sydney middle-eastern
Sefa Kitchen
BONDI
Middle Eastern cuisine done the modern way.
Shuk
NORTH BONDI
This cafe takes inspiration from Israel’s well-known market places.
Kebab Abu Ali
FAIRFIELD
Iraqi flat bread, sumac-encrusted lamb skewers and cardamom tea in Fairfield.
Mezza Train
MASCOT
It’s the first of its kind in Sydney.
Boss Lady Food & Co
CAMPERDOWN
This alley-wide cafe serves Egyptian breakfasts and beef-rib burgers with coffee sauce.
Maestro and Co
MANLY
A modern Middle Eastern restaurant in Manly.
Grill Republic
HUNTERS HILL
Turkish-style meats cooked over charcoal.
Nour
SURRY HILLS
Forget everything you know about Lebanese food.
Cairo Takeaway
ENMORE
Bright-green felafel, rolls stuffed with charcoal lamb and a Cairo brunch.
Meraki Merchants
PARRAMATTA
A tiny Lebanese-inspired cafe packing jaffles and milos with a twist.
Shenkin Kitchen Enmore
ENMORE
The third in a mini-chain of popular Israeli eateries.
Shenkin Erskineville
ERSKINEVILLE
If it's not made with love, Shenkin won't make it.
Turka
CROWS NEST
This eatery serves long breakfasts, quick lunches and Turkey’s answer to yum cha for dinner.
Lillah
LANE COVE
A casual Middle Eastern menu covering the region.
Sea Sweet Patisserie
MERRYLANDS
Take a sesame bun and stuff it with hot knafeh for a hot cheesecake roll.
Hyderabad House
PARRAMATTA
Hyderabad-style fried chicken and a $16 all-you-can-eat buffet.
Jounieh
Walsh Bay
A Lebanese and Middle-Eastern fine-diner for Walsh Bay.
Babylon
SYDNEY
A 1200-square-metre rooftop bar and restaurant which rules over Pitt Street Mall.
Zac’s Great Foods
BELLA VISTA
Afghan dumplings, kebabs and big servings of qabli pilaf.
Konak Turkish Kitchen
NEWTOWN
Woodfired pide and Turkish breakfast spreads in Newtown
Jimmy's Falafel
SYDNEY
Jimmy’s Falafel's colourful room features booths, frosted-glass sconces and tourism posters of cosmopolitan 1960s Beirut. As the name suggests, there’s falafel, which is stuffed in pita (among other things) and served alongside meze plates including eggplant salad, hummus and silverbeet. At night, there’s also meat cooked on the charcoal grill, and a wonderful smoky scent permeates the air.
Ezra
POTTS POINT
A restaurant and bar inspired by the cuisines and the Middle East and East Mediterranean. Find next-level hummus, whole flatheads marinated in chickpea miso and baklava ice-cream sandwiches.
Aalia
SYDNEY
The Middle East’s lesser-known cuisines brought to light on a menu informed by ancient recipes and modern techniques. You can also try wines from Syria, Jordan, Morocco and more, in a stunning contemporary space in the former MLC Centre.
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.
No. 32 Restaurant & Bar
CROWS NEST
This unassuming fine diner is helmed by a Persian-born chef, whose dishes reflect his heritage as well as influences from his career working in kitchens across Europe and Asia. Come for inventive snacks, hibachi-grilled proteins, and wines curated by one of Sydney’s best somms.
Lucien Baked Goods
PARRAMATTA
The Circa Espresso team leaves nothing on the lamination bench at this light-filled bakery. A cornucopia of treats is baked on-site each day, including croissants and banoffee choux. There's also a brunch menu packed with Middle Eastern flavours.
Kabul Social
SYDNEY
Dumplings, made-to-order bread and Afghan “Burgers” are on the menu at this refugee-led diner in the CBD. Not only does it train and employ women who have recently arrived from Afghanistan, but for every meal bought, it donates two more meals to Afghan communities in need.
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.
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.
Sana
EVELEIGH
The fast-casual eatery delivers bowls and rolls, like a 24-hour slow-roasted lamb doused with house-made green herb salsa and garlic dressing. Plus, house-made prebiotic sodas.