A pioneering “fin-to-scale” eatery by Josh and Julie Niland. Behind the sleek marble counter, chefs deftly butcher sustainably caught fish and utilise every part of the animal across a menu of wildly inventive dishes. A meal here is thrilling, educational, and enhanced by an impressive selection of Australian wine and Japanese sake.

“Fin-to-scale” cooking is the mission at this seafood restaurant from Josh and Julie Niland of Saint Peter fame. Josh’s creativity is in full swing by way of saltbush empanadas, green curry with line-caught hapuka and chateaubriand made with yellowfin tuna in place of beef.

Caviar bumps, vintage booze and josper-grilled seafood – this refined eatery on Coogee Pavilion's middle level might just be Merivale’s magnum opus. A focus on premium Australian produce speaks to the beachside location, but the curvaceous, pastel-hued dining room recalls old-world European elegance.

There’s nowhere else quite like chef-restaurateur Alessandro Pavoni’s waterside institution. While the trifecta of seafood, crisp Italian wines and house-made gelato mostly succeeds in capturing the essence of a coastal Italian diner, those Middle Harbour views from Ormeggio’s breezy dining room make for a quintessential Sydney experience.

This Sydney fine dining seafood institution has revitalised the tarnished reputation of the seafood platter and is cooking the best the ocean has to offer over a wood fire.

Josh and Julie Niland’s second Fish Butchery is an expanded version of the Paddington original. You can still buy takeaway items such as yellowfin tuna pies, banh mi made with scallop mortadella, and fresh oysters. But the option to dine-in menu ups the ante even further.

This Rose Bay fish 'n' chipper by Saint Peter's Josh and Julie Niland recreates the simple joy of a takeaway roast-chook dinner – but with fish. Order whole, half, and quarter Murray Cod fillets crackled to perfection, luxe sides, and sustainable cocktails by pioneering zero-waste bar, Re–.

Another addition to Sydney’s oeuvre of fancy fish’n’chippers. This one is by two former Bennelong chefs, and they’ve split the business in half: a takeaway counter on one side doing upmarket renditions of fish shop classics, and a cosy restaurant on the other with an expanded dine-in menu and Grifter beer on tap. It's also a lure for some of the city's best chefs.

Alpine salmon “pastrami” served with rye bread and house pickles. Salt-and-pepper calamari with chorizo powder and wasabi mayo. Seafood with style is what love.fish in Barangaroo does best. It’s worth a visit just to see what they can do with the humble fish ’n’ chips.

A dedicated oyster bar sets this New York-inspired boozer from other CBD pubs, where freshly shucked molluscs are served in various guises – from Kilpatrick to deep-fried. The seafood-focused brasserie deals in sterling Aussie produce, and is backed up plenty of sparkling wine and craft beer.

Crustacean and fish fans will tell you that there’s nothing on God’s Earth quite like a fish market in the morning. If you want to take that to the next level, book a behind-the-scenes tour of Sydney’s Fish Markets, where you’ll get to experience everything the seafood Mecca has to offer, including its infamous auction floor. Make sure to book this one in advance.