17 mid-range rooms in Sydney, editor-picked. the comfortable everyday-good rooms in Sydney — no surprise on the bill, real cooking. All Sydney food.
Bella Brutta ★ 4.5
newtown · 135 King Street, Newtown NSW 2042
Sicilian-leaning pizza on King Street, Newtown, Sydney. Long fermented dough, tinned-fish toppings, a list of negronis and aperitivos. Open Tue-Sun.
Chaco Bar ★ 4.5
potts-point · 186 Victoria Street, Potts Point NSW 2011
Yakitori counter on Victoria Street, Potts Point, Sydney. Chicken skewers cooked over binchotan, ramen at lunch, sake and Japanese whisky list.
Ho Jiak Haymarket ★ 4.5
haymarket · Shop 6, 87-93 Hay Street, Haymarket NSW 2000
Junda Khoo's Malaysian flagship in Haymarket, Sydney. Nasi lemak, char kway teow and curry laksa on the menu; the Strathfield original opened in 2017.
Chat Thai Haymarket ★ 4.5
haymarket · Shop 1, 20 Campbell Street, Haymarket NSW 2000
Amy Chanta's flagship Thai room on Campbell Street, Haymarket, Sydney. Boat noodles, Bangkok-style street snacks and the Thai dessert counter at the front.
Olympic Meats ★ 4.5
marrickville · 176 Marrickville Road, Marrickville NSW 2204
No-frills Greek grill on Marrickville Road, Sydney. Walk-in only, BYO, nothing over A$21 on the menu, and a long queue of locals from 5pm every night.
Ho Jiak Strathfield ★ 4.5
strathfield · Shop 4, 19 The Boulevarde, Strathfield NSW 2135
The original Ho Jiak on The Boulevarde, Strathfield, Sydney. Junda Khoo's Malaysian menu of nasi lemak, char kway teow and hawker-style noodle dishes.
Mamak ★ 4.5
haymarket · 15 Goulburn Street, Haymarket NSW 2000
Late-night Malaysian on Goulburn Street, Haymarket, Sydney. Roti canai, satay and char kway teow; open daily 11:30am-2am Friday and Saturday.
Tip: No bookings; the queue outside is part of the ritual.
Bills Darlinghurst ★ 4.5
darlinghurst · 433 Liverpool Street, Darlinghurst NSW 2010
Bill Granger's original Bills on Liverpool Street, Darlinghurst, Sydney since 1993. The ricotta hotcakes with honeycomb butter went global from this counter.
Tip: Walk-ins only; arrive before 9am to skip the weekend wait.
10 William Street ★ 4.5
paddington · 10 William Street, Paddington NSW 2021
Italian-leaning wine bar on William Street, Paddington, Sydney. Antipasti, daily pasta, the city's first natural-wine bar by-the-glass list since 2010.
Tip: Limited bar stools; arrive early or settle for the bench seats outside.
Kepos Street Kitchen ★ 4.4
redfern · 96 Kepos Street, Redfern NSW 2016
Modern Middle Eastern cafe on Kepos Street, Redfern, Sydney. Chef Michael Rantissi's shakshuka for breakfast, mezze plates and lamb shawarma at dinner.
Tip: Daytime walk-ins, evening bookings; the Friday set menu is a sleeper hit.
Icebergs Cafe ★ 4.3
bondi · 1 Notts Avenue, Bondi Beach NSW 2026
Casual sibling cafe of Icebergs Dining Room on Notts Avenue, Bondi Beach, Sydney. Italian small plates, Bondi pool view, walk-ins from morning.
Tip: Cafe operates separately from the dining room; bookings are for the upstairs room only.
North Bondi Fish ★ 4.3
bondi · 120 Ramsgate Avenue, North Bondi NSW 2026
Beach-side seafood diner above North Bondi's Ramsgate Avenue, Sydney. Fish and chips, oysters, salt-and-pepper squid, walk-in courtyard tables most days.
Tip: No bookings; the upstairs terrace is the prize at sunset.
Izakaya Fujiyama ★ 4.3
newtown · 317 King Street, Newtown NSW 2042
Japanese izakaya on King Street, Newtown, Sydney. Yakitori from binchotan, tonkotsu ramen, sake-and-highball list, late-night walk-in tables.
Tip: Open till midnight Fridays and Saturdays.
Jasmin Lebanese Restaurant ★ 4.3
lakemba · 30B Haldon Street, Lakemba NSW 2195
Long-running Lebanese family-run restaurant on Haldon Street, Lakemba, Sydney. Mezze, mixed grills, halal-certified, generous family-style service.
Tip: Cash-friendly; the Ramadan late-night service is famous in Sydney.
Kid Kyoto ★ 4.3
cbd · 17-19 Bridge Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Late-night izakaya on Bridge Street, Sydney CBD. Wagyu tartare, sake-driven cocktails, dark room with a constant playlist of 80s J-pop classics.
Tip: Bar walk-ins after 9pm; kitchen open till midnight Friday and Saturday.
Mary's ★ 4.3
newtown · 6 Mary Street, Newtown NSW 2042
Mary's pub burger on Mary Street, Newtown, Sydney. Cheeseburgers, fried chicken and mac and cheese in a former church-turned-rock-bar. Daily till late.
Tip: Loud room; sit upstairs if you want conversation.
Corner 75 ★ 4.3
randwick · 75 Frenchmans Road, Randwick NSW 2031
Hungarian neighbourhood diner on Belmore Road, Randwick, Sydney. Cabbage rolls, goulash by the bowl and a long beer list; Tue-Sun breakfast and lunch.
Tip: Limited tables; book ahead for Friday and Saturday dinner.