Where to Eat in Darling Harbour

Trying to decide where to eat in Darling Harbour? It’s such a popular gathering spot for Sydneysiders and visitors alike with more than its share of restaurants, making choosing one a challenge. We find it a really easy meeting place with good transport links and so much choice that we often end up dining here. There really is something for everyone especially at the Darling Square end of town.

Today we share a list of our favourites; after eating at more than half the restaurants in the area, these are the ones we happily return to.

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Finding the Best Darling Harbour Restaurants and Cafes

There was a time I went well out of my way to avoid dining at Darling Harbour; it was a tourist trap with pretty average meals that were well overpriced. Over recent years things have changed significantly, and now it’s one of the first places that comes to mind when meeting friends.

New transport connections with the light rail and new housing developments that have attracted a couple of thousand new residents mean venues are now chasing repeat customers, which can only mean good things for us all!

You can still hit some pretty average food, especially at the northern end. Still, there are some quality cheap restaurants in Darling Harbour and even some pretty decent special occasion options. We have decided to do a deep dive into the area to help you find a bunch of new places to eat next time you are in town.

Named after Lieutenant-General Ralph Darling, who was Governor of New South Wales from 1825 to 1831, Darling Harbour was originally known as Long Cove.

Finding your way around Darling Harbour

Darling Harbour covers a huge area bordered by Barangaroo, Pyrmont and Haymarket (Chinatown). There are currently four main precincts, each with a different vibe.

Here is how I see it…

Cockle Bay Wharf

One of the earliest areas to offer dining in Darling Harbour there are several places on Cockle Bay Wharf that look out over the water. The restaurants here often have good lunch and happy hour deals where you can find a relatively cheap eat.

Of all the waterfront places here, my favourite is the tapas offerings at Cafe del Mar, on the first floor of the wharf complex. It’s a perfect choice when their weekend sunset sessions are on.

King St Wharf

King Street Wharf heads north and meets up with Barangaroo. This is where groups from nearby offices head after work, and on weekends the hens/bucks night groups descend. It’s also a popular spot for tour groups and large families.

With just a couple of exceptions, this is not somewhere I generally head to eat, but it can be ok at happy hour for drinks.

Darling Quarter

The new International Convention Centre (ICC) and Tumbalong Park is a little south of the Harbourside complex. On the city side of the area, you will find Darling Quarter. Home to the Chinese Garden and the huge children’s playground. This is the most popular spot for families visiting Darling Harbour.

There are several new casual eateries under the ICC and even McDonalds behind the park. Top choices include Betty’s Burgers, Braza Churrascaria, a must for meat lovers

Darling Square

The newest precinct in Darling Harbour, Darling Square, joins Chinatown and is home to more than 25 cafes and restaurants and the beautiful Exchange Building designed by Kengo Kuma. The Exchange houses the Darling Square public library and several restaurants and cafes.

This is the best spot to head of all the precincts in Darling Harbour when you don’t quite know what you feel like eating. In our opinion, some of the best restaurants in Darling Harbour are located here. There is a lovely outdoor space with plenty of casual seating and a dozen or so restaurants around it.

Adjoining, you will find Steam Mill Lane, with lots of casual eateries and some of the areas best cheap eats. Also adjacent is Electric Treat Street (part of Little Hay Street), the laneway to head for desserts.

Finding the Best Restaurants in Darling Harbour

Because it comes up a lot in our Facebook group, we decided it was time to do a rundown of the best places to eat in Darling Harbour. The area is home to so many sites and events that it is highly likely at some point, you will find yourself hungry while you are exploring here.

Cheap Restaurants in Darling Harbour

Yes, you can eat cheap in Sydney. Here are our picks for the best cheap food in Darling Harbour. The food on this list is easy to eat and will set you back under $15 per person.

• Marrickville Pork roll – home of the iconic banh mi
• Dopa – Japanese Don (rice bowls) start at $11
• Harry’s Cafe de Wheels – meat pie floater and a beer
• Harajuku Gyoza – 5 dumplings
• Lilong – a plate of 8 xiao long bao
• Wingboy – $35 for all you can eat wings and fries on Wednesdays

Check our Dining Deals in Sydney Page where we highlight the best deals each month.

Family-Friendly Restaurants in Darling Harbour

There are plenty of fast food options for family-friendly dining in the Harbourside complex, but if you want something a little nicer, head to Darling Quarter/Darling Square.

We chose our family-friendly restaurants on a couple of points, kids friendly food that you will be happy to eat too and an environment where you won’t have to worry about them being a little loud.

Our top picks for families:

• Bettys Burger and Concrete Co.
• Fratelli Fresh
• Lilong by Taste of Shanghai

Best Darling Harbour Restaurants for groups

Darling Harbour is a very popular spot for locals to celebrate. Almost all of the larger restaurants have extensive group dining options. Some we have enjoyed include

• Braza Churrascaria (Brazilian – Meat lovers)
• The Darling (Modern Oz and bar food)
• Cyren Bar & Grill (large portions -extensive range)
• Beer Deluxe – huge beer list with all the eats to match
• Planar – Happy hour every day from 3pm-6pm
• Manjits Wharf (Indian)
• Zaffran (Indian)
• Fratelli Fresh (Italian)
• LiLong by Taste of Shanghai (Shanghainese)

Halal Restaurants in Darling Harbour

There are several Halal options within Darling Harbour

• Lal Qila on King Street Wharf
• Manjit’s Wharf

It’s also worth noting that while not all stores are halal certified that in Sydney, all McDonalds, Hungry Jacks, Red Rooster, KFC, Subway, Domino’s all use halal-certified chicken and cheese. Some individual stores are certified.

Vegetarian Restaurants in Darling Harbour

Surprisingly there are no entirely vegetarian or vegan restaurants in Darling Harbour. There are, however, plenty of “vegetarian-friendly” choices. We have left out restaurants with just one or two dishes or salad only choices.

• The Malaya (Malaysian) – Vegetarian banquet $61 min 2 ppl – vegetable dishes on the menu but not as many on the list of mains, more like sides.
• Manjits Wharf – (Modern Indian) very extensive list of vegetarian choices for entrees and mains. Definitely not an afterthought here.
• Nok Nok Thai Eating House – Decent range of options
• Cafe Del Mar (Tapas style) – No specific vegetarian menu but enough on the list to make it a workable choice.
• Planar (Modern Australia) – a 4 dish vegan menu and 10 vegetarian dishes on the main menu
• Fratelli Fresh (Italian) – there are several pasta and pizza options.

Fancy some harbourside dining – check this guide

The Best Coffee in Darling Harbour

When it’s time for coffee, our star choice is Edition Coffee Roasters in Steam Mill Lane.

Solid Coffee choices in other parts of Darling Harbour include:

• Haven Speciality Coffee and Toby’s Estate – Darling Square
• St Dreux
• Vesta – Darling Quarter
• Lindt Chocolate Café – Cockle Bay Wharf
• Simplicity Cafe on King Street Wharf

The Best Breakfast in Darling Harbour

French-inspired Auvers Café, named after a village where Vincent Van Gogh once lived, is home to my current favourite Darling Habour brunch venue. Their Super Rice Bowl with smoked salmon, avocado, roasted Dutch carrot, runny onsen egg, and white soy dressing. Those with a sweet tooth will love the Taro Coconut Sago pudding served with mango, taro coconut meringue, longan, and fresh berries. Breakfast/Brunch is served until 3pm.

Other solid breakfast options include:

• Planar – Lots of healthy options, including a vegan big breakfast
• Killiney Kopitian – Get yourself a Kaya Toast set or a Nasi Lemak for a taste of Singapore
• Toby’s Estate – Solid breakfast menu with plenty of avocados and a great coconut chia pudding.
• Edition Coffee Roasters – Japanese inspired menu served alongside exceptional coffee. The souffle pancakes here are very, very good.

The Best Desserts in Darling Harbour

Darling Square has plenty of sweet tooth options, including Messina and the Hungarian chimney cakes from Kürtősh. In Darling Quater, Lindt Chocolate Café is a chocoholic delight

Fine Dining and Date Night in Darling Harbour

If you are looking to splurge or celebrate a special occasion, there are a couple of choices, both relatively new and both still on our to-do list, so these recommendations are based on friends views and not our own.

XOPP by Golden Century – On the mezzanine level of the Exchange building, this Chinese restaurant is a step above most in Sydney. The service is first class, and the decor is lovely. With so much great, cheap Chinese food in Sydney, this is one to save for a special occasion. The pippies in XO sauce, Golden Century’s signature dish features along with some more modern takes on traditional favourites. There are three banquet menus beginning at $70pp.

French Bistro Atelier in the new Sofitel Hotel will take you to the South of France and is sure to impress.

Pumphouse – With its terrace overlooking Darling Square, a fancy new wine room, and maintaining its roots as Sydney’s first microbrewery, the new look Pumphouse is a great addition.

The menu features three crafted boards perfect for sharing, a classic burger, BBQ cauliflower and Steak Frites for a start. It’s a great spot for date night.

Check the Hashtag #darlingharboureats on Instagram for more ideas.

Our Darling Harbour Dining Map

We have colour coded the map by area to help you find the best food in Darling Harbour, no matter which part of the area you are visiting. Click through to Google maps to see more detail or save the map for your visit.

Darling Harbour Restaurant Parking

We tend to park at either Wilson Parking at Darling Quarter or Wilson Parking at Market City. Both offer affordable weekend and evening options. Both offer night parking for between $12-15. Darling Quarter has a flat weekend rate of $15. You can also park at the International Convention Centre for $28 after 5pm.

Often about 6pm, you can nab a stop outside UTS. During business hours on weekdays, we would never even consider taking a car here.

Before you go, you might also like our guide to the best food tours in Sydney and let someone help you find more of the city’s gems!

Check out some more dining ideas

• Where to Find the Best Bars with a View in Sydney
• A Guide to the Best Things to Eat and Drink in Sydney
• Sydney’s Restaurants with a View of Sydney Harbour