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Subscribe The Best New Restaurants in Sydney 2026
A new year brings a fresh wave of restaurants raising the bar across Sydney’s dining scene. From polished dining rooms to laidback locals, these openings are already earning a place on our must-visit list for 2026.
If 2025 proved anything, it’s that Sydney’s dining scene isn’t done surprising us. 2026 is already shaping up to be just as exciting, with every month seemingly bringing a new opening and giving us even more reasons to book that table, order that dessert and stay out a little longer.
From intimate neighbourhood spots to big, splashy arrivals worth planning a night around, these are the restaurants setting the tone for the year ahead. Whether you’re chasing a new date-night favourite or your next group-dining go-to, this edit of Sydney’s best new restaurants for 2026 is the place to kick things off.
Best New Restaurants in Sydney: Coming Soon
The James
Opening at The Langham in late February, The James marks SRG Hospitality’s debut into luxury hotels, celebrating the group’s 25th year with a contemporary British dining room. Led by Head Chef Sam Tuchband, the menu reimagines British comfort classics through a modern Australian lens — think tableside Wagyu Beef Wellington, spanner crab Waldorf and a sticky toffee pudding soufflé. Anchored in Old World wines (with a nod to English sparkling) and wrapped in a boldly designed, theatrical interior, The James is poised to become one of Sydney’s most polished new opening of the year.
89–113 Kent Street, Millers Point, Sydney NSW Australia
Sahtein
Opening in The Rocks on February 12th, Sahtein is a Lebanese restaurant grounded in the everyday cooking of Beirut. Led by Executive Chef Mike Flood alongside Head Chef Rifat Katranci, the menu focuses on wood-fired and charcoal-grilled dishes, generous mezze and classic plates designed for sharing. Expect familiar flavours done well, from kibbeh nayeh and balila to charcoal-grilled wagyu skewers and slow-cooked lamb neck, served in a relaxed, welcoming space made for laidback lunches and lively dinners.
Darling Glebe
Set to open in February, Darling Glebe will see the legendary Darling Mills site reborn as a moody subterranean brasserie with a touch of French flair. Chef Jeff Schroeter, whose résumé spans The Savoy London, New York’s Royalton and Sydney favourites like Bistro Moncur, returns to the storied Glebe Point Road space with a venue that blends European polish, NYC edge and plenty of late-night martini energy. Expect original sandstone, vaulted ceilings and a mix of dining zones, from the main room to an intimate private cellar.
The headline act is a French omakase-style chef’s table, personally hosted by Schroeter, alongside a dedicated martini bar curated by award-winning bartender Charlie Ainsbury. We’re excited for this one!
134A Glebe Point Rd, Glebe NSW 2037
Spezia
Florence Guild, the team behind hatted Melbourne restaurant Freyja, is bringing its first Sydney venue to The Lands by Capella. Spezia will be an open-air Italian concept with a hidden courtyard, 130 seats and a piazza-inspired energy.
Michelin-starred chef Jae Bang, alongside head chef Aaron Caccia, will serve up classic Italian dishes with subtle Silk Road spice twists (think cavatelli with zucchini and pink peppercorn, tiramisu with allspice and an elegant saffron martini). The space will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, offering a heady dose of Italian city charm right within the heart of Sydney.
Coming April 2026
2 Gresham Street, Sydney, NSW 2000
Da Orazio Trattoria
The Rushcutters Bay site which has previously housed Marta Osteria and Popolo will open its doors as a new venue in 2026. Led by Italian chef Orazio D’Elia, the restaurant (named Da Orazio Trattoria) is an homage to the trattorias of central and southern Italy, focusing on dishes inspired by D’Elia’s heritage, travels, and Italian summers.
“La cucina Italiana is a symbol of simplicity,” he said in a statement. “It’s about letting the ingredients speak for themselves and cooking them the way they’re meant to be. Every dish should tell a story. Trattoria’s have always preserved family recipes, and that’s what I want to do here.”
In addition to normal service, the venue will also host weekend Da Orazio Pasticceria pop-ups, offering a rotating selection of traditional Italian dolci.
Da Orazio Trattoria joins D’Elia’s other venues, Da Orazio in Bondi and Da Orazio Pasticceria in Alexandria. It is slated to open in March 2026.
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