The best waterfront restaurants in Sydney

Is there a better seat in Sydney for lunch than Icebergs Dining Room and Bar? Yes, flash-diner Quay is up there, and so too is Bennelong in Sydney's favourite house. But when the sun is shining, we want to be at Icebergs, living the life of the rich and famous, albeit for a few sun-soaked, sea salt-sprayed glorious hours. Sure, those million-dollar views will cost you, but we can't take cash to our graves, can we?

If you can't afford to have a top chef come to your home and cook the kind of aspirationally fresh, local and elegant fare you normally see on cooking shows, the next best thing is going out for dinner at Sean's Panaroma. This little beachfront restaurant may look like a coastal café but it has the heart of a fine diner. 

This spot is tucked away right around the bend from beautiful Manly Beach – and trust us when we say it's well worth the scenic walk. Come for brekkie, lunch or dinner, but whatever you do, just come. Us? We'll be there at sunset, with an Aperol in hand.

If a long, boozy lunch is what you're after, one where wine is poured with a smile, dishes appear and disappear like magic, and you forget about the time, Bathers' Pavilion is your spot. And with views that good, why would anyone be in a hurry?

Restaurant and bar St Siandra bring year-round summer vibes to Mosman; so much so that the Mediterranean-inspired venue is situated on a white-sand private beach (yes, really), overlooking the turquoise waters of the Spit. Spend the afternoon watching yachts glide by with spritzes on tap, and eating seafood prepared by head chef Sam McCallum (formerly of two-hatted Nomad). How's that for la bella vita?

Berowra Waters Inn is special. You can feel it as you approach the restaurant by water, surrounded by bushland and singing birds, jumping fish and the odd bullshark. There is no other restaurant like this in Sydney.

Mimi’s, like it’s northern sibling Bert’s in Newport, is a thing of beauty. It takes up the majority of the second floor of the Coogee Pavilion and you will not look out of place if you get your hair done just to eat dinner here. Repurpose a wad of cash from your future travel funds and use it to treat yourself here instead.

“By God, this is a beautiful place to eat a meal.” The thought 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 sails. And that’ll be before you even see the food.

Owners House Made Hospitality (also Apollonia, Lana) have bagged one of the most iconic venues in town. The heritage-listed Bondi Pavilion, which has stood since the establishment of municipal surf sheds on the site in 1911, is fresh from a multi-million-dollar restoration, which thankfully maintains its recognisable Spanish-style roofing and archways. Its sprawling 900-square-metre spot at the beach’s centrepoint gives Promenade Bondi Beach an unrivalled location and makes it the largest beachside restaurant in Australia.

Long time locals Adam and Kylie Micola have always dreamed of opening up a seafood restaurant right on Cronulla Beach. And when the perfect sight became available on the south end of Cronulla’s Esplanade – one that’s literally a shell’s throw from the sand – they knew they had to snap it up. Enter Bobby’s – a breezy, Mediterranean-leaning and seafood-championing café, restaurant and bar named after Micola’s dad.

Lunch at Bert’s is as close as we can ever get to actually living the jazz age in all its glory. There’s not a dining room that compares to the soft-focus beauty that Merivale have achieved in the final instalment of the Newport’s renewal. Now although we can’t afford the $2 million price tag on a Newport residence, an afternoon of café society luxury can be yours, and it’s not as expensive as you might think to get it. Of course, it’s not cheap either – it costs money to create the illusion that you’ve gone back in time and risen several social classes. But hey, it’s very worth it. 

Combine panoramic water views (bonus points for additional city skyline), seafood, fresh pasta, a sunny deck and a cheeky bevvy and the result is the Platonic ideal of a perfect Sydney day. And it’s an accessible reality at Manly Pavilion. The dining room housed in the 1930's bathing pavilion facing Manly Cove and looking out to the heads and all the way back to the CBD skyscrapers, could not be better located if it tried. It’s also one of the first places you pass if you’re trekking from the Spit along the coastal walk – we can think of worse places to refuel.

Why not heat peak Sydney with seaside seafood from Cirrus, the fourth venue from culinary kingpins Brent Savage and Nick Hildebrandt? Their trophy cabinet is already chockers thanks to Monopole, Bentley and Yellow, but the collection wanted an aquatic addition. When NOMA moved out, Savage and Hildebrandt moved in and built something Sydney was sorely lacking.

With grid-worthy views, a sparkling ocean and fresh share plates, does it get much better than Ripples Chowder Bay? This Mosman restaurant has been loved by locals and tourists alike for years – and after a visit here you'll soon see why.

A seaplane departure lounge may not be your first port of call when you’re looking to book in a long lunch in Sydney’s east – but then again, Quay sits above Circular Quay’s Overseas Passenger Terminal so why shouldn’t Lyne Park’s Empire Lounge be a lunch spot worth its salt, too? For views out over the glittering waters of Rose Bay, this glass-walled eatery jutting out over the water affords you the most fresh seafood and stunning views.

Dining at Aria will make you fall back in love with Sydney. Sure, she may have wronged you in the past (house prices, transport woes) but in the warm light of this dining room, you’ll take back every bad word you’ve ever said about her. The only thing between you and the gentle glow of the Sydney Opera House is this romantic alchemy forged by the floor-to-ceiling glass.

The first thing that hits you when you visit Pilu, the only Sardinian restaurant in Sydney, is the glorious view. It's built in a huge old weatherboard house looking out over the beach at Freshwater. In winter, catch the whales migrating. In summer, watch as locals take to the sea. Make sure to order ahead for the incredible platter of golden, crisp-skinned suckling pig and rosemary potatoes, brought to you by the much loved chef Giovanni Pilu. 

Make the most of Sydney's sunshine at waterfront spot, Pier Bar, which opened with a splash in September. Located smack-bang on the water along the historic Pier One in Walsh Bay, Pier Bar offers gorgeous views of Sydney Harbour plus a prime spot to watch the flaming orange sunset with a cocktail in hand. Drawing inspiration from the rich marine history of Pier One – which was built in 1912 as a seafood and entertainment heaven – Pier Bar serves fruity cocktails and seafood as fresh as if it were just plucked from the sea.

Outside on the street, away from the Star, Pyrmont feels like a bit of a No Man’s Land for a fancy dinner out. But that was until LuMi Bar and Dining came along, the restaurant from ex-head chef of Ormeggio at the Spit, Federico Zanellato. It’s right on the wharf opposite the casino, and because of its positioning and huge glass walls, it feels as if you’re floating on the harbour, surrounded as you are by water. 

This waterfront destination offers incontrovertible proof that you don’t need eggs, cheese and meat to make stylish Italian fare pop – they offer full vegan and veggo menus alongside the usual suspects. With its bustling crowds and postcard-worthy location, Otto is the ultimate spot for a very Sydney long lunch.

Lola's Italian and Bar is a sexy seaside Mediterranean diner that's perfect for every ocassion. Bondi and Mediterranean food isn't exactly reinventing the wheel but this classy and moody restaurant by the Fratelli Paradiso team raises the bar, with incredible views to match.

Often it’s great food that a restaurant has going for it. And other times, it’s all about the location and the view. And every now and then you stumble upon a spot that combines the best of both – and the result is pretty magical. Enter Kingsleys Woolloomooloo, a steak and seafood restaurant located right on the wharf at Woolloomooloo by the sparkling harbour.

Cafe Sydney has some of the best views in the city. The huge balcony juts straight over Circular Quay with a bird's-eye view of the Harbour Bridge, Opera House and Sydney ferries choofing their way across the sparkling blue water. If you're in full impress-your-mates mode, order a seafood platter with a selection of yabbies, bugs, crab, marron and prawns. You won't regret it. 

Here at Time Out, the most common request we get is for a seafood restaurant that won’t break the bank, allows BYO and has water views. Turns out Ormeggio at the Spit’s casual offshoot is Sydney's dining unicorn because it checks every box. 

There’s not many “best of” lists that Ormeggio at the Spit hasn’t graced during its 14 years at the D’Alboro Marina in Middle Harbour. The Italian fine diner is one of the city’s top long lunch spots and has the kind of waterfront views residents pay tens of millions to enjoy.

With an amazing view over Rose Bay and an exceptional wine list, Catalina specialise in seafood but also do some pretty gutsy French classics like pig's head with sauce gribiche. They even have their own sushi chef who'll slice you a piece of fish faster than you can say mushi mushi. Say hi to the friendly pelicans for us.

This Woolloomooloo finger wharf hot spot is the go-to for ladies' long lunches, water views and shareable pan-Asian cuisine. The three banquet menu options are great for groups, so book a big table and order up a bunch of dishes that trot through Beijing (Peking duck pancakes), Bali (cobia yellow curry), Bangkok (crisp pork belly with chilli caramel and prik nam pla) and Sydney (salt and pepper king prawns with toasted chilli and garlic).