Looking For the Best Degustation in Sydney? Start Here
For fine dining you won't forget, look no further than the best degustation menus in Sydney
When it comes to fine dining, Sydney offers a smorgasbord of mouth-watering culinary delights. The city is awash with talented chefs well-versed in serving up the fanciest of hatted cuisine. But when you're presented with a menu that's as captivating a read as the latest Miles Franklin winner, whittling down your final food choice (or getting the waiter to transcribe it) can be a difficult task.
So, if like us, you find it impossible to choose between the seared scallops or the chargrilled Wagyu sirloin, then a degustation menu is the only way to go. That way, you get to try a little taster of the restaurant’s signature dishes, to be enjoyed over time (and with plenty of wine). To help with your decision-making, we've compiled our pick of the best degustation menus in Sydney for your next special occasion. Bon appétit!
Le Salle Dining
Tucked away in Surry Hills, Le Salle Dining by Bar Chaplin is an intimate dining experience for just 10-14 diners per evening. Led by Chef Patrick Dang and co-owner Ederlyn Oloresisimo, this cosy spot feels more like a private dinner party than a typical restaurant. The name itself reflects this idea with Le Salle translating to “the room” in French, symbolising an extension of Chef Patrick Dang's home. Inspired by the small, personal eateries found in Japan, Le Salle offers evolving four- or five-course degustations featuring refined, seasonal dishes like crystal crab with smoked oyster ice cream or venison with parsnip and pancetta. The wine-centric menu is paired with a curated European wine list, all served in a space designed for slow, unrushed dining.
From $108 per person
18 Hutchinson Street, Surry Hills
Yellow
Focussing on vegan cuisine, every plate at Yellow features produce grown by local suppliers. Set inside a converted 1950s art gallery, this achingly cool eatery is as hip as it is healthy. The two-hatted restaurant offers a six-course vegan tasting menu with optional beverage pairings. Save room for dessert as their vegan ice cream will convert even the most fervent dairy lover.
From $115 per person
57 Macleay Street, Potts Point
Poly
Pared back dining is having a moment and no one does it better than Poly. Giving off a laid-back wine bar vibe, you can feast on perfectly plated modern Australian bites whilst sipping on an enviable wine list. Their degustation comes in at $95 and usually sits at 8 courses. Fermented potato bread, tuna tartare and almond and egg yolk tart make regular appearances.
$95 per person
74-76 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills
The Blue Door
You're not going to forget this degustation anytime soon. This 18-seat restaurant takes farm-to-table dining to new heights with all animal proteins purchased directly from NSW farms that Chef Dylan Cashman and his team have personally visited. As for veggies, it's regenerative crops only.
The dining room of The Blue Door is relaxed, modern and elegant and the 7+ course menu is curated to perfection (and rotated weekly depending on what's been sent by the farmers).
$159 per person
Sitchu Tip: Opt to pair your meal with the 98% NSW-sourced wine list.
38 Waterloo Street, Surry Hills
Ester
For a modern feast that is as visually appealing as it is delicious, head to Ester. At $125 the degustation here is exceptionally reasonable and will take you through a selection of some of their most popular dishes. Think fire-cooked, fermented and pickled. Each dish is creative, wholesome and packs a punch with flavour. Your first time dining at Ester will not be your last!
$124 per person
46-52 Meagher Street, Chippendale
Aria
This two-hatted stalwart delivers ‘haute cuisine’ with a gastronomic artistry rarely matched in Australia. Just steps away from the Opera House, Aria champions local produce, and in every dish, expect full flavour and impeccable presentation. While a four-course option is available the tasting menu is the sensible option for those looking for the full experience – think yellowfin tuna with spiced eggplant and white river veal with celeriac, pine nuts and salted grapes.
Four-course menu $225 per person, tasting menu $290 per person
1 Macquarie Street, Sydney
Firedoor
Firedoor serves up Australia’s first fully fire-powered menu. Every dish is cooked to order and harnesses the power of wood, choosing varieties that will bring out the best flavours, like native barks, chestnut, and cherry. The five-course chef’s menu changes every day and showcases the best of the best. Think woodfired bread, Murray cod and margra lamb.
$195 per person
23-33 Mary Street, Surry Hills
Quay Restaurant
This fine dining mainstay is situated in one of the city’s most impressive locations. Quay teams incredible vistas with exceptional cuisine, for an entirely indulgent experience. Helmed by local legend Peter Gilmore, the menu is inventive and nature-focused, and the dishes that sail out of his kitchen are truly works of art.
To sample a taste of everything, the six or eight-course tasting menus offer an exclusive insight into Gilmore's culinary world. Start off with hand-harvested seafood and finish with his signature dessert White Coral. Each course will work its magic to excite your taste buds and imagination. If you're up for a super special splurge, the eight-course menu has got your name on it.
Four-course menu $220 per person, Six-course menu $310, Eight-course menu $385
Upper Level, Overseas Passenger Terminal, The Rocks
LuMi Dining
Italian with an elevated Japanese twist, LuMi overlooks the rippling waters of Pyrmont Bay. With only degustation menus available, commitment to the meal is mandatory – and honestly, this is a relationship anyone would be desperate to marry into. Each dish is nothing less than a work of art), and do we even need to remind you to add the wine pairings?
$255 per person
56 Pirrama Road, Pyrmont
Sixpenny
Housed in a corner terrace near Stanmore station, Sixpenny oozes elegant dining with its cosy venue and array of innovative dishes. The ever-changing menu plays on seasonal produce, with diners making their way through the degustation menu, delivering thoughtful and aesthetically pleasing dishes. Make the most of the experience and include the matching wines.
$250 per person
83 Percival Road, Stanmore
Devoured this edit of the best degustation menus in Sydney and already thinking about your next special outing? Check out our edit of the best fine dining menus for under $150. Then, why not have a read of our round-up of the best Italian restaurants in Sydney?
