Darling Harbour Food & Drink

Waterside dining

The water views and fresh breeze blowing from the harbour make this the ideal spot for outdoor dining. The promenade along King Street Wharf, Cockle Bay and Harbourside are full of diners enjoying a leisurely, long lunch. Tuck into fresh seafood at Nick's, French fare at Atelier by Sofitel, Mediterranean at Café del Mar and enjoy all-day dining at Blackbird Café.

It's a different kind of waterside dining at the Chinese Garden of Friendship. Instead of the harbour, you'll sip tea and nibble on dumplings, steamed buns and pastries in the Teahouse set among waterfalls and ponds for a truly Zen experience.

Cafe Del Mar, Darling Harbour

King Street Wharf

Outdoor dining doesn't get much better than sitting out on the deck and watching the boats glide along the wharf. The Malaya is one of Sydney's oldest – and best – Malaysian restaurants, Manjits is the place for Indian, Casa Ristorante Italiano has you covered for pasta and pizza, and Steersons Steakhouse will keep carnivores happy.

Bungalow 8 on King Street Wharf, Darling Harbour - Credit: Australian Venue Co.

Bars

Stylish and popular bars are dotted around the waterfront. There's the tiki-inspired Bungalow 8 and the Watershed Hotel, which all offer good value meals and are child-friendly during the day. In the evenings, dance the night away at Cargo Bar as the city lights shimmer on the harbour waters.

Cargo Bar, Darling Harbour - Credit: Australian Venue Co.

Beer lovers will make a beeline for The Pumphouse, one of Sydney's first microbreweries, or discover niche craft brews at Batch Brewing Company's new taproom. For Italian wines and Aperol Spritzes look no further than Fratelli Fresh, but if you fancy Japanese whisky then head to Nakano Darling, a relaxed izakaya bar serving up drinks and gyozas.

Pumphouse Sydney, Darling Harbour - Credit: Novotel Sydney Darling Square

Darling Square

This new precinct is the place to be for tasty, fast-casual treats. There's modern Vietnamese at Hello Auntie, tapas at Boque by Tapavino, Korean chicken at Goobne, tonkatsu-style ramen at Hakatamon Ramen, Japanese-inspired burgers at Ume Burger, Hungarian pastries at Kurtosh and sweet and savoury all-day pancakes at Pancakes On The Rocks.

Kurtosh Darling Square, Darling Harbour

Nearby Tumbalong Park holds a variety of food and cultural festivals throughout the year, from the colourful lights of Vivid Sydney to a Winter Festival brimming with fireworks, performances, exhibits, ice-skating rinks and pop-up foodie markets. Check out the exciting events calendar to see what’s on.