The best waterfront restaurants in Sydney

“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.

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. 

Icebergs can be everything you love about Sydney, or it can be everything you hate. Admittedly, fellow diners do have a tendency to give off a ‘comfortable on any size yacht’ vibe. But letting that get in the way of what could potentially be an epic lunch would be a mistake. Because when it’s good, it’s very, very good. Your experience at Icebergs can be summed up in two words: utter refreshment, and those five-star views out over Bondi are the cherry on top. 

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 truly needed. 

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. 

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. 

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). 

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.