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Where does one start when reviewing one of the most recognisable restaurants in the world, and arguably, Sydney’s most famous? I could set the scene with gravitas and list all the A-list celebs who have dined at this coastal Italian fine diner over the past two decades since its 2002 opening. Mick Jagger, for one. Chris Hemsworth, Oprah Winfrey, Matt Damon. Mee-crow-wah-vay goddess Nigella Lawson said it’s her favourite restaurant in the whole world. I could also begin by noting that trailblazer and Icebergs’ owner Maurice Terzini reopened the clifftop restaurant in 2022 after a seven-month renovation, with a fresh look, a new dining room and a swish glass seafood counter, pointing to the fact that the Bondi institution is not resting on its laurels. But I’m going to start with the view, because really, that’s why we’re here. It’s impossible to overstate just how beautiful it is.
Walking into Icebergs is like stepping into a calming sea of blue.
There are cool greens and ocean blues and turquoise. And that’s just in the room, which overlooks Bondi’s golden beach and that famous aqua pool. The combination of the waves crashing, the clinking of glassware, the hubbub of diners and sound of a piano, plus that million-dollar view, makes you feel good in an instant.
We’re warmly greeted and taken to our table in the additional dining room, but there doesn't seem to be a bad seat in the house. Our host lets us know they don’t have a booking after us, and we exhale.
Alex Prichard is leading the kitchen, and his passion for celebrating small growers and producers, as well as native ingredients, comes to life in a menu that’s anchored in Terzini’s Italian heritage. Guests can choose from two- or three-course options with additional sides. So, we begin the only way to begin a Sunday long lunch: with oysters, cocktails and fresh ricotta and bread served tableside.
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I go for a classic Icebergs creation, No. 147, with Belvedere vodka, coconut, passionfruit, Falernum, pineapple and lemon. Bright and fruit-forward, it tastes like the Frosty Fruits I enjoyed on the beach as a kid, and pairs well with the creamy, oceanic Merimbula oysters and mignonette that’s amped up with lemon verbena and pink peppercorns. As for the ricotta, the team makes it on the weekends and it comes with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper and Sonoma bread. A sublime start.
A warm salad of charcoal-grilled octopus lands as a riot of gorgeous Mediterranean colours. The slightly charred and tender chopped octopus is tangled with strips of red, orange and yellow peppers, sitting on a golden and crisp chickpea base. The peppers add a fruity sweetness, goat’s curd injects creaminess, and there’s crunch from chopped almonds. It’s spot on.
We’re deep in conversation, so I have taken a while on my entrée, but I haven't yet finished when our mains arrive, leaving little time to pause, reset and get excited for the next course. But I’m having vongole, so truthfully, I’m excited regardless.
Bouncy al dente spaghetti is laying in a buttery ocean and dotted with sea-sweet Goolwa pipis that taste like they’ve just been plucked from the shores. A dusting of bottarga sourced by chef Giovanni Pilu is like a salty umami seasoning. It's luscious and made even better with a glass of Charles et Fille Hautes-Côtes de Beaune chardonnay 2021, a French drop that’s subtle and exquisite. On the side, a salad of pink heirloom radishes comes with chunks of avocado, walnuts and a sharp vinaigrette. The thin discs of pink radish look like flower petals.
We finish with a riff on a cheesecake that arrives on our table with no explanation, but I can see slices of grapes on top that look like pretty fish scales. Underneath is a wafer-thin layer of almond nougatine, tangelo and a green jelly made from Harkham wine and anise hyssop sourced from Boon Luck Farm. At the bottom is a velvety whipped mozzarella mousse. There are no caramelised plums, which another waiter told me, but it tastes beautifully balanced and delicious.
As we head to leave, we see the bar going off, so we head there for one more drink, and yes, maybe another. Which is the sign of a great long lunch, in my books.
Dining at Icebergs isn’t cheap, though, you probably already know this. A three-course meal plus drinks will set you back almost double what it could cost at other flash diners in Sydney. You’re paying for that view, of course, which truly is as restorative and life-affirming as an actual holiday. And if you’ve got the cash to splash, I reckon it’s mostly worth it.
Service was at times exceptional, and at others, not as seamless as you’d expect for this price point. But when the sun is shining and a long lunch is on the cards, Icebergs is still one of the most beautiful places to dine in the world, delivering elegant coastal Italian fare with a side of la dolce vita.
Not flush? No worries, beeline it straight to the bar. The view is top-notch there, too.
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