The most romantic restaurants and bars in Sydney that couples will love

Darlinghurst’s newcomer ticks all boxes when it comes to date-night territory. White tablecloths, dancing candles and knockout playlist? Tick. Really great Italian food? Tick. Lots of vibe so it doesn’t feel bland and soulless? You bet.

Time Out tip: Order the eggplant. Trust me!

As night falls, Fred’s Providore – Cronulla's popular café and butchery – vanishes like a pebble in a rock pool, and Fred’s After Hours emerges. The new wine bar and bistro, by butcher-turned-builder Nathan Creary, has been warmly welcomed by the neighbourhood. And if you're in need of a dash of romance, this sexy Euro-leaning spot is the place.

Time Out tip: Visit Cronulla for a romantic staycation so you can swim in the morning and meet your new friends at Fred’s After Hours that evening.

Famelia is Enmore Road's gorgeous wine bar that's big on vibes and great drops. Seating just 25 inside, it's cosy and perfect for a sexy date night. The right-hand side is dotted with round tables, leather stools and banquette seating ready for you and your beau. And with the place almost always packed, there’ll be no awkward silences if it’s a first date. Sit down, and let owner and sommelier Amelia Birch pour you a wine flight (our kind of travel), order a bunch of grown-up snacks – and let the butterflies soar.

The truth is, Angel Place’s pasta and vino palace Ragazzi from the Love, Tilly Devine and Dear Sainte Éloise crew is a vibe any day of the year. You just can’t have a bad meal or a bad time here. Even Nigella Lawson is a fan.

Time Out tip: While sourdough topped with a salty anchovy never fails, try not to fill up on bread and save room for the epic pasta.

Go-hard-or-go-home fancy steak and seafood grill Eleven Barrack doesn’t mess around. There’s a pianist, for instance. The killer wine list is curated by award-winning sommelier Nick Hildebrandt. The dishes taste brilliant and are executed flawlessly. The bill may make you take a deep breath. But when romance and a delicious night are in order, why do things by halves?

Walking into Ursula’s Paddington feels like stepping into an elegant terrace home, adorned with warm caramel tones, vibrant blues and statement lampshades that probably cost more than a month’s rent. The two-storey restaurant is by formidable chef Phil Wood and his wife, Lis Davies, and over the past few years, it has quietly and confidently cemented itself as one of Sydney’s finest diners. When a special dinner is on the cards with a special someone, the mood is just right at Ursula’s.

Grenier means ‘attic’ in French, and that’s exactly where you’ll find Bistro Grenier – you enter Newtown bar Odd Culture (created by the same team) and take the stairs up into a low-lit area above, where hefty old trusses support a cathedral ceiling. There are lithographic prints of sad clowns on the dark, sloped walls – a motif that’s continued in the cute coasters on each table. As well as wall lamps and sky lights, the room is lit by a tall, skinny candle on each table dressed with a snow-white tablecloth. C'est très romantique.

There are a lot of beautiful dining rooms in Sydney – the kind that, when you step inside, whisk you away to another world; where thoughts of to-do lists and Everest-like piles of laundry melt away like lemon granita under the Amalfi sun. Bennelong, tucked within the city’s white sails, is one of them. So too is the coastal kitsch of Sean’s in Bondi. Osteria Mucca, a charming trattoria from the Continental Deli crew that opened in April this year, is another such room. And it's perfect for a special night with your special someone.

Bennelong is as peak Sydney as it gets – you’ve ticked off world-class chef, waterfront dining, famous architecture and cultural institution in one fell swoop. The impressive and huge dining space has been a mainstay for years for romantic nights. If you still want the elegant service, the table linens and all the whistles even though time is your enemy, they also have a pre-theatre menu that kicks off just after 5pm to ensure you’re in your seats by the time those theatre bells sound.

Time Out tip: Don't have a booking? The bar is a sexy spot for snacks and cocktails.

Fun, delicious and sexy as hell, Neptune’s Grotto is an underground Italian cave from the team behind Pellegrino 2000 and Clam Bar. Think: flickering candles, a vibey playlist, non-stop Italian hits and juicy reds.

Time Out tip: The only catch? It’s bloody hard to get a booking. If there’s one at 5.30pm – take it. We did.

If you’re looking for a cool, relaxed and delicious spot to take your hot date, consider Bar Copains in Surry Hills. This gem, by mates and chefs Morgan McGlone, Nathan Sasi and his wife Sali, serves seriously tasty plates with seriously good vino. Bring your A-game and Bob’s your uncle.

Time Out tip: Can’t get in? We feel ya. Try your luck at sibling and nearby cocktail bar Alma’s – located at the front of wood-fired restaurant Bessie’s (another strong option).

As you take the elevator up to the 26th floor above the modern Skye Suites apartment tower from the corporate-leaning Macquarie Street, Parramatta, it’s hard to imagine you’re about to enter a glamorous, Art Deco-style cocktail and Champagne bar. But as you step out, you launch into another world – it’s the world of Nick and Nora, the murder-solving, soirée-throwing New York duo from the novel (and films), The Thin Man. If you’re looking to escape the hustle and bustle of Parramatta for an evening with your lover, come here.

Rovollo Restaurant and Wine Room is a 75-seater Italian restaurant that spills out onto the courtyard at 25 Martin Place. The venue is elegant and intimate and ideal for date night. It’s not just the spectacle of the cheese wheel that impresses at Rovollo. Dining here is about the promise of dinner and a show, and the joy of sharing it.

Time Out tip: The buttery tuna crudo with bursts of juicy tomatoes is a winner – be sure to order that.

Lap up some of the best views in the city with your date at Sydney institution Cafe Sydney. The huge balcony looks over Circular Quay with sweeping views of the Harbour Bridge and Opera House. And while daytime is obviously a prime to visit for the above views, at night it really dazzles. Call us Cupid, but there's no doubt about it: love is in the air at Cafe Sydney.

Bowls of luscious pasta, crisp white tablecloths, a cosy dining room and service as warm as the afternoon sun – if you’re after a romantic and intimate date night, I Maccheroni is sure to deliver. This cute neighbourhood spot is a slice of Italy in Woollahra and is guaranteed to get the feel-good love vibes flowing.

10 William St knows a thing or two about having a good time. The tiny wine bar has been knocking out delicious plates of food alongside cracking vinos for more than a decade now. The vibe here is always on-point. If you haven’t been before, it’s time to pop your 10 William St cherry. Bring a date – and order the pretzel with whipped bottarga. 

This date night, leave your house and head to Letra House, an underground wine bar from The Love Tilly Group. With top sips (more than 50 by the glass!), bold Spanish-inspired plates, and fab service, there’s a lot to love.

Dining at Aria will make you fall back in love with Sydney. The warm light of this famous dining room is as dreamy as it is elegant. It’s a kind of romantic alchemy forged by the floor-to-ceiling glass – the only thing between you and the gentle glow of the Sydney Opera House – and flawless courses from the kitchen. 

One minute you’re standing outside an unmarked charcoal-grey door in the CBD with King Street traffic rushing behind you, next minute you’re buzzed into the kind of stately home you’d expect to find in the Southern Highlands, or hunting country in the UK. The Gidley is a carnivore's delight, with steak and Martinis abounding. And while yes, we love our children, date night is a nice little break from the ankle biters, and The Gidley respectfully asks the under 18's to stay at home.

Time Out tip: We know burgers aren't the first thing you think of for date night – but you have to order the award-winning one here.

This fine-dining Middle Eastern restaurant serves up exceptional plates of food in a classy and sophisticated setting with five-star service. Though, this is probably a restaurant to visit when you're past first-date territory – the chefs don't go easy on the garlic (which we love). But when you're looking for a fancy spot with big flavours, Aalia delivers.

Time Out tip: Check out Aalia's chic new next-door wine bar, Aalia Wine Room.

This red-lit trattoria in Surry Hills is one of our favourites for a sexy meal and a juicy red every day of the week. The fact that it was Taylor Swift's choice of venue when she was in town just proves it’s a winner.

Time Out tip: The underground wine cellar is the place to go for intimate nights, but when you’re after a bit of buzz, book the street-level dining room.

Newtown's Bloodwood is an cosy cocktail lounge slash tapas bar that has stood the test of time. The majority of the space has been built using recycled and reclaimed materials from the vintage chairs upstairs, to the massive sleepers framing parts of the open kitchen downstairs. Don't expect a fine diner – it's not that kind of place. Instead, you'll find a neighbourhood restaurant bashing out share plates and great cocktails.

Time Out tip: The best way to do Bloodwood for our dollar, is to start with drinks at neighbouring Earl's Juke Joint, hit the restaurant later in the evening then take a turn up at Mary's for a nightcap.

The capacious Crown Street site formerly known as Toko is now the home of Andrew Becher’s latest grand venture, Armorica. No stranger to dropping a casual few mill on a resplendent refit, this grandiose renewal is as tastefully opulent as one has come to expect from the self-confessed Francophile behind Potts Point’s fine-dining duo Franca and Parlar. Armorica Grande Brasserie is a grand, glittering jewel on Sydney’s crown (street) and is a stellar option for a romantic evening.

Gildas is a beautiful tribute to the tapas bars found in Basque Country that celebrate the best things in life – good food, good wine and great company. The wine bar's fit-out is sleek and sexy: tables are topped with marble, windows are arched, banquettes are olive green, and there are brass finishes everywhere you look. Add in the fact that this wine bar and restaurant is by celebrated chef Lennox Hastie, and you've got yourself one ace option for your next romantic rendezvous.