Best Lunch in Sydney: Our Favourite Spots to Linger

Nothing beats a long, leisurely lunch with friends at one of Sydney’s buzzing restaurants. It’s a time-honoured tradition that involves three essential elements: mouth-watering food, refreshing cocktails, and the joy of engaging conversation. Delicious views are a welcome addition. 

Sydney's lunch scene caters seamlessly to gatherings of all sizes, making it the ideal canvas for unforgettable moments with your crew. Let this curated list of the best lunch locations in Sydney guide you on your way. 

Shell House

Shell House Sydney seamlessly combines the best of old and new in a meticulously restored 1930s clock tower building. The aesthetics are top-notch, from the dishes themselves to the thoughtfully designed interiors by Anna Hewett which we're sure your lunch gang will appreciate. 

The menu showcases an inventive blend of Mediterranean and French flavours, perfect for a lingering lunch. We recommend starting with fresh Sydney rock oysters or the caviar-topped steak tartare. 

Sitchu Tip: Have a drink at Sky Bar first before heading to either the dining room or the terrace. 

37 Margaret Street, Sydney 

NOUR 

A popular spot on Crown Street’s foodie trail, NOUR is perfectly placed for a mid-shop stop. The menu creatively pulls out the traditional flavours of Lebanon in dishes that will keep you intrigued throughout the meal.

The interiors are just as gorgeous with a contemporary fit-out with glass doors opening out onto a terrace. 

3/490 Crown Street, Surry Hills 

CANVAS

Aside from having one of the most enviable views in Sydney, CANVAS is also host to an exciting new approach to dining. Each season they introduce a new 'in-residence' chef who will contribute to the restaurant's dynamic and ever-revolving menu. Josh Raine (Ex-Tetsuya's) has taken the helm for the launch with a menu combining the best of the season with unique flavour combos. Think asparagus with nori, poached egg, lemon & prawn and tomato essence risotto with fennel, chervil & chervil. Get in quick! He's set to finish up soon. 

Level 4, MCA Sydney 

The Apollo

If you have a penchant for saganaki cheese and charred calamari, then The Apollo is the lunch spot for you. Their take on Mediterranean flavours (with a strong focus on Greek food), along with a smattering of dishes cooked over wood and charcoal, is out of this world.  To get the most out of your experience, opt for ‘The Full Greek’ that showcases The Apollo’s best of the best. For just $70 per person, you will be beyond satisfied with the eight-dish banquet – think baked saganaki cheese, tangy Greek salad and slow-cooked lamb shoulder slathered in creamy tzatziki - all perfect dishes to linger over. Plus, for just $5 extra per person you can add ouzo – which is the properly Greek thing to do!

44 MacLeay Street, Potts Point

Mimi's 

Set over the waves, mimi's is one of the best spots for lunch in Sydney for both the views and the exquisite culinary offering. 

Simplicity and constrained elegance permeate through the food offering with skilful craftsmanship underpinning the quality seafood, meat and vegetables that are served up. 

Amid the chic, calm interiors, enjoy a drop from the 600-strong wine list to ensure your meal is perfectly accompanied. Save this one for the weekend as you won't want to be heading back to the office afterwards. 

130a Beach Street, Coogee 

Totti’s  

This modern Italian venue serves up hand-crafted pasta, meats and classic Italian cocktails in a relaxed setting. What more could you want from a lunch with the girls?

Totti's menu is fun, simple and delicious, suited to all ages and designed to share, built around Italian-style flatbread, cooked to order and accompanied by small plates of local and house-made charcuterie, Italian cheese and seasonal fruits. 

Drinks are simple, retro-Italian-inspired crowd pleasers, while the wine list focuses on small boutique wineries and organic drops with an Italian twist.

Bondi, Rozelle, CBD

North Bondi Fish 

There’s nothing that screams ‘Sydney’ more than sparkling sea views and North Bondi Fish delivers. It also ticks all the right boxes for a ladies' lunch in Sydney: a deck that soaks up the sun, a fresh and balanced menu (which, naturally, is all about seafood), and a huge selection of rosé.

The interior is bright and airy, and the clientele is hip yet relaxed – so you and your crew will fit right in. 

120 Ramsgate Avenue, North Bondi 

Table Manners (Image Credit: Jennifer Soo)

Table Manners 

Whilst Bronte was a dreamy suburb before, the opening of Table Manners has elevated its status even further. A neighbourhood restaurant and bar with a European influence, you can expect approachable dishes and a relaxed atmosphere. As hospitality hero Alex Cameron's first solo venture, it's clear that a lot of love has gone into this opening. Head Chef Luke Churchill (ex Parlar, Oncore by Clare Smyth) is behind the menu which includes highlights like tuna belly toast, Hervey Bay scallops with nduja butter and macadamia and lemon polenta madeleines. Paired with a 400-bottle wine list (with 30 by the glass!) and sleek interiors, it's the perfect backdrop to your long lunch snaps. 

56 - 60 Macpherson Street, Bronte

The Boathouse Rose Bay 

Want to wine and dine with a view? Book a table at The Boathouse Rose Bay. This popular Eastern Suburbs venue is perched right on the water, offering sweeping views of Sydney Harbour.

On the menu, there’s fresh seafood aplenty – such as crab, oysters, scallops and prawns – which is quite fitting with its sweeping bay views, don’t you think? 

594 New South Head Road, Rose Bay 

Dunes Palm Beach

Sitting atop Sydney's iconic Palm Beach, Dunes Palm Beach is Bringing a touch of the Mediterranean to Sydney. Surrounded by beautiful parklands that open out onto that famous stretch of sand, this alfresco-style restaurant and kiosk more than capitalises on its idyllic location - making it the perfect destination for a long lunch.

With a minimalist, white-washed aesthetic and laid-back, beach-friendly take on informal all-day dining (shoes optional) and concertina windows opening onto a decked terrace it's relaxed fine dining at its best.

1193 Barrenjoey Road, Palm Beach

Bathers’ Pavilion 

A beachside restaurant-slash-café-slash-bar, Bathers’ Pavilion is seemingly made for leisurely lunches with the girls. For a more casual affair, the café’s lunch menu offers Mediterranean-style food in a chic, yet colourful, setting.

The restaurant takes it up a notch for lunch with its French-inspired cuisine, degustation menu and extensive wine list. The best part is both venues come complete with uninterrupted views of Balmoral Beach and a cosy fireplace for the cooler months. 

4 The Esplanade, Mosman 

MISC.

Tucked away in Parramatta Park, MISC. is well-known in the area for offering the sought-after lunchtime trifecta: An Instagrammable space and sunny courtyard, incredible share-style menu and a drinks list you'll adore. 

While it's easy to load up on their famous puffy flatbread, don't miss out on other menu gems like a dry-aged ribeye. MISC.'s food is best enjoyed the way they've structured the menu: Order a bit of this, a bit of that; maybe a bit more and a bit on the side.

Little Coogee, Parramatta Park, Byrnes Avenue, Parramatta

Bobby's

Bobby's ticks all the long lunch boxes: delicious views, yummy and fresh food, killer cocktails and cute interiors. Start your catch-up with brioche prawn rolls, Cantabrian anchovies on toast and ocean trout crudo before moving on to some substantial Mediterranean plates that you'll love lingering over. As for drinks, the focus is on Mediterranean wines and light and fresh cocktails. 

6R The Esplanade, Cronulla  

Looking for more fun things to do in Sydney? The best lunch in Sydney is just the start. From bottomless brunches to cute date night venues, our city has endless inspiration.