Leading the Pack: Hatted Restaurants in Sydney

There's no doubt 2020 was a unique year for many reasons, the hospitality sector facing new challenges like no other. In light of that, the Good Food Guide went for a different approach this year – one we love, and one that celebrates the joy of good food bringing joy when we need it most.

Swapping out hats for stories, check out their full list of 100 Good Things in NSW! For those looking for the traditional list of hatted restaurants in Sydney, scroll down to find the hatted restaurants from 2019.

Here at Quisine, we believe Sydney’s restaurant scene can match the ones found in the culinary capitals of the world. Thanks to a number of world-class chefs and high levels of creative hospitality, we think the city can hold its own when compared to the likes of New York, Paris and Tokyo.

No group of restaurants showcase this world-class quality more than the hatted restaurants of Sydney. The prestigious “hats” are awarded by the Good Food Guide, Australia’s leading restaurant guide first established in 1979.

Despite the Michelin Guide covering nearby Singapore, it has never established itself in Australia. The Good Food Guide is thus Australia’s equivalent, following a similar three-tier scoring system that results in the awarding of Chef’s Hats, and not Michelin Stars.

Eagerly anticipated by restaurateurs across Australia, the 40th edition of the Good Food Guide was released in October 2019. The panel of critics visited more than 500 restaurants throughout the country to create the guide, and it’s safe to say that the full list of restaurants all underwent a rigorous review process.

Staying true to form, wider Sydney’s dining scene was an inspiration. There were 2 three-hatted restaurants, 21 two-hatted restaurants and 45 one-hatted restaurants in the guide. It wasn’t, however, as strong as other years and Melbourne comfortably won the culinary rivalry between the two cities, being awarded 78 hatted restaurants.

So to celebrate the many hatted restaurants Sydney has to offer, we thought we’d shine the light on several eateries leading the pack. Below you’ll also find the full list of the 2020 winners in Sydney.

Hatted Restaurants in Sydney

Three Hats:

Quay, Sixpenny

Two Hats:

Aria, Automata, Bennelong, Bentley Restaurant and Bar, Bert’s Bar and Brasserie, Est., Ester Restaurant, Firedoor, Fred’s, Icebergs Dining Room and Bar, Lucio’s, LuMi Dining, Momofuku Seiobo, Monopole, Mr Wong, Ormeggio at The Spit, Pilu at Freshwater, Porteno, Rockpool Bar and Grill, Tetsuya’s, Yellow

One Hat:

10 William St, Alberto’s Lounge, The Apollo, Arthur, Bacco Osteria, The Bathers’ Pavilion, Bea, Bennelong Cured and Cultured, BISTECCA, Buon Ricordo, Catalina, Cho Cho San, Cirrus, Continental Deli Bar Bistro, Cottage Point Inn, The Dolphin Hotel, Don Peppino’s, Felix, Fratelli Paradiso, Gaku Robata Grill, The Gantry, Glass Brasserie, Hotel Centennial, Hubert, Jonah’s, Kepos and Co, Lankan Filling Station, LP’s Quality Meats, Ms.G’s, Nomad, One Penny Red, Otto Ristorante, Queen Chow, The Restaurant Pendolino, Rising Sun Workshop, Rosetta Ristorante, Sagra, Saint Peter, Sake Restaurant and Bar (Double Bay), Sean’s Panaroma, Sokyo, Spice Temple, Sushi e, Uccello, Yan

Ormeggio at The Spit

TWO HATS

Ormeggio at The Spit is one of Sydney’s all-time leading restaurants, both for its stunning waterside location and its contemporary Italian cuisine. Whether you choose to dine for lunch or dinner, be prepared for a memorable meal to savour.

Located at D’Albora Marina, Ormeggio has been a hatted restaurant ever since it opened back in 2009. It continues to proudly hold that accolade in 2019, with two Chef’s Hats and an ability to continually impress the critics of the Good Food Guide (see here for one of their detailed reviews).

The menus at Ormeggio take a fine dining yet inventive approach to Italian food. It’s clear that executive chef Alessandro Pavoni and head chef Victor Moya have the ability to playfully showcase originality, all while still respecting the simplicity of Italian traditions.

The combination of Pavoni and Moya results in high-quality Australian ingredients being creatively used in Italian recipes. This can be seen in dishes like Piedmonte-inspired kangaroo battuta, or Roman-style carbonara with seafood instead of the traditional cured pork.

Ormeggio’s set and à la carte menus show strength in their seafood dishes, especially. Whether it’s fresh red scarlet prawns with finger lime or cuttlefish risotto in squid ink, the dishes are culinary gems. Beyond the food, the wine list is curated by an expert sommelier and features a wealth of different Italian grape varieties.

As for Ormeggio at The Spit’s legendary waterside location… What can one say? It’s dazzling at all hours of the day. Visitors can wine and dine right on the jetty, taking in the beautiful Sydney harbour view. It’s fair to say, sunset dinners at Ormeggio come highly recommended. Note it down as a Valentine's Day restaurant for next Feb.