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Standout Hatted Restaurants in Sydney to Book a Table At
From local legends to unlikely culinary heroes, these are the hatted restaurants in Sydney we can't get enough of.
The best hatted restaurants in Sydney, as rated by the Good Food Guide 2026, range from three-hatted Saint Peter’s seafood in Paddington and Sixpenny’s seasonal tasting menu in Stanmore, to harbourside two-hatters Bennelong at the Opera House and Bathers’ Pavilion in Mosman. At one hat, Balmain’s 1857 pub The Dry Dock, Surry Hills’ Japanese-Italian Itō and the 10-seat bar at Restaurant Ka in Darlinghurst prove a hat isn’t all white tablecloths.
For chefs and restaurants, getting a ‘hat’ is the highest honour, and means they’ve ticked all the boxes with considerations including ingredients, taste, presentation, technique, value, and consistency. So, for food with all the frills, tip your hat to this edit of our favourite award-winning, hatted restaurants in Sydney. Which ones will you be booking?
In This Guide:
Hatted Restaurants in Sydney: Editor’s Pick
The Dry Dock
Balmain’s oldest pub got its first hat in 2025, and honestly, it feels overdue. The Dry Dock is a gorgeous, heritage-listed 1857 pub that reopened in 2023 after a two-year renovation and has been quietly collecting accolades ever since. It won Pub of the Year 2025 and was given three glasses at the Australian Wine List of the Year Awards two years running in 2024 and 2025.
Head chef Ben Sitton runs an a la carte dining room anchored by a Josper charcoal grill, which gives many of the dishes a deliciously smoky flavour. The steak frites is a regular crowd favourite and the salt cod croquettes are worth ordering every time. Save room for the Valrhona chocolate cake with vanilla crème anglaise, which has become something of a signature for good reason.
Sitchu Tip: Take the ferry to Balmain and make a real night of it. Then, kick off with a low-key drink in the public bar before moving through to the dining room proper.
Suburb: Balmain
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Gastropub
Best For: Date night, Wine lovers, Locals, Weekend plans
Hats: 1 (Good Food Guide 2026)
Hatted Restaurants in Sydney: Three Hats
Sixpenny
Helmed by Daniel Puskas and Anthony Schifilliti, Sixpenny has been awarded three Hats in 2026 and has retained this since 2019, thanks to its ever-changing modern Australian menu. Housed on a corner terrace near Stanmore station, Sixpenny oozes elegant dining with a cosy venue and innovative dishes. The ever-changing menu plays on seasonal produce, which keeps diners constantly intrigued. Enjoy masterful creations like potatoes with oysters and raw mushrooms or lamb rump with leek and caramelised pumpkin juice.
Suburb: Stanmore
Price Guide: $$$
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Best For: Special occasion, Date night, Weekend plans
Need To Know: A short walk from Stanmore station.
Hats: 3 (Good Food Guide 2026)
Saint Peter
Three-hatted Saint Peter has long been a favourite for Sydneysiders who love seafood. Owner and chef Josh Niland and his team let the produce speak for itself. You can dine a la carte but we recommend the tasting menu which will encourage you to try dishes you might not otherwise order.
Sitchu Tip: If you’re struggling to find a booking that works, consider popping into the bar for a Yellowfin tuna cheeseburger, some oysters and a very swish wine list.
Suburb: Paddington
Price Guide: $$$
Cuisine: Seafood
Best For: Special occasion, Date night, Wine lovers, Solo dining
Hats: 3 (Good Food Guide 2026)
Hatted Restaurants in Sydney: Two Hats
Bathers’ Pavilion Restaurant
This is coastal dining at some of its absolute best. Bathers Pavilion Restaurant is an institution within the Balmoral community and beyond and has been the backdrop for many, many special celebrations. Having retained 1 Hat for 16 years, the venue was awarded 2 Hats in 2025 and has retained that accolade for 2026.
Known for producing modern Australian dishes which really shine in both flavour and presentation, each plate bursts to life in a culinary celebration of seasonal produce. Naturally, the restaurant is arguably best known for its seafood, so the Sydney rock oysters and raw yellowfin tuna tart are a must-try. Pair that with a bottle from the 350-strong wine list, and you’ve got yourself a memorable evening.
Suburb: Mosman
Price Guide: $$$
Cuisine: Modern Australian, Seafood
Best For: Special occasion, Waterfront, Wine lovers, Date night
Hats: 2 (Good Food Guide 2026)
Aalia
Prepare for your experience of Middle Eastern food to be forever altered. The flavours coming from this unassuming two-hatted restaurant are nothing short of impeccable. Located in the centre of Martin Place, the experience at Aalia is a breeze from the get-go with a relaxed, modern and elegant dining room that fuses indoors with out.
Executive Chef Paul Farag’s menu incorporates flavours from his travels in the Middle East and North Africa, resulting in dishes you won’t find elsewhere. Start with a handful of raw dishes, move into mezze, mains and sides and do not leave without dessert. To top it off, the staff here are exceptionally well-informed and friendly to boot.
Suburb: CBD
Price Guide: $$$
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Best For: Special occasion, Business lunch, Group dining, Date night
Hats: 2 (Good Food Guide 2026)
Ester
With polished concrete arches and lights hanging from the ceiling, Ester is just the right backdrop for a flavoursome feast. Ester’s fare is honest and wholesome, but that doesn’t mean it lacks complexity. Seasonal Australian flavours and unique international influences are woven throughout the menu with ingredients like finger lime, black garlic, macadamia and sake making regular appearances. The woodfire oven is also in frequent use, which adds a further element to the layers of intrigue within each dish.
Suburb: Chippendale
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Best For: Group dining, Date night, Locals
Hats: 2 (Good Food Guide 2026)
Aria
This two-hatted stalwart delivers ‘haute cuisine’ with 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.
Suburb: CBD
Price Guide: $$$
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Best For: Special occasion, Business lunch, Date night
Hats: 2 (Good Food Guide 2026)
Bennelong
Bennelong is one of Sydney’s most picturesque fine dining experiences. It’s set within the iconic sails of the Sydney Opera House, taking full advantage of its multi-level layout ensuring that every patron takes in a full view. Much like its landmark surroundings, the menu is aptly Australian, championing local produce and wine throughout.
Suburb: CBD
Price Guide: $$$
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Best For: Special occasion, Waterfront, Date night, Wine lovers
Hats: 2 (Good Food Guide 2026)
Hatted Restaurants in Sydney: One Hat
Mister Grotto
From the talent behind Continental Deli, Mister Grotto is so impeccable that they’ve managed to score a hat within their first year. The intimate 30-seat seafood bar has a seasonal menu that shifts daily, depending on the day’s catch. Freshly shucked oysters, charcoal-grilled fish and a raw bar are just some of the delights diners have to look forward to. Don’t even get us started on the elevated fisherman core interiors.
Suburb: Newtown
Price Guide: $$$
Cuisine: Seafood
Best For: Date night, Locals, Solo dining
Need To Know: An intimate 30-seat venue with a menu that changes daily depending on the catch.
Hats: 1 (Good Food Guide 2026)
White Horse
White Horse has secured the recognition it deserves with a hat for the second year in a row. Somehow managing the near impossible feat of creating a multi-space venue (we’re talking public bar, garden terrace and restaurant) that feels intimate and warm, this restaurant nails a luxe for less approach. The modern Aussie menu with a French twist covers off all manner of creative dishes — think creamed warrigal greens, a beetroot mille-feuille with muntries and native thyme and veal tongue French toast. The same theme can be found woven throughout the deceptively simple yet incredibly delicious cocktail menu. A 100-strong wine list rounds out the offering for the oenophiles.
Suburb: Surry Hills
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Modern Australian, French
Best For: Date night, Cocktail lovers, Wine lovers, Outdoor dining, Group dining
Need To Know: Three spaces to choose from: public bar, garden terrace and restaurant.
Hats: 1 (Good Food Guide 2026)
Cibaria Manly
An all-day Italian dining destination Cibaria Manly takes guests from their morning espresso at the caffetteria to gelato at the champagneria and all the way to a pasta feast at the spaghetteria. And behind it all? None other than celebrated restaurateurs Alessandro and Anna Pavoni of a’Mare and Ormeggio at the Spit. Having fast become a local favourite, we’re not surprised this glorious spot has received a hat after just one year.
This multi-venue Italian ‘piazza’ hosts a number of different spaces including a spaghetteria, a bisteccheria (where dishes are cooked over coals and embers) and a pasticceria full of Italian desserts. Other highlights include a gorgonzola trolley, lobster rolls and Nutella bombolone.
Suburb: Manly
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Italian
Best For: Breakfast, Group dining, Weekend plans, Locals
Need To Know: Open all day inside the Manly Pacific Hotel, from morning espresso through to dinner.
Hats: 1 (Good Food Guide 2026)
Tilda
Tilda has held a hat since 2024 and its modern Australian menu rests on two strengths: handcrafted pasta and seasonal seafood cooked over charcoal. Start with the bread and butter service, then build the meal around a bowl of pasta and something from the grill. Its CBD address makes it as easy for a business lunch as for date night.
Suburb: CBD
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Best For: Business lunch, Date night, Special occasion
Hats: 1 (Good Food Guide 2026)
20 Chapel
After scoring a hat in 2024, 20 Chapel has done well to retain it each subsequent year. With a custom-built wood fire grill, produce direct from Allison’s farm and an on-site aging room, you’re in for a culinary treat. You can expect a range of lesser-known cuts to grace your plate at 20 Chapel alongside local brews and negronis on tap (literally). Their bottomless brunch is one of the tastiest (and best value) in Sydney.
Suburb: Marrickville
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Steakhouse
Best For: Brunch, Group dining, Weekend plans, Locals
Need To Know: Bottomless brunch available.
Hats: 1 (Good Food Guide 2026)
Itō
Head Chef Erik Ortolani has combined his Italian heritage and passion for Japanese cooking to craft something truly unique. Dishes like yellowfin tuna served on bonito bread with shaved bottarga and Wagyu mafaldine paired with white shimeji and miso grace the menu and will give you a whole new appreciation for fusion cuisine.
Key to the Itō experience is the drinks menu which features Japanese inspired classic cocktails, a quirky selection of wines from Japan and an extensive sake selection. The pared back interiors with fun pops of colour set the scene for the fabulous night out. One of our favourites!
Suburb: Surry Hills
Price Guide: $$$
Cuisine: Japanese, Italian
Best For: Date night, Cocktail lovers, Wine lovers
Hats: 1 (Good Food Guide 2026)
Restaurant Ka
Every now and then you stumble across a restaurant that has you feeling like a regular from your first visit. Restaurant Ka is just that! Ka means family and that’s how you’re treated from the moment you walk in the door and sit yourself at the 10-seater bar. The casual yet elegant dining experience is not one you’re going to forget anytime soon. Chef Zac’s regularly rotating menu blends modern Australian, Cantonese and Japanese cuisine seamlessly and crafts dishes that are as unsuspecting as they are delicious. Even the palate cleanser and cheese course will catch you by surprise in the very best way. It’s little wonder they’ve maintained a hat since their first year of trading!
Suburb: Darlinghurst
Price Guide: $$$
Cuisine: Modern Australian, Chinese, Japanese
Best For: Date night, Solo dining, Locals
Need To Know: Seating is at a 10-seat bar.
Hats: 1 (Good Food Guide 2026)
Frequently Asked Questions about Sydney’s Best Hatted Restaurants
A hatted restaurant in Sydney is one awarded at least one hat by the Good Food Guide, published annually by Good Food and The Sydney Morning Herald. Hats are the Australian equivalent of Michelin stars, awarded after critics assess factors including ingredients, taste, presentation, technique, value and consistency. One hat signals excellent cooking, two hats place a restaurant among the city’s best, and three hats are reserved for a small group of benchmark dining rooms. In the Good Food Guide 2026, Sydney’s hatted restaurants range from three-hatted Saint Peter in Paddington to one-hatted heritage pub The Dry Dock in Balmain.
Three-hatted restaurants in Sydney include Saint Peter in Paddington and Sixpenny in Stanmore. Saint Peter, led by chef Josh Niland, is known for seafood-focused cooking and offers both a la carte dining and a tasting menu. Sixpenny, run by Daniel Puskas and Anthony Schifilliti from a corner terrace near Stanmore station, serves a modern Australian menu that changes constantly with seasonal produce. Three hats is the highest rating a restaurant can receive, so bookings at both are competitive and worth securing well ahead of your preferred date.
Yes, several hatted restaurants in Sydney offer a more accessible way in. Saint Peter in Paddington has a bar where you can order its Yellowfin tuna cheeseburger and oysters without committing to the full dining room. The Dry Dock in Balmain has a public bar alongside its hatted dining room, and its steak frites is a regular favourite. 20 Chapel in Marrickville runs one of Sydney’s best-value bottomless brunches, while White Horse in Surry Hills is known for a luxe-for-less approach across its bar, garden terrace and restaurant.
Several of Sydney’s hatted restaurants come with water views. Bennelong sits inside the sails of the Sydney Opera House, with a multi-level layout designed so every table takes in the view. Bathers’ Pavilion at Balmoral Beach in Mosman is a long-standing waterfront favourite known for its seafood and 350-strong wine list. Atelier by Sofitel, on Level 3 of Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour, offers a dining room overlooking Darling Harbour. Aria is also located steps from the Opera House on Macquarie Street, making it a strong choice for harbourside fine dining.
Booking ahead is strongly recommended at hatted restaurants in Sydney, particularly for weekend dinners and three-hatted venues such as Saint Peter and Sixpenny, where tables are in high demand. If you can’t secure a reservation, some venues offer alternatives. Saint Peter in Paddington has a bar serving oysters and its Yellowfin tuna cheeseburger, and The Dry Dock in Balmain has a public bar for a more casual drink before dinner. Smaller venues such as Restaurant Ka in Darlinghurst, with its 10-seat bar, fill quickly, so plan early.
There is no single answer, but Saint Peter in Paddington and Sixpenny in Stanmore sit at the top as three-hatted restaurants. Saint Peter is chef Josh Niland’s seafood-focused dining room, where the tasting menu is the best way to experience the kitchen. Sixpenny, run by Daniel Puskas and Anthony Schifilliti, serves a modern Australian menu that changes with the seasons. For something less formal, The Dry Dock in Balmain is our editor’s pick: a heritage-listed 1857 pub with a hatted dining room built around a Josper charcoal grill, with steak frites and salt cod croquettes among its standout dishes.
Bagged yourself a table at one of these hatted restaurants in Sydney and looking for something a little more lowkey? From edgy Chinese restaurants and unbeatable Italian eateries to group dining favourites and BYO gems, there are so many cool restaurants in Sydney to visit.
