Under soaring ceilings in an art deco building, The Charles evokes Europe’s grand brasseries with plenty of thoughtful touches – including a roaming dessert trolley, and tableside saucing and carving. Order the whole dry-aged duck for a show-stopping signature.

Noisy, spicy and lots of fun – just like the original in Melbourne. Follow the pink-neon bunny to GoGo bar for cocktails, then head to the buzzy dining room proper for Chin Chin classics like kingfish sashimi with lime and coconut, and wok-fired rice noodles with Wagyu.

Moody jazz, heavy wooden beams and a bank of barbeque ducks in the old Tank nightclub space. A modern Shanghai-style dumpling den from Dan Hong and Merivale.

The overhaul of this once notorious late-night dive was a long time coming. And the chic public bar, elegant European bistro and sunny rooftop were all worth the wait. The best part? You’ll actually want to be there during daylight hours, too.

A ritzy institution on the Customs House rooftop. An appropriate focus on seafood works a treat, given the jaw-dropping views of Sydney Harbour. Book ahead for the window seats.

Southeast Asian street food is the focus at Merivale’s rowdy good-times diner: oysters spiked with Vietnamese-style vinaigrette, jungle curry with pipis and Phnom Penh fried chicken. To drink? Fresh cocktails and a famous yuzu slushie.

Sleek and informal Asian dining at the Cowper Street Wharf. The menu is a knock-out homage to the best of Chinese and south-east Asian cuisines. Try tenured dishes such as tea-smoked duck with tamarind and plum, or the pork belly with chilli caramel and *nam pla phrik* (sweet-and-sour sauce). White tablecloths and city skylines included.

The menu at this handsome French brasserie channels the country’s Mediterranean coastal havens, where long lunches and elegant dinners are a way of life.

This all-day eatery inside Hinchcliff House mills its own flour, using grain supplied by NSW farmers. That means house-made pastas and ciabatta to go with produce-driven share plates and cocktails.

Enter this iconic Sydney restaurant for Med-inspired dishes spanning inventive charcuterie and charcoal-fired plates. Plus, a wine list highlighting Australian producers great and small.

This art deco drinks-and-dining complex has three seductive bars, but the heart and soul of the building is the spectacular ninth-floor restaurant. Take your time with a lengthy menu of seafood, pasta and protein-heavy mains, and a wine list highlighting French classics and new world naturals.