As Food & Drink Editor for Time Out Sydney, I'm out most nights of the week, checking out the hottest openings and old favourites – including swish restaurants, sexy bars, relaxed pubs and tasty cheap eats – to bring you up-to-date and in-the-know recommendations. While my grocery bill is not as low as you may think, and I probably drink too frequently (sorry, doc), I feel incredibly grateful to experience the best of Sydney – and what an awesome city it is!
I'm not the only one on the team who’s out a lot. From our Arts Queen to our Lifestyle Goddess, Social Media Legend, Video Genius, Aussie Travel Buff, Branded Content Gun and our Fearless Chief, the Time Out team has spent the year checking out shows and gigs, lacing up for hikes and swanning around at spas. The one thing we all did a lot of? Eating out. It’s safe to say we’ve enjoyed hundreds of delicious restaurant meals this year.
So, which dishes came out on top? Below, the Time Out team has rounded up our favourite plates from 2024 in NSW. Ones that we have Big Fat Crushes on. The only criteria: It needed to come from New South Wales (slow-roasted lamb with lemony golden potatoes and crunchy horiatiki salad in Milos, your time will come).
Now, all that’s left to ask is: What was yours?
Betel leaf, pork, pickles from Bar Heather, Byron Bay
Avril Treasure, Food & Drink Editor, Time Out Sydney
"There's a good reason why everyone’s talking about Byron’s Bar Heather, and the exciting plates of food coming out of this Euro-style wine bar has got to be at the top. Garlicky, juicy pork sausages arrived encased in betel leaves, paired with crunchy pickles, fresh lettuce and mint, and a sweet-and-charred pineapple salsa. Wrapped up and enjoyed all together, it tasted almost as good as a tropical holiday. Fitting, too, that I was in the eternally-beautiful Byron."
Salmon tostada from Comedor, Newtown
Alice Ellis, Editor in Chief, Time Out
"This starter from modern-Mexican newcomer Comedor is an absolute flavour and texture bomb. They marinate small chunks of cured salmon in achiote mayo and spike it with chilli, pepitas, sesame seeds, garlic, chives and an aromatic oil. That mix is served on a thin, crunchy tostada base – and ay, caramba, it’s delicious!"
Freshly shucked oysters from Meribella, Terrigal
Winnie Stubbs, Lifestyle Writer, Time Out Sydney
"On a tour of Broken Bay Pearl Farm on the Central Coast, I was taught how to identify a good oyster – you want them milky-pale and plump as a baby’s bottom. The dozen oysters I was presented with when I arrived at Terrigal’s Meribella on a cold winter Friday were exactly that: smooth, creamy, salty perfection. We ate them by the fire with Champagne and Martinis, and I think if I could replay any moment from this year beat for beat, oyster for oyster, it might be that."
Pesto Gnocchi from Flour & Friends pop-up supper club, Marrickville
Alannah Le Cross, Arts & Culture Editor, Time Out Sydney
"One of the best meals I’ve eaten in 2024 (nay, in my entire life) was the communal feast I shared at Flour & Friends, which is held after-hours at Miss Sina’s Marrickville café. This regular pop-up supper club has plant-powered chef Lizzie Tillet (formerly The Sunshine Inn) on the pans, whipping up handmade pastas and fresh, fragrant salads alongside fluffy focaccia, snacks and dessert delights lovingly curated by the lady wizard of vegan pastry, Sina Klugg (proprietor of Miss Sina bakery, whose cinnamon rolls won over Gordon Ramsay on national TV). It’s a tough ask to whittle it down to my favourite dish, but it’s gotta be the gnocchi. I was one bite into a gorgeous mountain of pillowy potato pellets, when I thought: 'This is what gnocchi is supposed to taste like!' Take it from me, a terribly non-committal flexitarian – Tillet isn’t just a good vegan chef, and this isn’t just good vegan food – this is a marvellous chef who makes marvellous food, period. Stay in the loop about new dates for the supper club pop-up in the new year over here. (Also, hot tip: they also offer private catering.)"
Mixed vegetable cheung fun from Traditional Cantonese Taste Burwood
Melissa Woodley, Travel & News Editor, Time Out Australia
"This slippery, supersized pillow of cheung fun (steamed rice noodle rolls) lives rent-free in my dreams. They transported me straight back to Sunday yum-cha sessions with my family growing up – only with this serving, I didn’t have to share. The best part? You can slurp them up at breakfast, lunch or dinner for less than $15."
Snapper with pepperonata, capers and dill from Tempus, Katoomba
Rebecca Hegedus, Video Editor, Time Out Sydney
"Tempus focuses on local produce and sustainability, making sure nothing goes to waste. Their menu changes seasonally, and this year, I tried their autumn offering. We went for the grilled snapper, which arrived caramelised and served on a bed of sweet capsicums, salty capers and fresh dill – it was a riot of colours. We also ordered a side of golden potatoes and a simple green salad, and it ended up being my favourite lunch of the year. The team was so welcoming, too. Whether you’re stopping in for a leisurely lunch or dropping by after a hike in the mountains, the vibes are always great."
Grilled octopus, Jerusalem artichoke, ajo blanco from Iberica, Bondi
Alex Johnston, Social Media Manager, Time Out
"For my birthday this year, I went to Iberica in Bondi, and it sure was memorable. I feel like so many restaurants struggle with octopus, so when the perfectly tender occy hit my mouth, it transported me straight back to travelling in Andalucia in my early twenties. A refreshing blanco vermut from Basque, paired with the white gazpacho, was a hit to the senses."
Banana ice cream from Brasserie 1930, Sydney
Olivia Hart, Branded Content Writer, Time Out Sydney
"One of my most special meals of the year was at Brasserie 1930, the fine-dining restaurant from The Bentley Group, at Capella Sydney (which was recently crowned the best luxury hotel in Australia). This heavenly dessert, with its four perfect layers of banana sponge, dulce de leche, crème fraîche and banana ice cream, hits every note."
Cherry tart with tonka bean custard from Canvas, The Rocks
Avril Treasure, Food & Drink Editor, Time Out Sydney
"Yes, I’ve given myself two dishes of the year – sue me! But this dessert from Canvas, the new fine-diner located atop the MCA, was a knockout. Just like the works of art in the gallery below, the tart was visually stunning. But the combination of the sweet and juicy cherries, fresh plump raspberries, silky tonka bean custard (not pictured) and textbook-perfect pastry, made it a certified hit, Sabrina Carpenter-style. The more beautiful sister to strawberries and cream, it was the perfect springtime treat."
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