Best Chicken Shops in Sydney

by Broadsheet Editors

Updated 5 months ago

Before fried chicken captured Sydney's attention, there was the charcoal chicken shop. They're still everywhere and remain reliable spots for a nicely charred bit of chook and a side of chicken-salt chips. Many cultures have a charcoal chicken tradition, but in Sydney, Lebanese and Portuguese are two of the most important.

In recent years a new breed of chicken shops has joined this old, beloved guard. In most cases they're shinier and trumpet a more ethical philosophy. At heart, though, every chook shop is about the same simple, nostalgic pleasure. We don't mind the setting, so long as the chicken's good.

Henrietta
Restaurant
At this buzzing charcoal chicken joint, get smoky Lebanese-style chook with chips, fattoush and garlicky toum to have in or take away.
El Jannah Newtown
Restaurant
The Newtown takeaway-focused outpost of Western Sydney’s favourite chicken shop offers all of the favourites, plus Southern-style fried chicken
Frango
Restaurant
Sydney’s favourite Portuguese chicken shop. Unless you prefer Silva’s, of course.
Silva's
Restaurant
Petersham’s other cult Portuguese chicken shop.
El Jannah
Restaurant
There’s charcoal chicken joints, then there’s El Jannah. The Granville original put the Western Sydney suburb on the culinary map with its tender birds, addictively punchy garlic sauce and neon-pink radishes. These days it’s a well-oiled chicken machine, with sister locations across town.
Al Barakeh
Restaurant
Lebanese charcoal chicken best eaten with pickles and garlic sauce.
Awafi
Restaurant
The third of Sydney's big-name Lebanese charcoal chicken shops has been doing its thing since 1998.
The Chicken Shop
Shop
A classic chicken shop from Merivale, just with more technique.
Chicken Shop
Restaurant
Yes, it's the same name, minus the "The". The selling point here is being able to choose your basting, from peri peri and smoky barbeque sauce, to honey soy and garlic, rosemary and lemon.