seating is casual and you need to order and prepay at the service counter. Easy to enjoy on your own or go with a few friends to try a few other great tasting dishes from the menu.

It's pricier than you're usual hot dog around town but for one that doesn't hold back on flavor it'll get your taste buds wanting more. The jalapeno hot sauce packs enough bite without going overboard to appreciate the very tasty house made chorizo sausage. Even though this is part of a nice restaurant the bar area is casual and relaxed. Get there early to grab a table or head for a late lunch. Plenty of fine wines are available to make it a special getaway lunch.

Just by the name alone how can you resist trying this basket of free range crisp fried free range chicken wings ($13). You get about 3 wings ending up being 9 pieces including wing tips. Very tasty and good to share although messy so a bit of finger licking will be required. The decor and seating is simple and functional in this small cafe serving burgers with free-range pasture meats and gourmet milkshakes.

Now considered a local gem, the ever-popular Three Williams Cafe is a large kid-friendly cafe with a tempting menu and freshly baked goods on the counter to enjoy with your coffee or tea. For breakfast, it's hard to go past the “The Merchant” with chilli fried egg, crispy bacon, ranch dressing and pickled slaw on a warm brioche bun ($14). But for something sweeter, the crunchy brioche French toast, finished with fresh berries, yogurt, roasted pecans and organic maple syrup ($18), is a worthy favorite. And adding bacon for $4.50 makes it even more epic. If you're in lunch mode, the crispy beer-battered chips with house aioli ($5) is a must to share with house-made naan-style flat bread with a filling of your choice. Kids are welcome with high chairs available and a large chalkboard to show off their creativity. Breakfast is served all day, every day.