The best French restaurants in Sydney

Opportunity doesn’t necessarily knock. Sometimes it pours you a glass of wine and says, “we’ve got a space upstairs you should see”. This is how Porcine, the beautiful, French garret restaurant on Oxford Street came to be, perched on the first floor above the aqua blue façade of natural wine shop, P&V Wine and Liquor. And while you scrape out the last bits of a crème brulee or a chocolate mousse, you’ll already be wondering how quickly your budget and blood glucose levels will let you return.

What to order: Paté en croute with duck, veal, prunes and pistachio.

Found on Surry Hills' Crown Street, Armorica pays homage to Paris and its surroundings. The space is drop-dead gorgeous, with opulent red banquet seating, gold finishings and art by American illustrator David Plunkert. Jose Saulog, who also oversees the kitchens at Franca and Parlar, is the executive chef at Armorica. Here, Saulog has taken inspiration from Northern France to curate his menu, which features classic French fare. And it's absolutely delicious. Which is why Armorica won Time Out Sydney’s Best Fine Dining Restaurant Award 2023.

What to order: The campanelle with peas, cherry tomatoes, smoked stracciatella, almonds and basil.

You've probably had at least one 'a-ha' moment with Dan Pepperell’s cooking. The pretzel with whipped bottarga that might never leave 10 William Street’s menu, perhaps? Or was it the triumphant chicken fricassée or gutsy kimchi gratin at Restaurant Hubert? Or even that unforgettable butter-chicken-esque trippa alla Romana from his stint at Alberto’s Lounge? Odds are, you're likely to have another one at Bistrot 916, which opened in early 2021.

What to order: Steak tartare with pommes Anna.

The fact that Bistro Moncur – the classic French restaurant located in leafy Woollahra, which opened its doors to the public back in 1993 – is still open and thriving today deserves, in our opinion, several glasses of Champagne. So, how in the world have they done it? Through good-old fashioned hospitality, care for the local community, and an absolute commitment to sophisticated French cuisine that showcases the very best in Australian produce. Our tip? Finish with the vanilla creme brûlée with lemon.

What to order: Grilled sirloin with Café de Paris butter and fries.

Named after the famous Hôtel Martinez in the French Riviera, Circular Quay's Martinez is inspired by the south of France and its idyllic neighbours. And while you will find steak frites on the menu (served with bone marrow butter), as well as a crumbed pork cutlet with jamon, mustard and brie fondue, amongst others, executive chef Alex Wong’s menu mostly champions vegetables and seafood in all its fresh, salty and sweet glory.

What to order: Bouillabaisse with prawn and scallop tortelli, mussels, clams and rouille. 

It's all about the atmosphere at Felix, from the floor-to-ceiling tile work (including some saucy frescoes, if you look up) to the bentwood chairs and polished brass. The menu of bistro classics is deceptively simple, but for the most part beautifully executed.

What to order: French onion soup with gruyère toast.

After 12 years, Monopole, the award-winning wine bar and restaurant from the Bentley boys, has transformed into a French restaurant complete with a fresh fit-out and a menu that spans the classics. Expect dishes like river trout terrine with globe artichoke and roe sauce; caramelised eschalot tart with Roquefort and watercress; poached fish quenelles with red fish bisque; Sommerlad chicken and Balmain bug vol-au-vent; a duck burger with pickles, Comté and hot sauce; and a chocolate mousse with raspberries and hazelnuts.

What to order: Smoked eel mille-feuille with apple and celeriac remoulade.

The Cricketer’s in Surry Hills has long been a pub for the youths and the young at heart. Uni students, skaters, hospo workers – as well as those sniffing out a drink on the way home from the Sydney Cricket Ground. So a French(ish) bistro is quite a departure for the pub’s upstairs restaurant. Though for non-French people, the crew at Chez Crix certainly do a good job of serving up delicious Frenchy food with a big, fat side of joie de vivre. 

What to order: Whole baked NZ yellowbelly flounder with capers, brown butter, parsley and lemon. Oh, and the mushroom vol-au-vent.

Dreaming of fine French fare? Head to Bouillon L'entrecote, found just a short stroll from Circular Quay, and feast until your heart's content. Come for traditional French onion soup; Wagyu tartare; and a beautifully cooked steak with the team’s ‘famous secret sauce’, house-made French fries, and a green salad. All paired with top-notch wine, of course.

What to order: The Saturday three-course menu for $69 per person.

L’Heritage is possibly home to the most beautiful dining table in Sydney. The table for two is draped in a white tablecloth with soft and buttery leather seats, positioned right by the window overlooking the azure ocean and pristine Chowder Bay. It looks like it’s been plucked from the pages of a fancy home magazine, or really, the south of France. Don’t worry if you don’t get that table, though. I reckon there’s not a bad seat in the rustic, farmhouse chic dining room. And while the gorgeous French diner may be a little hard to find, that’s often the case with gems

What to order: The silky crème caramel.

It’s probably fair to say – affectionately or otherwise – that dining out doesn’t get more Sydney than a fancy French bistro tacked onto a pub. Especially when the toilet speakers are still tuned to the horseracing. But fortunately for Rozelle’s chic venue Chez Blue, it’s likely to attract far more lovers than haters. From brioche triangles served on a silver toast rack, to a pair of warm coffee-side madeleines, Chez Blue has close brushes with peak twee. And, that’s before the roving cream bowl at dessert time. But all up the dining experience feels like a collision of cosy comfort food and experimental French cookery in all the right ways.

What to order: Chicken liver brûlée with marmalade, pickles and brioche.

In Paris, where day drinking is encouraged and a tote bag is incomplete without a fresh baguette sticking out of it, you take the availability of an everyday, local bistro for granted. But here in Sydney, finding a good, mid-week steak frites is much harder work – Potts Point’s Bistro Rex is setting out to change this.

What to order: Rex Wagyu burger with pickles, raclette and French fries.

You'll spot the candy cane umbrellas first. Red and white striped, they stand tall out the front of Woolloomooloo’s historic Old Fitzroy Hotel. The three-storey brick-and-butter building looks well-worn yet strong – which makes sense when you consider the Old Fitz is around 150 years old. As well as a pub and a theatre (The Old Fitzroy Hotel is the only remaining theatre pub in the coutry), you'll find a French-British bistro on the first floor. It’s a gorgeous, Jane Austen-esque space with weathered floorboards and antique oil paintings – it looks like the kind of place you would take your mum for Sunday lunch.

What to order: Duck croquette with hot sauce.

There’s a certain stereotype associated with any fancy ‘grand’ brasserie, especially one where the wine list soars up to $38,000 bottles, the cocktail ice is embossed with the institution’s logo, and the menu throws out phrases like ‘signature caviar service’. For some, that stereotype is ‘pomposity’. The Charles, though, manages to evade the clichés and make fine dining, believe it or not, fun. In fact, they tackle the problem head-on. As their culinary director, Sebastien Lutaud, explains, the team has set out to “celebrate the charm of old-school hospitality without the stuffiness”.

What to order: Russian honey cake. 

For years, the space at 134 Glebe Point road was occupied by Darling Mills, an early pioneer in Sydney's farm-to-plate movement, and nowadays, it's home to Beckett's. Chef Jeff Schroeter (Bayswater Brasserie, Bistro Moncur) has teamed up with playwright and director Wendy Beckett to create an all-class French brasserie with all the design and flair of a mid-century Paris or New York bistro.

What to order: Snails baked with garlic butter, Grandma’s tomato Provençal sautéed spinach and a puff pastry lid.

Chippendale’s French eatery is all about giving punters that classic-French bistro experience. There is pâté en croûte de grand-père Henri and French onion soup also dedicated to the chef's grandfather. Plus, escargots (snails), king crab thermidor and a classic melted goat’s cheese salad.

What to order: Duck leg with potato gratin and jus.

Say hello, bonjour or konnichiwa to the French and Japanese-inspired Bistro Nido. As the latest addition to Devon Hospitality Group’s impressive portfolio of fusion eateries – which includes Devon Cafe, Dopa Donburi and Milk Bar and Tsukiyo – Bistro Nido marks the group’s first foray into the world of classic French cuisine, but still with their signature Japanese touch. Hidden in Regent Place (just a short walk from the QVB), this restaurant is darker, more sophisticated and smaller than its siblings (it has just 40 seats), offering an intimate setting for your next dinner date.

What to order: Moreton bay bugs with yuzu kosho butter.

Tucked away near the base of the Harbour Bridge in Milsons Point is Loulou, a staunchly French bistro with a few timely twists. Yes, of course, there are the classics of steak frites, mille-feuille and charcuterie made in-house, Champagne in long-stemmed glasses and the ubiquitous baguette. However, where Loulou stands apart from the clichés is a strong line of freshness. It’s French, yes, but French-Lite.

What to order: Smoked bone marrow with soubise and parsley.

The appeal of the neighbourhood French bistro lies in its traditions. This is where to go when you want the classics with no surprises; steak frites with Café de Paris butter, goat's cheese soufflé, French onion soup, and oysters served with Champagne vinegar. If the famously fragrant butter sauce invented in the French capital is not your preferred steak accompaniment, Bistro St Jacques in Redfern also have a pepper sauce and a Borderlaise. Parfait, cassoulet and brûlée are all present and accounted for on a menu primed for a cosy date night.

What to order: Steak tartare with mustard, caper, cornichons, crouton and egg yolk.

A taste of the City of Love can be found in Bondi thanks to Bistro Chouchou, a Parisian bar and restaurant serving nostalgic French classics. Named after the French word for sweetheart, Chouchou (pronounced “shoo-shoo”) is an ode to the small bars and bistros Paris is known and loved for, and where owner Arthur Gruselle is from. This is Gruselle's second venue; he's worked in the hospitality industry for more than 17 years and owns retro bar and burger joint Aunty Ed’s in Katoomba.

What to order: Baked camembert wrapped with prosciutto, herbs and honey with bread.

For more than a decade, this quiet, unassuming French bistro at the well-tailored end of CBD has kept things simple – but extravagantly French — with both the menu and décor. They stick to the classics and do them très well.

What to order: Pork rillettes with apple and onion chutney and French baguette.

Bellevue Cottage by Antoine is a very French restaurant that has found its home in a beautifully restored heritage building along the Glebe foreshore. Come for a modern take on the French classics in a dreamy setting.

What to order: Roasted thyme chicken with mash.

Think of a night out at a French restaurant, and it’s unlikely you’ll picture yourself surrounded by giant tanks of beer. Yet at Frenchies Bistro and Brewery in Rosebery, that’s exactly the kind of sweet spot that craft beer and charcuterie lovers would find themselves in. 

What to order: Frenchies’ platter with saucisson, prosciutto, pork rillettes, pickles, cheese and bread.