The Definitive Guide to The Best Restaurants in Bondi

While summer is in full force, this timeless Bondi institution is the only place we want to be. A chic dining room and ocean views set the scene for Sean Moran’s pioneering farm-to-table menus, with an exclusively Australian wine list and ever-changing blackboard of dishes, like kingfish tartare with finger lime or a sublime cherry tart. Pro tip: we love the chef’s choice menu of five dishes with an elegant wine pairing — and you will too. Casually glam, and perfect for a celebration. Outdoor tables.

A Sydney icon for more than 30 years, Bondi Trattoria is operated by veterans Joe Pavlovich (ex-Mangans Group) and manager Alasdair France. Just metres from the sand, there’s a pronounced Italian influence to the menu, with finessed comfort dishes like spaghetti with blue swimmer crab and chilli, ricotta, feta and filo pie (plus excellent pizza) available for dine-in, takeout or delivery. A pre-dinner spritz here should be part of any successful beach day.

Run by the same team behind Taqiza and Carbòn, this cocktail bar has bottomless tacos and margaritas on demand, with the Baja fish tacos and mojo potatoes both essential orders. Bottomless brunches at the weekend are a must here (and extend to 5pm), while the menu is also chock-full of spectacular dishes like Caribbean spiced king prawn skewers, jerk chicken quesadillas, and pumpkin empanadas. There’s plenty to drink, too — the menu dedicates two pages solely to rum.

Just a few minutes from the beach, Drake Eatery epitomises the transformation of Bondi into a dining destination; that is, incredible produce cooked with finesse, and presented simply. Having worked at stellar restaurants like London’s Ledbury, chef Ian Oakes creates dishes that go above and beyond this relaxed all-day cafe’s remit. Brunch is just as stunning as dinner here — elegant fior di latte mozzarella arrives with peach, almonds, and fragrant lemon myrtle, while the baked eggs rival any in the city. Outdoor seating available.

The team behind Taqiza and Carbòn have made Bondi their own, with laid-back, Mexican eateries that consistently deliver on both food and ambience. Calita, their new marisqueria (seafood restaurant), is no exception to this winning formula; expect outstanding local seafood presented via dishes inspired Bajan cuisine (outstanding seafood-led tacos, aguachile, crab tostadas). Go deep on a list of refreshing cocktails, or make the most of the weekend takeaway options and bring your fish and chip taco to the beach.

This effortlessly chic neighbourhood spot blurs the lines between wine bar and casual restaurant. In truth, it’s both – with a sophisticated, European-leaning list of minimal intervention wines and a cosy neighbourhood bar feel on the one hand, and superb plates of rustic, unpretentious Italian food on the other. The kitchen wields its considerable skill with a light touch, with fresh seafood, handmade pastas, and creative desserts forming the backbone of a menu that’s almost impossible to get tired of.

At this breezy plant-based bar and kitchen, there’s a spacious courtyard decked out with white umbrellas during the day, which transforms into a pretty garden laden with fairy lights in the evening. It’s a fitting setting to peruse a vibrant menu of upscale comfort favourites, like banana blossom tacos, mushroom Bolognese, or a trio of colourful green sliders (Pro tip: just get all of them). Excellent desserts, biodynamic wine, and botanical cocktails round out the experience.

This small, busy cafe channels New York’s legendary diners, serving up the Jewish staples of its owners’ upbringings, with dense, chewy bagels, house-made pastrami on rye, chopped liver, and lox aplenty. This being Bondi, you can also get a great margarita and herbaceous salads full of flavour and contrast, plus coffee from an old-fashioned lever-powered machine. Excellent for breakfast and lunch; pick-me-ups, or a quick bite to go.

A lush, pastel-hued dining room and tasteful interiors conceal the fact that this upscale bistro has award-winning talent behind its wine, cocktail, and food offerings – still a relative novelty in this part of town. Freshly shucked oysters, boozy brunches, and happy hours in beautiful surroundings are a given; equally, practice self-care with a burger and an excellent dirty martini. A restaurant worth getting dressed up for. Plenty of outdoor seating, too.

Like its sibling in Surry Hills, this Mexican plant-based diner is a lot of fun. The restaurant attracts a laid-back crowd, who come for tacos, plus specials like Baja jackfruit tacos or a whole cauliflower with oregano-paprika salt, cashew cream, and salsa verde. Natural wines dominate the list, while a plum beachside location makes it an excellent place to pop in for white sangrias and spicy tequila cocktails. Outdoor seating available.

Busy from the moment it opened, this vegan pasta restaurant is popular for a reason. Simple, but excellent, tough choices are a fact of life here; tomato gnocchi with roasted capers and basil is excellent, as is its mushroom equivalent with crisp sage and pangrattato. A plate of spaghetti aglio e olio is advised to split at the table. Open Wednesday to Sunday for dinner.