These Are the Sydney Restaurants and Cafes Reopening for Dine-In Service from May 15
Pints and parmas are back on the table.
From Friday, May 15, New South Wales eased a number of coronavirus-related restrictions. A selection of normal, everyday activities that have been off the cards since March are permissible once again — including, excitedly, dining in at restaurants, cafes, pubs and clubs, bars and even breweries (as long as liquor is served alongside food). Since late March, hospitality venues have only been allowed to open for takeaway and delivery, butnow they're allowed up to ten customers inside at any one time, with a maximum of one person per four square metres. You'll need to keep 1.5 metres between yourself and other guests and regularly wash your hands, too. While reopening for just ten customers isn't financially viable for all eateries, some have decided to take the plunge. Some spots are walk-in (expect socially distant lines), some are bookings-only and some are just for private events — so check before heading in.
For more information about social distancing guidelines and the status of COVID-19, head to NSW Health website.
Image: Don't Tell Aunty
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RestaurantKuro
368 Kent Street, Sydney
A hatted Japanese bar and restaurant inside a historic CBD sandstone building.
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BarThe Paddington
380 Oxford Street, Paddington
The Oxford Street pub has all the Merivale calling cards: great food, consistent service and constant flow of thirsty patrons.
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RestaurantSonora Mexican
37 Bayswater Rd, Potts Point
Wagyu burritos, handmade tortillas and lots of mezcal in Potts Point.
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RestaurantBush
55 George Street, Redfern
This Redfern Australiana-inspired restaurant features top-notch burgers and fairy bread pudding.
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RestaurantTequila Mockingbird
6 Heeley Street, Paddington
A Paddington terrace filled with tequila and tasty Latin American morsels.
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BarEau De Vie
285 George Street, Sydney
Once 13th on the World's 50 Best Bars list, Eau de Vie's second iteration features inventive takes of espresso martinis and old fashioneds.
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BarDear Sainte Éloise
5/29 Orwell Street, Potts Point
Snack on mussels on toast and choose from over 350 wines at this Potts Point bar.
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BarCoogee Wine Room
222 Coogee Bay Road, Coogee
This wine bar is pouring 400 wines just one block from the beach.
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BarBibo Wine Bar
7 Bay Street, Double Bay
Double Bay gains another quality vino spot, helmed by an ex-bibo wine bar - sydney head chef.
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RestaurantRagazzi Wine and Pasta
2-12 Angel Place, Sydney
A CBD wine and pasta bar from the Love, Tilly Devine crew.
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RestaurantRestaurant Hubert
15 Bligh Street, Sydney
High-class French food in a subterranean space on Bligh Street, where the steak is the stuff of legend.
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RestaurantPoly
74-76 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills
The Ester team's still-very-elegant take on a casual restaurant and wine bar.
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BarLove, Tilly Devine
91 Crown Lane, Darlinghurst
One of Sydney's first small bars, this Darlinghurst wine bar never gets old.
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RestaurantMr. Wong
3 Bridge Lane, Sydney
A classic CBD eatery loved for its dim sim, mud crab and vintage setting.
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BarGolden Age Cinema and Bar
Paramount House, 80 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills
This revamped screening room and small bar brings a little old-school charm to a night at the movies.
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RestaurantNilgiri's
Shop 3, 283 Military Road, Cremorne
A long-running lower north shore favourite.
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CafeOh My Days
99 Glebe Point Road, Glebe
A cafe in Glebe baking 'buttery' vegan croissants and pastries.
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BarLa Palma - CLOSED
75-79 Hall Street, Bondi Beach
Head to the leafy courtyard, order a daiquiri and devour a plate of jerk chicken.
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RestaurantPizza Fritta 180
628A Crown Street, Surry Hills
Order calzone-like pizza frittas filled with pork cheek and burrata-topped pies from this Surry Hills restaurant dedicated to fried pizza.
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RestaurantDOC Sydney
78 Campbell Street, Surry Hills
You'll find crisp pizzas made with top-notch Italian ingredients and lots of cheese on Campbell Street.
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CafeGram Cafe & Pancakes Chatswood
436 Victoria Avenue, Chatswood
Try fluffy soufflé pancakes at the Chatswood outpost of this Japanese cult-favourite.
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CafeCadenza Floral Cafe
211 Pacific Highway, North Sydney
A North Sydney cafe serving up extravagant Korean brunch fare in a preserved flower store.
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BarNakano Darling
14 Steam Mill Lane, Haymarket
This Haymarket izakaya serves up highballs and free karaage chicken during happy hour.
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RestaurantTokki
44a Foveaux Street, Surry Hills
This Surry Hills izakaya combines Korean and Japanese flavours with minimal-intervention Aussie wines.
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BarBitter Phew
137 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst
Craft beer bar upstairs, natural wine bar downstairs.
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CafeThe Boatshed La Perouse
1609 Anzac Parade, La Perouse
Go for a dip then down oysters a plenty at this beachside cafe in La Perouse.
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RestaurantFlying Tong
99 Enmore Road, Newtown
Newtown's BYO go-to for authentic Korean fried chicken and bibimbap from a family recipe.
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RestaurantThirsty Bird Newtown - CLOSED
226 King Street, Newtown
Sweet potato waffle fries, craft brews and some of Sydney's best fried chicken.
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RestaurantCiccia Bella Italian Osteria - CLOSED
75-79 Hall Street, Bondi Beach
A fun Italian restaurant in Bondi by Acme's Mitch Orr and Icebergs' Maurice Terzini.
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BarUncle Kurt's - CLOSED
Beneath City Centre Carpark, Horwood Place , Parramatta
You'll find Parramatta's first small bar hidden away in a non-descript car park.
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BarIsabel - CLOSED
180-186 Campbell Parade, Bondi
Head to this Bondi izakaya for skewers of baby octopus and wagyu and cocktails made with finger lime, pickled cabbage and burnt miso.
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BarThe Cumberland
17–19 Central Avenue, Manly
This Manly cocktail bar is hidden behind a fridge — with 250 different whiskies, creative cocktails and plenty of snacks.
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CafeAuvers Cafe Darling Square
12 Nicolle Walk, Haymarket
A Rhodes favourite comes to the CBD with the same arty aesthetic and creative cafe fare.
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CafeThe Fenwick
2–8 Weston Street, Balmain East
Balmain's historic Fenwick building is now a harbourside cafe and gallery space.
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RestaurantDimitri's Pizzeria
215 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst
The beloved inner-city pizza joint has huge new digs on Oxford Street — and the pizza is the best it has ever been.
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BarPrince of York - CLOSED
18 York Street, Sydney
At this multi-level CBD venue you can start with bone marrow toasties and naturally fermented prosecco for dinner, then head downstairs to dance on tables under a disco ball.
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RestaurantFranca Brasserie
Shop 2/81 Macleay Street, Potts Point
Potts Point's elegant French bistro with steak frites, whole rock lobster and 250 wines.
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RestaurantHo Jiak
92 Hay St, Haymarket
This Penang-style spot serves up some of the best laksa in town.
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BarThe Sausage Factory - CLOSED
380 New Canterbury Road, Dulwich Hill
Australia's first sausage cellar door also brews its own native ingredient-spiked beer.
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RestaurantPeppe's - CLOSED
261 Bondi Road, Bondi
Bondi's all-vegan gnocchi bar by the Paperbark team.
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BarGolden Gully - CLOSED
153 Norton Street, Leichhardt
Leichhardt's new neighbourhood bar with an all-vegetarian menu.
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RestaurantNeptunes
87 The Grand Parade, Brighton-Le-Sands
Brighton Le Sands' stalwart all-day eatery has had a multimillion-dollar revamp.
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RestaurantBella Brutta
135 King Street, Newtown
A Newtown pizza joint from the minds behind LP's and Porteño.
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RestaurantContinental Deli Bar Bistro CBD
167 Phillip Street, Sydney
A shrine of cocktails, charcuterie and canned stuff in the CBD.
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RestaurantSang by Mabasa
98 Fitzroy Street, Surry Hills
Artfully plated, delicate Korean fare in a quiet corner of Surry Hills.
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CafeEdition Haymarket
60 Darling Drive, Haymarket
Pair quality cuppas with innovative, Japanese-inspired brekkies at this inner city cafe.
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RestaurantI Maccheroni
3 Jersey Road, Woollahra
Authentic Italian fare from an ex-10 William Street chef in Woollahra.
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RestaurantLankan Filling Station
58 Riley Street, East Sydney
O Tama Carey's iconic Sri Lankan hopper eatery.
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RestaurantApera - CLOSED
Castlecrag Quadrangle Shopping Village, 100 Edinburgh Road, Castlecrag
This impressive Castlecrag restaurant heroes quality Australian produce from the house-made vermouth through to the red gum-roasted dessert.
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CafeA1 Canteen - CLOSED
Ground Floor, The Old Rum Store, 10 Kensington Street, Chippendale
Clayton Wells' diner doles out an all-day offering, from breakfast doughnuts to lamb shoulders and batched cocktails.
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RestaurantBarbetta
2 Elizabeth Street , Paddington
Drop in for cannoli pancakes, a porchetta panini or a pasta making class.
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RestaurantCarbon Mexican
288 Bondi Road, Bondi
This hacienda-inspired restaurant has taken over the old Rum Diaries space.
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RestaurantMark + Vinny's
38-52 Waterloo Street, Surry Hills
It's not all about neon spaghetti at this vegan-friendly restaurant.
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RestaurantBrick Lane
75 Stanley Street, Darlinghurst
Contemporary Indian fare and some of the best meal deals you'll find in Sydney.
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BarMarta Osteria
30 McLachlan Avenue, Rushcutters Bay
A Roman osteria and bar from the team behind Popolo.
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BarWings and Tins
2 Chapel Street, Darlinghurst
Buffalo wings and cans reign supreme at this Darlinghurst bar.
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RestaurantLoLuk Bistro - CLOSED
411 Bourke Street, Surry Hills
A quaint Provençal bistro on Bourke Street.
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BarHandpicked Cellar Door
50 Kensington Street, Sydney
Chippendale's wine and cheese haven (and they deliver).
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RestaurantDown N' Out Sydney - CLOSED
77/A Liverpool Street, Sydney
Sydney's In-N-Out-inspired burgers have found a permanent home inside a CBD pub.
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BarThe Warren View Hotel
2 Stanmore Road, Enmore
A great neighbourhood pub with one of the best kept secret gardens in the area.
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RestaurantZushi Barangaroo
33 Barangaroo Avenue, Barangaroo
The Sydney sushi masters' third offering brings their acclaimed offering to Barangaroo.
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BarBar M (Formerly Bar Machiavelli)
10 Neild Avenue, Rushcutters Bay
A massive Italian eatery from the CBD establishment Machiavelli Ristorante.
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BarBar Ume - CLOSED
478 Bourke Street, Surry Hills
Bourke Street's Ume has gone casual with burgers and a sizeable whisky and sake selection.
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RestaurantStanbuli - CLOSED
135 Enmore Road, Enmore
The Porteño team pulls off a menu modelled on the meyhanes of Turkey.
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CafeSingle O Surry Hills
60–64 Reservoir Street, Surry Hills
This Surry Hills coffee stalwart now has self-serve filter on tap.
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CafeBlackwood Pantry
33 Surf Lane, Cronulla
Hearty cafe fare made by a chef with Michelin star training.
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CafeSample Coffee Pro Shop
75 Mary Street, St Peters
Sample the world's best coffee without leaving St Peters.
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RestaurantMaybe Frank - CLOSED
421 Bourke Street, Surry Hills
Your new Surry Hills go-to for everything from caprioskas to capricciosas.
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BarContinental Deli Bar Bistro
210 Australia Street, Newtown
Where drinking cocktails gets that much better because they're served in cans.
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CafeMecca Alexandria
2/26 Bourke Road, Alexandria
Where Darkhorse blend is roasted out back, brewed out front and sometimes comes fizzy from a tap.
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BarChester White Cured Diner
3 Orwell Street, Potts Point
Dig into moreish cured meats, cheese-wheel cacio e pepe and braised beef cheeks at this charming converted cottage.
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CafeParamount Coffee Project
Paramount House, 80 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills
Paramount to those that surround it, this Surry Hills cafe does ripper coffee and fabulous food.
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BarLazybones Lounge
Level 2, 294 Marrickville Road, Marrickville
This cosy jazz bar keeps the inner west party going late into the night.
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RestaurantEfendy - CLOSED
79 Elliott Street, Balmain
Turkish food icon Somer Sivrioglu offers both casual meze and a formal Turkish feast in Balmain.
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CafeFour Ate Five
485 Crown Street, Surry Hills
Yes, on the weekends you'll be hard pressed to bag a seat straightaway, but it's definitely worth waiting it out.
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CafeReuben Hills
61 Albion Street, Surry Hills
A cafe that encapsulates the slick inner city vibe of Surry Hills with its seriously good coffee roasts.
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