sydney mediterranean
Una Mas
COOGEE
At this tapas joint inside Coogee Pavilion, you can walk in off the beach for seafood cooked on the plancha and vermouth on ice. One more of everything, please.
Bathers’ Pavilion
MOSMAN
This heritage-listed waterfront venue serves up French bistro classics.
Barzaari
MARRICKVILLE
The cuisines of the East Mediterranean from a former Quay chef.
Bondi Trattoria
BONDI
Extensive antipasti, breakfast, and a range of classics from a celebrated chef.
Culina
ELIZABETH BAY
An all-day Mediterranean diner.
The Alcott
LANE COVE
A Mediterranean-inspired restaurant with a spritz bar and sunny terrace.
Sea Sweet Patisserie
MERRYLANDS
Take a sesame bun and stuff it with hot knafeh for a hot cheesecake roll.
Mister Percy
PYRMONT
Old meets new in the lobby of Pyrmont’s Ovolo 1888 hotel, where you can snack on pintxos and wine.
Meyhanee
BALMAIN
Go Saturday nights for raki, music and 40 kinds of meze, or on the weekend for an epic multi-course breakfast banquet.
Franca
POTTS POINT
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.
Will's
COOGEE
The smallest venue at Coogee Pavilion is packed with spritzes, Martinis and snacks. It’s also open till late on weekends.
Babylon
SYDNEY
A 1200-square-metre rooftop bar and restaurant which rules over Pitt Street Mall.
Sky Bar
SYDNEY
This luxe rooftop bar and open-air terrace is the cherry atop Shell House, combining sophisticated drinks and Mediterranean snacks with a statement-making design. Think *Mad Men*-era opulence combined with a 1930s Milanese speakeasy feel.
Mimi’s
COOGEE
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.
Kings Cross Distillery
POTTS POINT
Inside a former adult bookstore, this female-led distillery makes gin, whisky and vodka that you can store in your own personal “spirit locker” between visits. To eat, it’s Mediterranean snacks and share plates.
Shaffa
SURRY HILLS
Pass between two heritage buildings to reach this dramatic space with a 10-metre-tall glass ceiling. Inspired by the marketplaces of the Middle East, it’s a romantic spot to enjoy shawarma, velvety burrata and pita pockets.
Bopp and Tone
SYDNEY
A solid lunchtime dining option in the CBD, with an alfresco plant-filled terrace and a whopping 900-kilogram wood grill.
Hester’s
SYDNEY
Hester’s is one of the few cafes in the city where dining in for breakfast on a weekday is heartily encouraged. Come for Mediterranean-style dishes, lunchtime cocktails and espresso from north shore roaster Gabriel Coffee.
Le Foote
THE ROCKS
A Mediterranean grill and wine bar unlike anything we’ve seen in The Rocks before. Visit Swillhouse Group’s grand-statement venue for two-sip Martinis; dishes cooked over charcoal; and a massive mosaic from Italy.
Makaveli
BONDI
A few blocks back from Bondi beach, this buzzy eatery brings a refined edge to its laidback day-to-night offering. Swing by for your morning cuppa, park up and WFC (that’s work from cafe) or secure an evening spot for punchy plates and a fresh cocktail list.
The Corner House
BONDI
Set within a former tram stop, Corner House has been a go-to for Bondi locals for more than a decade. Cosy, casual and with enough variety to please, it’s a fun chapter in the building’s story that involves rustic Italian fare and on-point cocktails.
Mercado
SYDNEY SOUTH
The restaurant in Angel Place has whole rotisserie beasts, daily cheeses, an enviable wine list and charcuterie.
Nomad
SURRY HILLS
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.
Bobby’s
CRONULLA
Split between a beach club and a dining room proper, this twin-hitter is the perfect place to eat Med-inspired dishes and watch the waves roll in with a spritz in hand.
Norma’s Deli
MANLY
At this epic Greek deli off the Corso, you can start the day with toast smothered in house-made taramasalata and return after a day at the beach for moussaka and a classic Greek lager. Plus, takeaway sourdough, cheese and charcuterie.
Misc
PARRAMATTA
Parramatta Park’s lush Med-inspired eatery is all about communal dining. Build your own brekkie plate with focaccia, sujuk, smoked labneh and more. Or grab fancy pantry items for a picnic in the park.
The Boathouse Rose Bay
ROSE BAY
Due to open in February 2021.
Baba’s Place
MARRICKVILLE
This hidden restaurant in Sydney’s inner west celebrates the cultural diversity of the city’s suburbs. Behind the roller door, find creative nods to our Greek and Middle Eastern communities, and a cocktail list built around a classic Balkan spirit.
We Three
MARRICKVILLE
We have a mother-daughter team to thank for this two-storey neighbourhood bar, which brings good wine and Med-inspired plates to an old bubble tea shop on Marrickville's Illawarra Road.
Queen Ester
NEWPORT
Queen is all about the fresh, vibrant and comforting flavours found in homes and on the streets of Israel. Come for plates of falafel and hummus; or pita breads stuffed with fried eggplant, jammy eggs and salad.