Affordable Fine Dining Sydney: Fancy Food for Under $150

When you think of fine dining, the first thoughts that spring to mind are fancy, formal and above all – expensive. But with Sydney’s new wave of humble fine diners, you can find mouth-watering menus, lavish tasting feasts and even hatted-degustation deals, without blowing your entire month’s wages. Thankfully, the days of unaffordable – and unobtainable – gourmet dining are well and truly behind us.

We’ve done some digging to reveal Sydney’s best-kept restaurant secrets – here’s your guide to finding the fanciest fine dining experiences in the city, the affordable edit. You are welcome.

The Charles Bar 

We thrive on a splash of opulence and a visit to The Charles Bar is always set to satisfy, even when we're on a budget. Soak up old-world hospitality without the price tag with The Charles' aged Wagyu cheeseburger. At $25, you'll also score fries and your choice of beer or soft drink. If this isn't living, we don't know what is! 

12pm to 6pm 

66 King Street, Sydney 

Meat & Wine Co

Meat & Wine Co are doing us all a solid by serving up a delish 3-course meal paired with a glass of expertly selected wine, beer or soft drink for a sweet $49 per person come weekday lunch. If you haven't yet had a chance to dine at this Afro-centric steakhouse, you're in for a treat. The best part is, the menu has plenty of options to choose from including three entrees, eight mains and two desserts. We'll be ordering the lamb shoulder with chimichuri, thanks! 

Monday to Friday, 12pm to 4pm 

Ground Level, International Tower One, 100 Barangaroo Avenue, Barangaroo

Spice Temple

Back by popular demand, Spice Temple is giving diners the ultimate express lunch with their lunchtime noodles special which comes with a glass of wine or beer for just $25.

Served at the bar, the new lunchtime menu features five delicious noodle options including Beijing Noodles with Blackmore Wagyu and Cucumbers, White Cut Chicken, Ginger, Shallot with Egg Noodles and Braised Pork, Fermented Chilli with Belt Noodles. 

10 Bligh Street, Sydney 

Rockpool Bar & Grill

The awe-inspiring art deco interiors of Rockpool Bar & Grill are about as boujee as you can get in Sydney. If you're looking to score a yummy lunch for under $50, head to the bar where you'll find some rather reasonable delights. Grab the steak sandwich or Wagyu Rueben for $29 or the cheeseburger for an easy $23. You'll even have a little left over for a beverage or side of chips! 

66 Hunter Street, Sydney 

Alpha (Image Credit: Samantha Rose) 

Alpha

Head Chef Alessandro Mandelli has Greek cuisine covered and the best way to get cross the Alpha offering is the $90 set menu. At Alpha you can expect warm pita and creamy taramasalata, grilled king prawns, halloumi saganaki, slow cooked lamb and so much more. 

$90 per person

238 Castlereagh Street, Sydney

The Apollo

If you have a penchant for saganaki cheese and charred calamari, then The Apollo is the Greek restaurant you need to visit. Their take on Mediterranean flavours (with a strong focus on Greek food), along with a smattering of dishes cooked over wood and charcoal, is out of this world. And indulgent. You’ll be left wishing you had a spare stomach. To get the most out of your experience, opt for the 'Full Greek’ that showcases The Apollo’s best of the best. For just $70 per person, you will be beyond satisfied with the eight-dish banquet – think baked saganaki cheese and slow-cooked lamb shoulder slathered in creamy tzatziki. 

$70 per person for the Full Greek menu

44 MacLeay Street, Potts Point

Cho Cho San

Equal parts playful and chic, Cho Cho San is where the cool kids go for Japanese. One of the best Japanese restaurants in Sydney, the Cho Cho San menu is designed for sharing. To sample the best dishes and save some coin, order the Izakaya set menu with eight dishes for $65 per person or up the ante with the Cho Cho San feast with eleven dishes for $95 per person. For fine dining, the feast is 100% the way to go with their famous pork katsu steam bun, fried brown rice and ocean trout making winning appearances on the menu.

$65 per person Izakaya Set, $95 per person Cho Cho San Feast

73 Macleay Street, Potts Point

Bar La Salut

Bar La Salut is the wine bar and Catalonian eatery you need to pop on your list. Their menu boasts a curation of small tapas-style plates with a heavy emphasis on market-fresh seafood and the a la plancha grill. Serving options, La Salut offers two set menus, one at $80 and one at $95 if you're after something a bit more substantial. Think octopus, anchovy and blue mackerel amongst other artisan bits like tongue and pork neck.

$80 for 11 plates or $95 for 13 plates 

305 Cleveland Street, Redfern 

Kaiza Izakaya (Image Credit: Leigh Griffiths) 

Kaiza Izakaya

Chef Jason Nguyen - the creative mind behind Kaiza Izakaya - is serving up some of the most unique dishes in Sydney. Having grown up watching his dad cook traditional Vietnamese fare before formally training in Japanese culinary art, Kaiza Izakaya creates a perfectly poised fusion. With talent this tasty, you’re going to want to try it all so we recommend the chef’s tasting menu.

$88 per person (minimum of two guests)

95 Enmore Road, Newtown

Poly

The sister venue to Mat Lindsay’s Ester, Poly, houses in the Paramount House Hotel, is a relaxed venue with a seriously sexy menu. If you can grab a group of six, you’ll start with snacks of the highest order, fermented potato bread, smoked beetroot and fried potato with salted egg yolk. Enjoy mains of black angus steak and roasted hispi cabbage before you move onto desserts! Make sure you arrive thirsty to take full advantage of Poly’s epic wine list!

Details: $95 set menu 

74-76 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills

ESQ

If you haven't yet had the chance to pop by the QVB's 1920s-inspired dining destination ESQ, you're in for a real treat. Indulge in an unparalleled culinary journey with the newly introduced Chef's Counter experience. Seated at the intimate kitchen bar, the chef crafts a personalised dining experience that is guaranteed to tantalise all your senses as you watch your food being prepared, cooked and plated right in front of your eyes. 

The exclusive experience is available on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights for between 2 and 4 people. Choose from a 5:30 PM or 7:45 PM setting and get ready to enjoy an interactive and immersive evening. 

Tuesday to Thursday, 5:30pm or 7:45pm

$120 per person

Matching wines for an additional $60 - $80 per person

ESQ also offers a 60-minute express lunch menu, which is your chance to sample this incredible restaurant for just $45. Score your choice of main, a side and house beverage. 

Wednesday to Friday, 12pm to 3pm 

Level 2, Queen Victoria Building, 455 George Street, Sydney 

Mr. Wong

One of the best Asian fine dining spots in Sydney, Mr. Wong serves Cantonese-style food in the heart of the CBD. Moody, intimate and with the typical Merivale aesthetic sensibilities, this is the perfect spot for your next dinner. With one banquet menu for just $112 (and other slightly bougier options for $135, $165 and $188 per person) you can enjoy prawn toast, salt and pepper calamari, stir-fried king prawns, honey-glazed char siu chicken and their signature "Strange flavour" prawn wontons - and all without breaking the bank. You're invited to finish your set menu with a dessert. 

Starting at $112 per person banquet (minimum of four people)

3 Bridge Lane, Sydney

Yellow

Well ahead of the plant-based eating trends, this Potts Point restaurant has been serving up an 100% vegetarian menu since 2016. Yellow is currently serving a six-course vegan tasting menu, so you can expect the likes of QLD blue pumpkin, onion soup and braised leek and nori, all plated to perfection. 

Details: $115 six-course vegan tasting menu (matching wine $1`00)

57 Macleay Street, Potts Point

Ester

With polished concrete arches and lights hanging from the ceiling, Ester is the perfect place for an affordable set menu. Small plates of roasted rock oysters and fermented potato bread with dashi and salmon roe, pickled cucumber and fried artichoke give way to rich margra lamb chop with their signature salad and rich, creative desserts.

Details: $125 per person set menu

46-52 Meagher Street, Chippendale

Looking for more dining inspo? If you loved our round up of the most affordable fine dining deals in Sydney, you might also like our edit of the best new restaurants in Sydney. Or, for when money’s not an object, check out the best degustation menus at Sydney's finest fine dining spots.