The Best Outdoor Dining in Sydney for Alfresco Feasts

With extended hours of sunshine (we love you, daylight savings!), a revitalised and busy buzz fills the streets of Sydney. The outdoor dining areas that sit empty during winter are filling up with Sydneysiders and tourists looking for a long lunch or refreshing cocktail outside, and with many offering harbour views, happy hours and live music to set the vibe - who can blame them?

From laidback locales offering classic pub fare in the beer garden and charming wine bars spilling onto laneways, to Sydney institutions adored for their waterside fine dining, the venues with the best outdoor dining in Sydney are the perfect spots for your next alfresco date or catch-up with the girls.

Cafe Sydney

Boasting arguably the most spectacular view in town, Cafe Sydney is the sought-after dining destination overlooking Sydney Harbour, with the Sydney Harbour Bridge a brilliant distraction from your dish.

Sitting centrally in Circular Quay, the outdoor terrace is open for lunch and dinner, where your feast begins with a selection of small bites of oysters, beef carpaccio and a twice-cooked goat cheese souffle, and ends with mouthwatering seafood, proteins and vegetables best for sharing.

Sourcing the best local produce to create a constantly evolving menu of contemporary dishes, meals are complimented with a curated wine list by an experienced sommelier, freshly baked quality pastries given a modern twist, and a view you won't soon forget.

 Level 5, Customs House, 31 Alfred Street, Sydney

Dear Sainte Eloise

As George Orwell said in 1933, ‘Dear Sainte Eloise, if you exist, please send me some money. I don’t ask for much – just enough to buy some bread and a bottle of wine.’ Answering old George’s prayers, Potts Point’s Dear Sainte Eloise is the perfect spot for some bread and a bottle (or two!).

On the booze front, sample delicate drops and mystery wines (guess the grape and country of origin and the glass is free!). On the food front, you can expect everything from oysters to goat curd, pasta and pannacotta. Two set menus and outdoor seating on a bustling laneway make for a cool and casual spot for a knock-off drink or overdue catchup.

Shop 5, 29 Orwell Street, Potts Point

Whalebridge

Meet at the intersection of Paris and the Pacific. What are we talking about? The dreamy harbourside restaurant, Whalebridge has one of the best addresses in Australia, sitting on the edge of the glittering harbour between the Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge.

In an iconic environment with a playful, relaxed feel, you can sit by the sea, soaking up the sunshine (and views), knocking back 18-month-aged Comte soufflé, Moules Marinieres organic mussels and burnt Basque cheesecake. What could be better than that?

Circular Quay East, Sydney

Harbourfront Seafood

Front-row seats to Sydney Harbour's most iconic landmarks are part and parcel of the Harbourfront Seafood experience. Head in to dine on an expertly crafted seasonal menu championing Sydney's incredible seafood scene whilst enjoying a soft harbour breeze. From twists on Italian classics like tagliatelle featuring sea urchin cream, fresh sea urchin roe and Avruga caviar, to thoroughly Australian takes on dining with an Outback Grill featuring chargrilled kangaroo striploin and crocodile tail paired with native ingredients, this is waterside dining with a difference.

Campbell's Stores Bay, The Rocks

Totti’s

A Bondi mainstay that has now expanded (even breaking through the border to Lorne in Victoria), Merivale's Totti’s needs no introduction. Their salt-crusted, wood-fired fluffy bread is enough to start a religion - or at the very least give you some great content for the 'gram!

We suggest ordering up some antipasti before sharing some plates of pasta. Our favourite place to enjoy the Italian restaurant's charm on a sunny day? The open-air courtyard at Bondi, of course!

Locations across Sydney

Catalina

Catalina - one of Sydney's most iconic restaurants - sits on the water and will have your heart from the get-go - particularly if you dine outdoors on the terrace, where you may spot a dolphin or two in the harbour. And, once your entrees are served, they'll have your stomach too.

A meal here is always special, with each element carefully chosen to enhance the quality of the market's fresh seafood. Whilst the Catalina team aim to craft simple dishes executed to perfection, they also don't shy away from global flavour combinations like pan-roasted Murray Cod with Madras-style curry. Celebrating thirty years in 2024, there's a reason Catalina continues to be a Sydney favourite - the sunny terrace is only part of the appeal. 

Lyne Park, Rose Bay 

Watson's Bay Boutique Hotel

Few venues capture the pull of outdoor dining better than Watson's Bay Boutique Hotel. Sitting as close to the shoreline as possible, this venue exudes a feeling of endless summer, with blue beach umbrellas, seafood towers, breathtaking harbour views, sunset cocktails and a laidback atmosphere that ramps up come nightfall.

Enjoy food best described as elevated pub fare (think beer-battered fish and chips, burgers, fresh salads and seafood) and soak up the good vibes and sunshine at this Watson's Bay beauty.

10 Marine Parade, Watson's Bay

Bartiga 

Are you looking for a bottomless brunch and sunny seating? This is the place to go! Head Chef Noor (ex-Gordon Ramsay's Maze, Testuya's) has brought his Malaysian legacy and love for Australian suppliers to Bartiga's kitchen, and the Asian-fusion cuisine, curated cocktail list and outdoor street seating surrounded by lush greenery is proving a hit with locals. When winter rolls around, the chic dining room is equally gorgeous for a glass of wine and nibbles.

Corner of Short Street and Bay Street, Double Bay 

Cafe Freda's

A community hub and meeting place for many Sydneysiders, Cafe Freda's is a top spot for people-watching in Darlinghurst, with tables and chairs spilling out to Oxford Street. The Happy Hour draws an evening crowd to soak up the last rays of sunshine, and who can blame them - $10 Negronis and Aperol spritz? Sign us up.

They have a $30 pasta and wine special running Wednesday to Thursday if you fancy a bite to eat, while DJs set the tone for the weekend ahead on Friday and Saturday evenings. It's an eatery, wine bar and vibing hotspot rolled into one.

195 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst 

Before heading for a balmy evening with the best outdoor dining in Syndey, enjoy a pre-dinner bevvie at the best rooftop and wine bars in town!