Café Sydney has one of the most enviable views in the city. Overlooking Sydney Harbour, try to reserve a table on the balcony (if it’s cold they provide blankets) and take in this amazing city. Indulge in a classic seafood platter complete with freshly shucked oysters, Moreton Bay bug, scampi and a whole host of underwater delights.

A favourite of Sydney burger enthusiasts, Mary’s is a rough-around-the-edges bar in the eclectic suburb of Newtown. Known for their amazing burgers, (we suggest a Mary) grab some fried chicken, a beer and settle in for some good eating.

Head here for some of the best fish and chips you’ll ever have. Sitting right on the water, this seaside spot is popular with both locals and tourists and can get busy on weekends. After lunch, take a walk over to ‘Summer Bay’ where the famous Sydney soap Home and Away is filmed.

It’s all about brunch at Bills. Whether you order his famous eggs (scrambled or soft boiled), his ricotta hotcakes with banana and honeycomb butter or the sweetcorn fritters, you can be happy in the fact you’re partaking in one of Sydney’s best brunches.

Say hello to The Grounds Of Alexandria’s resident, Kevin Bacon (the little pig who lives on site) before you head inside this popular restaurant in the suburbs. Weekends provide a buzzing market atmosphere where you can grab a bite and a cup of their house-roasted coffee while exploring their delicious market stalls.

One of the three restaurant offerings at The Old Clare Hotel, the curb-side Automata has fast become a local favourite thanks to chef Clayton Wells’ pretty dishes that are packed with his signature fresh, fermented flavours. Comprising a seasonal five-course tasting menu, expect offerings such as the deliciously light cured snapper drizzled with desert lime cream and topped with jujube, caper and oxalis.

It’s been a long time coming, but chef and restaurateur Matt Moran’s multi-level dining destination has been worth the wait. Housed in a dramatic black bowl-shaped building, the hub is an enticing draw in the area – not least with the open-plan ground floor House Bar. Start your evening here with a pre-prandial tipple, followed by dinner in Bea, where chef Corey Campbell sends out joshed up classics from steak tartare to roast spatchcock served with preserved lemon. End your evening on the top floor with a night cap against the twinkling lights of the Barangaroo Harbour.

For a decidedly Australian take on Asian fare, head to Chin Chin, a good-time restaurant spread across the sprawling ground floor of the restored Griffiths Tea Building in Surrey Hills. Just like its Melbourne sibling, the restaurant is humming from the first plate of chilli-salt chicken wings served at 11AM to last orders. So make sure you book because, even though it’s worth the wait, the queues can be long.

Its highly unlikely you’ll come across a Sydneysider that won’t recommend Ester as the place to dine in the city. And for very good reason, as chef Mat Lindsay has gone back to basics, creating a menu of honest dishes, almost all cooked in the kitchen’s wood-fired oven. And while the menu changes with the season, expect staples like the baked cauliflower drizzled with almond cream and mint, buttery king prawns and deliciously rich blood sausage.

What started out as a clear iteration of David Chang’s Momofuku series has morphed into a strongly influenced Caribbean restaurant thanks to its new chef, Barbados-born Paul Carmichael, who is doing things his own way. The only place to sit is around the open kitchen, where you can watch the chefs in action as they deliver perfectly executed dishes, like the pork fillet served with Jamaican cabbage and sticky pork-glazed pumpkin, with a side of banter.