EATING OUT in Sydney
Treat your FAMILY’S tastebuds to a TOUR of the WORLD as you eat YOUR WAY around the city, with WATER VIEWS at no EXTRA cost!
SYDNEYSIDERS ARE KNOWN for their love of eating out, and they don’t limit their choices to one type of cuisine. Sampling everything from Malaysian curries to fresh pasta dishes to sushi is as easy as flitting from one neighbourhood or suburb to the next.
BEL & BRIO
Dine in or grab-and-go at this European food emporium, which serves fresh Italianstyle food made with produce direct from the Bel & Brio farm. Coffee is from Bondi roasters Will & Co, and there’s freshly baked Italian pastries such as Sicilian cannoli, or savoury items such as bacon and egg brioche and bruschetta. The Marketplace stocks ready-made meals, too, so you can grab a fresh baguette and cold-pressed juice and head to the nearby waterfront lawns of Barangaroo to have brekkie with harbour views while the kids play. belandbrio.com.au
THE BOATHOUSE
The Boathouse Group’s roster of cafes and restaurants are the last word in casual Sydney dining vibes. Think beach and waterfront locations, bright and breezy interiors that have become an instantly identifiable hallmark (and one you can take home with you from The Boathouse Home) and classic menu fare such as ricotta hotcakes for breakfast and a bucket of prawns at lunch. If you can’t find the time on this trip to make it to the original Palm Beach cafe, choose from Shelly Beach, Balmoral Beach or the new Rose Bay venue. theboathousegroup.com.au
CENTENNIAL HOMESTEAD
Nothing speaks to parents more than a restaurant with space to play and Centennial Homestead, in the green heart of Centennial Parklands, has it in spades. With expansive lawns surrounding its wraparound deck, Centennial Homestead’s Kitchen offers a casual menu featuring garden-grown salads and cockle-warming dishes such as gnocchi and chicken pie. But even better are the picnic hampers, which you can enjoy anywhere in the parklands (preorder only). centennialhomestead.com.au
COOGEE PAVILION
If a casual lunch by the sea is what you’re craving, the super-stylish Coogee Pavilion is a fantastic option. This lively Eastern Suburbs venue has a dedicated kids’ menu of dishes they all love (pizza, burgers, milkshakes) but the best bit is the huge play area at the back. While you eat your meal in (relative) peace, kids of all ages will have fun playing with the ping pong table, scrabble wall, giant Connect Four, Jenga – you name it, they have thought of it! merivale.com
BONDI’S BEST
Sure, Bondi is home to some of the trendiest cafes in Sydney, but nothing beats some good ol’ fish and chips by the beach – and Bondi’s Best is a local favourite for its highquality seafood and top location. The menu features favourites such as beer-battered fish and crumbed calamari – in both adults
and kids’ size servings – alongside sushi and sashimi and Japanese-style soups. From here it’s a short walk to the beach and North Bondi Children’s Pool, so the kids can enjoy a splash after lunch. bondisbest.com.au
SPICE ALLEY
When you can’t get to Asia, Spice Alley brings it to you. This atmospheric laneway in the inner-city neighbourhood of Chippendale, a short walk from Central Station, is inspired by the hawker-style food markets of the East. It has a variety of Asian cuisines to choose from, meaning all fussy tastes are catered to – Singapore, Thai, Malaysian, Japanese, Cantonese, Chinese, Vietnamese and Indonesian. Savour succulent Singaporean chilli prawns or a piping hot pho in the al fresco courtyard festooned with lanterns at night, and – bonus – it’s BYO! spicealley.com.au
FRATELLI FRESH
A place where kids eat free is a winner in our eyes. Fratelli Fresh is a Sydney institution with several restaurants across the city serving excellent Italian fare, and its Darling Harbour venue is a stand-out. Located underneath the International Convention Centre (ICC) near the bustling Darling Quarter (which has an awesome kids’ playground and a library), this large and lively restaurant has a range of stations serving up hand-tossed pizza, fresh pasta, rotisserie meats, and gelato. And, as we said, kids under 12 eat free every day. fratellifresh.com.au
ICHIBAN TEPPANYAKI
The theatre of Teppanyaki is always a hit with kids and Sydney is home to a few great options. Ichiban Teppanyaki in Haymarket has been throwing food at its patrons for more than 20 years, and while the decor hasn’t really changed, you can always expect to have a good time. They also have a dedicated kids’ banquet menu. ichibanteppanyaki.com.au