Mary's Circular Quay opened last month and its refined downstairs counterpart, Mary's Underground, opened last week just in time for Vivid. For eating you won't find a better burger this close to Circular Quay (and the whole menu can be done vegan). For drinking, you can barely find anywhere in the city with $10 glasses of natural wine, let alone this deep into the CBD.

This Rat Pack-themed cocktail bar in The Rocks is a great spot for a few mid-Vivid Martinis. There's also a tight but tasty selection of small plates to keep you going.

Your phone gets confiscated and put away in a locker for the length of your dinner at Bistecca, which is good news for your phone's battery: it will need all the rest it can get before you spend the night using it to snap and post everything you see at Vivid. Steak is the one and only main on the menu. One style in particular: T-bone cooked over coals and served rare.

Because it's in Miller's Point, this cocktail bar isn't the sort of place you can go to in the middle of a Vivid excursion. Instead, it's a before or after spot. Grab a cocktail at a window seat – the view of the Harbour Bridge from Henry Deane is one of the best views of Vivid.

This New York-style brasserie is right on George Street, close to all of the CBD's main Vivid hubs.

Right in the middle of the action, perfectly situated to access attractions in Barangaroo, Circular Quay, The Rocks or the Royal Botanic Gardens.

A Mexican basement bar with tacos, burgers and DJs. This one's a great option for late-night dining: on Fridays and Saturdays Barrio closes at 3am, which means you can eat and drink long after the (Vivid) lights have gone out.

World-class cocktails in the shadow of the Harbour Bridge.

The rooftop here has a panoramic view stretching from Darling Harbour to the Harbour Bridge and The Rocks.

A heritage building putting an Australian pub spin on American barbeque with an on-site 600-litre brewhouse that keeps the four rotating taps at the bar full.

A cocktail bar with a nautical-themed cocktail list and views of Sydney's CBD from the second-storey balcony. You can get snacks here too.

Spanish food a stone's throw from the installations in the Royal Botanic Gardens.

A fine-dining restaurant inside Barangaroo House, where you can watch the promenade light up as the sun sets.

A French bar and restaurant overlooking Darling Harbour ideal for watching Vivid's marine-themed lighting installations.

Right on the water, this building houses three venues, House Bar, Smoke and Bea, all of which provide great spots to relax and take in Vivid's water-based light installations.

On Wulugul Walk, serving Nashville-style spicy chicken, craft beers and natural wines from local producers.

A whisky and wine bar just near Kings Cross and the Royal Botanic Gardens.

Grab a drink at this Woolloomooloo spot before you head into the Botanic Gardens.

An indoor-outdoor venue that spills out onto a landscaped terrace overlooking Sydney Harbour.

One to check out if you're planning a trip to Kings Cross or Barangaroo; it has more than 250 spirits and your favourite Chinese takeaway dishes reimagined.

A seafood-focused Mexican restaurant right down the road from the famous Coke sign.

Grab an aperitivo or two on Wolloomooloo Wharf, with a side of oysters and antipasto.

A longstanding Chinese, Japanese and Southeast Asian restaurant with a seasonal cocktail menu and outdoor seating on the Woolloomooloo Wharf.

A hidden gem in Chatswood mall serving Westernised Chinese cuisine and dumplings. A great option if you're checking out the Vivid attractions north of the Bridge.