Wondering what to eat around Sydney’s new metro stations?
It’s been a few weeks since Sydney’s major new M1 Metro line opened, springing several new stations to support the game-changing project. This has not only made getting around Sydney faster, it’s made some of the city’s best restaurants and bars infinitely more accessible for both locals and tourists.
We’ve put together a guide of some of the best restaurants within a 10-minute walk from each of the new Metro stations. From eating around Crows Nest and exploring the new food hall at Victoria Cross, to biting down on the beautiful eateries around Gadigal and giving Waterloo’s food scene some love—it’s time to eat somewhere new.
Where to eat near the new Sydney Metro stations
1. Best food near Crows Nest station
Crows Nest is the most exciting new Sydney Metro station simply because it makes this Lower North Shore suburb infinitely more accessible. Prior to the new station opening, Sydneysiders would have to rely on buses to get to Crows Nest’s density of high-quality Japanese restaurants.
Sushi Ooe
Although it’s technically in Cammeray, Sushi Ooe sits on the edge of Crows Nest, taunting the many Sydneysiders who miss out on a reservation each month. Chef Toshihiko Oe is considered one of the most reliable sushi masters in the country and his omakase menus are in such high demand that he only opens up bookings via SMS once per month. Spots are usually all gone by the end of the day so pay attention to the tiny restaurant’s Instagram account if you’re feeling lucky.
Address: 476 Miller St, Cammeray NSW 2062
Opening Hours: Tuesday – Saturday (6:30pm – 10pm)
Yakitori Yurippi
This Falcon Street favourite started as a pop-up at one of Sydney’s most popular nightclubs. But Yurripi has grown significantly since those days, keeping things tiny and intimate but taking the art of yakitori over to the Lower North Shore. Re-energised by a recent move, Yakitori Yurippi feels more vital than ever, with everything from chicken thighs to gizzards cooking over long-burning Ogatan charcoal. The vibe is smokey and loud, feeling like a high-energy dinner in the backstreets of Osaka.
Address: Ground Floor/6-8 Falcon St, Crows Nest NSW 2065
Contact: 0402 092 680
Opening Hours: Monday – Thursday (5pm – 10pm); Friday – Saturday (5pm – 10:30pm); Sunday (5pm – 10pm)
Ryo’s Noodles
Few ramen restaurants in Sydney feel like they’ve been imported straight from the backstreets of Tokyo. Ryo’s Noodles thrives on its authenticity, fashioned as a tiny orange eating house with butcher’s paper stuck to the walls, coloured with kanji and good luck cats. There are several pork and chicken-based ramens to choose from, including the signature spicy chicken ramen with roast pork, egg and shallots.
Address: 125 Falcon St, Crows Nest NSW 2065
Contact: (02) 9955 0225
Opening Hours: Monday – Tuesday (11:40am – 2pm, 5pm – 8:30pm); Thursday – Sunday (11:40am – 2pm, 5pm – 8:30pm)
2. Best food near Victoria Cross station
Wondering what to eat near Victoria Cross station in North Sydney? That’s easy. An entire food hall has been built as an extension to Victoria Cross, featuring some of Sydney’s favourite casual food businesses. Victoria Cross also has one of the best installations out of all the many new art pieces commissioned for Sydney Metro, so pay attention while walking through the concourse,
Marrickville Pork Roll
The famous Marrickville Pork Roll extended beyond its eponymous digs a few years ago when it opened a second location at Circular Quay. Now the inner-west’s most famous banh mi climbs across the bridge with the exact same menu that made the tiny businesses such a popular spot to begin with. Unsurprisingly, queues have been increasingly long so try and head along outside of lunch hours.
Address: Victoria Cross, 30 Denison St, North Sydney NSW 2060
Contact: 0412 854 313
Opening Hours: Monday – Friday (8am – 3:30pm); Saturday (8:30am – 3:30pm); Sunday (9:30am – 3pm)
ToroToro Ramen
A premium MB9+ wagyu ramen has been drawing plenty of people to ToroToro Ramen lately. The tiny shopfront is also part of the Victoria Cross food hall, serving up consistently excellent bowls of ramen both with classic topics and a few outliers to play around with some ideas. Sydney’s ramen scene is already super strong, and ToroToro is a great addition to ramen fans in North Sydney.
Address: Shop 14, 155B Miller Street, North Sydney, NSW 2060
Opening Hours: Monday – Saturday (11:30am – 2pm, 5:30pm – 8pm)
Dopa Donburi & Dessert
Dopa is another strong entry for North Sydney’s latest food hall. This one is all about delectable rice bowls and savoury Japanese desserts, springing off the Darling Quarter original’s popularity with wagyu bowls and matcha ice cream being the most popular orders.
Address: Victoria Cross, 30 Denison St, North Sydney NSW 2060
Contact: 0410 339 898
Opening Hours: Monday – Friday (8am – 8pm); Saturday – Sunday (11am – 5pm)
3. Best food near Barangaroo station
It’s now so much easier to get to Barangaroo, which pulls Crown Sydney and the area’s best restaurants and bars into the fold. Next time you’ve got a stop at Barangaroo Station you can settle your appetite at the following three venues.
Ume Burger
A tight menu of unique Japanese-Australian burgers has kept Ume front-of-mind in any discussion on Sydney’s best burgers. The late Kirby Craig opened this tiny shop when The Streets of Barangaroo when the precinct was in its early stages, and it still remains one of the top choices in the area for when you want a great meal for less than $20.
Address: 33 Barangaroo Ave, Barangaroo NSW 2000
Contact: 0481 951 920
Opening Hours: Monday – Tuesday (11:30am – 2:30pm); Wednesday – Saturday (11:30am – 2:30pm, 4:30pm – 9pm); Sunday (11:30am – 2:30pm)
NOLA Smokehouse & Bar
You won’t find many American BBQ joints around Sydney but NOLA has nailed the pitch perfectly with its Louisiana homage. Platters of brisket, pork and beef constantly fill this Barangaroo favourite with sweet-smelling smoke and meat sweats. Truth be told, it’s more Texas than New Orleans, moving away from the fascinating and highly adaptable nuances of traditional Creole dishes and focusing almost entirely on the meats. It’s a pittmaster’s paradise.
Address: 100 Barangaroo Ave Cnr Barangaroo Ave &, Shipwright Walk, Barangaroo NSW 2000
Contact: (02) 9188 3039
Opening Hours: Tuesday (4pm – 11:30pm); Wednesday – Saturday (11:30am – 11:30pm)
a’Mare
Tableside cooking and classic service set the scene at a’Mare, Crown Sydney’s premier Italian restaurant and one of the best places to eat rich, fatty pasta in Sydney. The vibe is more caviar than croquettes, so make sure you’re in the mood to spend big before throwing yourself at the menu’s many signature dishes.
Address: Level 1/1 Barangaroo Ave, Barangaroo NSW 2000
Contact: (02) 8871 7171
Opening Hours: Monday (12pm – 2:30pm, 5:30pm – 9pm; Tuesday – Wednesday (5:30pm – 9pm); Thursday (12pm – 3:30pm, 5:30pm – 9pm); Friday – Saturday (12pm – 3:30pm, 5:30pm – 9:45pm); Sunday (12pm – 2:30pm, 5:30pm – 9pm)
4. Best food near Martin Place station
Martin Place is now the main metro station as part of the M1 line, serving as its hub with a massive new shopping centre. The financial strip is also surrounded by some of the best restaurants in Sydney CBD so make the most of the newfound convenience and book into one of these three gems.
AALIA
The same team behind Nour and Ito really stepped it up at a notch when they opened AALIA in the 25 Martin Place precinct. Now, the award-winning restaurant has two Chef’s hats and dishes up some of the most interesting Middle Eastern food you’ll find in the country. Clinging to the coast, Paul Farag has put together a menu that draws on recipes from lesser-loving countries like Iraq and spins it with interests twists. Grab the squishy cuttlefish starter and don’t miss the puffy bread rolls.
Address: 25 Martin Pl, Sydney NSW 2000
Contact: (02) 9182 5880
Opening Hours: Monday – Friday (12pm – 2:30pm, 5:30pm – 9:30pm)
Ragazzi
This Angel’s Place favourite is only a short walk from Martin Place and is still one of the best spots in Sydney for hearty pastas and rich, full-bodied wines. The Love Tilly group built their small empire of Italianate wine bars off the back of Ragazzi’s popularity, but the original neighbourhood pasta bar is still the best.
Address: 1 Angel Pl, Sydney NSW 2000
Contact: (02) 8964 3062
Opening Hours: Monday – Saturday (11:30pm – 12am); Sunday (11:30am – 10pm)
The Charles
Fine French food served in a grand dining room. The Charles has a lot going for it with Billy Hannigan’s sharp understanding of classic French comfort food. Order the duck first and then work your way around that. A few bottles of fine French wine won’t go astray either, nor will a post-dinner dance down at the adjoining Tiva Lounge.
Address: 66 King St, Sydney NSW 2000
Contact: (02) 9145 8066
Opening Hours: Monday – Friday (10am – 11:30pm); Saturday (12pm – 11:30pm)
5. Best food near Gadigal station
Gadigal Station is located on Bathurst Street and Pitt Street, making it the most convenient stop for anyone who wants to sit right in the heart of Sydney CBD. That also means the station is a short walk from Pitt St Mall, as well as some of the best restaurants around World Square and Hyde Park.
Parlour
There aren’t many pop-in, pop-out French restaurants in Sydney, so Parlour is a unique offering from luxury boutique Hotel QT Sydney. The casual street level restaurant is dark and moody thanks to its theatrical past, perfect for elevated French classics like steak tartare with classic garnishes and crepe suzette prepared table side. The affordable prix-fixie menu is the way to go when you’ve got a show at the State Theatre nearby, otherwise carve out a few hours and sink into those back tables for a few hours.
Address: 49 Market St, Sydney NSW 2000
Contact: (02) 8262 0000
Opening Hours: Monday – Wednesday (7am – 10pm); Thursday – Saturday (7am – 1am); Sunday (7pm – 10pm)
Alpha
One of Sydney’s best established Greek restaurants is still thriving as part of the Hellenic Club. Stately and consistent, Alpha Restaurant is lively and efficient, handsomely dressed with swathes of marble and luxurious finishings. Run through the classics for the quintessential Greek feast—twice cooked WA octopus, baked spanakopita, braised beef cheek moussaka, Greek salad.
Address: 238 Castlereagh St, Sydney NSW 2000
Contact: (02) 9098 1111
Opening Hours: Tuesday – Wednesday (12pm – 10pm); Thursday – Saturday (12pm – 11pm)
678 Korean BBQ Restaurant
Chinatown is peppered with all types of Korean BBQ restaurants offering more or less the same experience—a rowdy, social dining experience, lifted by loud chatter as groups grill platters of raw meat on a steamy plate. But 678 Korean BBQ Restaurant is easily the most consistent, with high-quality meats and a healthy selection of banchan (complimentary side dishes). The kitchen also spins one of the best seafood pancakes you’ll find in Sydney.
Address: Level 1/396 Pitt St, Haymarket NSW 2000
Opening Hours: Monday – Thursday (12pm – 11pm); Friday (12pm – 12am); Saturday (11am – 12am); Sunday (11am – 11pm)
6. Best food near Waterloo station
Waterloo has always been highly underrated when it comes to dining both in and around the main strip of Danks Street. Now that the metro is open, you can zip straight to favourites like Fish Butchery and Ora Restaurant.
Fish Butchery Waterloo
Josh Niland may have closed the original Fish Butchery in Paddington, but his futuristic fish & chip shop concept is doing just fine over in Waterloo. A short walk from the metro station will bring you to the bright, airy spot where tuna cheeseburgers rule the day and Niland’s irrepressible creativity can be found all over, from fish charcuterie boards to ready-to-heat seafood lasagne.
Address: 965 Bourke St, Waterloo NSW 2017
Contact: (02) 8960 0903
Opening Hours: Saturday – Sunday (10am – 7pm)
Ora Restaurant
An old Waterloo warehouse has been completely refurbished to make way for the style Ora Restaurant. The popular omakase menu is hard to book, but Ora’s most expensive offering is worth the effort. If luck isn’t on your side, however, tuck into the a la carte option with elevated street food and a generous list of artisanal sake and Japanese wines.
Address: 8 Danks St, Waterloo NSW 2017
Contact: (02) 6261 0088
Opening Hours: Tuesday – Thursday (12pm – 3pm, 6pm – 10pm); Friday (12pm – 3pm, 5:30pm – 12am); Saturday (5:30pm – 12am)
Re
One of the best cocktail bars in the world is actually just a 10-minute walk from Waterloo’s new metro station. Completely dedicated to sustainability and up-cycled materials, Re is a masterclass in closed-loop sustainability with a clever use of pre-loved materials and rescued ingredients turned into mind-bending cocktails. For example, the signature martini is made from bone dust powder gathered from a local Sydney butcher, a result of sawing meat every day.
Address: 8 Danks St, Waterloo NSW 2017
Contact: (02) 6261 0088
Opening Hours: Tuesday – Thursday (12pm – 3pm, 6pm – 10pm); Friday (12pm – 3pm, 5:30pm – 12am); Saturday (5:30pm – 12am)
7. Best food near Central station
Central Station has always been Sydney’s most connected transport hub, but now a dedicated metro station has tamed some of that constant chaos. It’s now easier to get in and out of Central,
Pellegrino 2000
It may be better known as Taylor Swift’s favourite restaurant in Sydney nowadays, but Pellegrino 2000 has carved out its own unique identity amongst the city’s overcrowded collection of Italian eateries. This moody two-level restaurant is much more than just another scripted pasta temple, however, with buckets of creativity flowing from the kitchen with dishes like springy, plump prawns blanketed in wonton wrappers and flavoured with brown butter and sage.
Address: 80 Campbell St, Surry Hills NSW 2010
Contact: (02) 8593 0114
Opening Hours: Monday – Wednesday (5pm – late); Thursday – Sunday (12pm – late)
Gildas
Lennox Hastie pays homage to Basque country with his upscale pinxtos bar, where Spanish wines and premium tapas echo the backstreets of San Sebastian in a sharp, well-presented dining room. Take a seat at the bar and sip on uncommon verdejo while traditional peasant food is given luxurious twists with top-shelf Australian produce.
Address: 46-48 Albion St, Surry Hills NSW 2010
Contact: (02) 8275 8285
Opening Hours: Wednesday – Thursday (5:30pm – 12am); Friday (12pm – 12am); Saturday (5:30pm – 12am)
The Rover
A lot of locals don’t even known this, but The Rover has a nice, juicy secret hidden on its menu. Given the seafood bar and bistro is part of the same group as The Gidley, you can actually get the signature burger from Sydney’s favourite steakhouse here as well. Just remember to ask and you’ll get the same double-stacked gourmet burger that has made The Gidley a world recognised steakhouse for years. Plus, The Rover has excellent seafood dishes like a unique eel pate and a pitch-perfect seafood pie that is best washed down with an ice-cold Guinness.
Address: 75 Campbell St, Surry Hills NSW 2010
Contact: (02) 9000 7544
Opening Hours: Monday – Friday (4pm – 12am); Saturday (3pm – 12am)
