Where to eat and drink near the Sydney Opera House

While Deux Frères means "two brothers" in French, don’t go off the name – this Circular Quay spot is a charming ode to the glorious pintxos bars dotted all over Basque Country. At Deux Freres, you’ll be able to get your hands on a bunch of both hot and cold small plates, starting from $6 a snack. Gildas, patatas bravas and truffle jamón with a glass of vermouth? Don't mind if we do.

Beauty and convenience don’t always go hand in hand, but Opera Bar is a glam exception to the rule. It manages to be both one of the most enviably located bars in the city as well as its most advantageous spot for a pre-show drink or snack. On the day you snag a seat facing the Harbour Bridge up on the raised promenade you should go buy a lottery ticket, because lady luck has smiled on you. 

Penelope's is found in the Quay Quarter Tower and boasts views of the Harbour Bridge. The open space is polished with velvety eggplant-purple and emerald-green seats and brass finishings. It’s by the chef and owner of Hello Auntie and Hey Chu, Cuong Nguyen. At Penelope’s, Nguyen wants to challenge stereotypes and make guests think about what ‘Australian cuisine’ should be. That looks like bakar chicken with garlic toum and turmeric and lemongrass sambal; a prawn cocktail with bush tomato Marie Rose sauce, charred witlof and nuoc cham; and pork and prawn ravioli with a brown butter and sage sauce, which is inspired by the classic wonton. And if you think that sounds yum, you’d be right.

There’s a lot of noise surrounding the battle between carnivores and vegans, especially online, but imagine if there was a place where we could eat side-by-side, in digestive harmony; in one plastic basket a classic Mary’s burger with fries, and next to it, an identical burger, only this free from any animal products? This dietary utopia is a reality thanks to Mary’s CQ, the ground floor burger bar found in Circular Quay.

The Harbour City has just welcomed a brand spanking new dining precinct with the opening of Sydney Place in Circular Quay, proving that the good times just keep on rolling. Boasting 15 hot new places to drink and dine, including cult bakery Lode Pies; lunchtime gods Kosta’s Takeaway; and Sydney institution Malay Chinese Noodles, Sydney Place is set to bring new life, excitement and buzz to the sparkling harbour area.

George Street stalwart Jacksons on George has finally reopened with a fresh look and ex Icebergs chef at the helm. The multi-level venue now sports a ground floor casual bar, a charming bistro, and an airy rooftop bar. Choose your fighter. 

Does it get any closer to the Opera House than dining under its sails? The thought “By God, this is a beautiful place to eat a meal,” is almost certain to strike at some point as you dine under the dominating, post-Brutalist arches of executive chef Peter Gilmore's restaurant inside the Opera House. And that’ll be before you even see the food. There are four ways to eat here: the restaurant downstairs; the cured and cultured section up a floor; and at the top, a bar and 'The Dress Circle' which has the best views in the whole restaurant.

Get mouth-watering chicken, a great drinks menu, vinyl tunes and party vibes at Belles Hot Chicken in Circular Quay. All of your Belles favourites are on offer: wings, drumsticks, tenders and even buffalo cauliflower. Each of those are available in the signature flavours: chicken salt, original, traveller, hot and really f**kin hot. You better bring a fire extinguisher. There are also Nashville-style chicken sandwiches, tasty sides, and "heaving share plates" for those coming in a group.

Le Foote is the rocking Parisian wine bar and Mediterranean restaurant housed in the former Phillip’s Foote restaurant in The Rocks. It's from the Swillhouse crew (Hubert, Alberto’s Lounge, Shady Pines and (RIP) Frankie's Pizza) and we reckon they've kicked it out of the park. Hot tip: if you don't have a booking for the formal dining room, nab a seat in the bar, and be sure to order the fish sandwich. Or, stroll on out to the courtyard and pretend you're somewhere in Europe. 

In the basement of a heritage warehouse in Sydney’s CBD you’ll find a Sicilian-inspired cocktail bar named for the ill-fated wife of Michael Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola's 1972 mobster masterpiece, The Godfather. Dimly lit and dramatic as the movie itself, Apollonia is, by sheer geography alone, a triumph. Carved into the sandstone bedrock of Customs House, the hand-chipped, 150-year-old walls have been ambitiously transported to the 21st century, with accents of marble bars, deeply stained wooden finishes, mismatched tiles and red leather banquette seating