A local's guide to Sydney's CBD

Picking the right place to eat in the CBD very much depends on what you’re hungry for – and how big your wallet is. 

There are plenty of affordable feasts offering incredible bang for your buck, be you in the mood for rich, delicious pasta from Fabbrica (161 King St); crispy, delicately spiced pitas from Jimmy’s Falafel; thick, slurp-worthy noodles from Xi’an Biang Biang (39/1 Dixon St); or a juicy burger from the lads at Mary’s CQ (7 Macquarie Pl). (Check out our pick of Sydney’s best cheap eats for more inspo.)

If you’re happy to fork out a little more, the mid-range budget options are just too numerous to comprehensively list. But you’d do well to consider The Continental Deli (167 Phillip St), where a gilda and signature Martini is a must before your meal; Mr Wong (3 Bridge Lane), where the Peking duck is near-impossibly succulent; Hubert (15 Bligh St), a bistro so consummately French you could be dining in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower; and the Gidley (161 King St), a decadent ode to a bygone age when steaks the size of toddlers, Waldorf salads and prawn cocktails were all the rage. 

Should you want to really splash some cash, the city’s finest eateries, helmed by roll call of celebrity chefs, will happily help you empty your wallet. Matt Moran’s legendary Aria (1 Macquarie St) is a shrine to world-class cuisine with astonishing views that are almost as delicious, while the world-wide renown Peter Gilmore is a perfect fit for his restaurant Bennelong (Bennelong Point), housed within one of the ivory scallops of Sydney’s most famous building. And of course, there’s Brent Savage and Nick Hildebrand’s Cirrus (10/23 Barangaroo Ave), an elegant seafood restaurant that’s the jewel in the crown of recently revived Barangaroo precinct. (Check out our pick of the best CBD restaurants for more must-book tables.)

But should you find yourself famished in the wee small hours, you can always rely on some late night eating.

It’s more than a little ironic that despite the strangle-hold of the lockout laws, the CBD has managed to cultivate arguably the strongest bar game in the city in recent years. Forget the average after-work watering hole; here you’ll find mixologists elevating the craftsmanship of the cocktail to astonishing new heights.

Take for example PS40 (40 King St), the brainchild of Michael Chim and Thor Bergquist. Its cocktail menu is themed, with each drink evoking a narrative, so before your beverage even touches your lips, your mind is already awash with a story. Then there’s Maybe Sammy (115 Harrington St), which was recognised as having the best hospitality in the world by the global 50 Best Bars Awards 2020. Here you'll find a fusion of 1950’s Vegas glamour and a Willy Wonka-esque whimsy that delivers cocktails with a theatrical flourish. Similarly, Double Deuce Lounge (6 Bridge St), with its irreverently retro ‘70s porn aesthetic, and Employees Only (9A Barrack St), with its tarot readings and live performances, use a little bit of theatre to ensure their punters have an unforgettable time.

Cantina OK (Council Pl) proves that looks can be deceiving. Housed in a single parking space down an unremarkable laneway, this teeny tiny tequila bar can easily lay claim to having the best damn Margarita in the city. 

If you like your beverage to come with a view, the Sydney Tower’s Bar 83 (Lv 83, 100 Market St) – the highest cocktail bar in the city – boasts a panorama of Sydney that stretches all the way to the Blue Mountains. And there could hardly be a more quintessentially Sydney vista than that found at the Opera Bar (Bennelong Point), where you can crack a cold one in sight of the Harbour Bridge and Opera House.

Check out our list of the best bars in the CBD for even more recommendations.

If you consider yourself a card-carrying culture vulture, the CBD has more art, theatre, and museum exhibits than you can shake a very big stick at.

The Art Gallery of New South Wales and the Museum of Contemporary Art are two of the most highly regarded visual art institutions in the country, while the Walsh Bay precinct is home to Sydney Dance Company and Sydney Theatre Company, which both grace the stages of the Roslyn Packer Theatre and Sydney Opera House throughout the year. 

If it’s knowledge you seek, you can put a spring in your synapses at the Australian Museum, the city’s home of natural history, the Museum of Sydney, where you can explore the earliest years of Australia, or one of city's notable historical sites such as the Hyde Park Barracks or Sydney Observatory.

Darling Harbour is home to both the Wild Life Sydney Zoo, which is dedicated to native fauna and the Sea Life Sydney Aquarium, where you can meet all manner of creatures from the deep. 

One of Sydney’s simplest pleasures is taking a meander through the Royal Botanical Gardens, Barangaroo Reserve or Hyde Park, which all offer a tranquil refuge from the frenetic pace of the city. However, if you’re in the mood for an excursion with a little more adrenaline, the BridgeClimb is a must. After you’ve scaled the steel arches of Sydney’s mighty coathanger, your efforts are rewarded with 360-degree views of the city that’ll take your breath away.

Luxury brands, flagship stores, arcade boutiques and sprawling shopping precincts can be found in abundance in the CBD.

Built in the 1890s and restored to its former glory in the 1980s, the Queen Victoria Building offers three levels of fine fashions, chic jewellery and fancy gifts, as well as cafes and restaurants, including the opulent QVB Tea Room with its Baccarat crystal chandelier.

Brands like Apple, Mecca, Sephora and Tiffany’s all have their largest Aussie premises in the city, and you’ll also find more than 250 high-street shops along Pitt Street Mall and the Westfield Centre. Myer and David Jones department stores can be found within a block of each other, with the Dymocks Building and the stunning Strand Arcade nearby, where you can purchase bespoke, handcrafted and speciality goods by local artisans.

Yet more luxury and international brands can be found on Castlereagh Street and around Martin Place, but if your budget is a little more modest, head to Market City or neighbouring Paddy’s Markets, where you’ll find a maze of stalls selling afforable souvenirs and budget fashions.