All the Best Things to Eat and Drink at Vivid Sydney
Our guide to where to eat and drink at Vivid Sydney is designed to help you find the best dining options if you are heading to the city to see the Vivid lights. Along with the official Vivid food events, there are a number of Vivid-exclusive bar and dining offers that are more accessible. We have shared our top picks below.
Vivid Sydney runs from 22 May to 13 June 2026
We all know things get very busy on weekends during Vivid Sydney, so for the best chance of getting a table:
- Consider Friday or Sunday for weekend dining. Saturdays are consistently the busiest dining day — an alternate weekend night gives you more options.
- Book at 5pm or 8pm for better availability. The 6pm and 7pm sittings fill fastest.
- If you are not planning to watch the State of Origin, these nights are some of the best for dining out — restaurants are noticeably quieter while football fans are elsewhere.
We are updating this page as 2026 details come in — bookmark it and check back regularly through April and May.
This page contains affiliate links. You can find our full disclosure policy here.
Vivid Food 2026
The food programme this year has a strong NSW regional focus. The headline event is A Shared Table with Yotam Ottolenghi, part of a new Regional Dinner Series that pairs visiting and local chefs to highlight NSW produce and producers.
Other pairings in the series include:
- Ben Devlin with Lennox Hastie at Firedoor
- Mindy Woods with Danielle Alvarez at the Sydney Opera House,
- Christine Manfield with Sander Nooij at Yellow
Vivid Fire Kitchen has moved to Barangaroo Reserve in 2026 and is free to attend nightly. The lineup includes Mark Best, Luke Mangan, Sharon Salloum, Annita Potter, Julie Goodwin and Adriano Zumbo, with more names to be announced.
Pop-up dining events are also running at Parliament House, The Mint and other city venues, alongside special menus at Shell House, Infinity, Aster Bar, The International and others.
Vivid Dining at the Opera House
Culture in Motion: Mindy Woods & Danielle Alvarez
Bundjalung woman and chef Mindy Woods pairs with Danielle Alvarez, the Sydney Opera House’s culinary director of events, for a multi-sensory feast celebrating Byron Bay as part of the Regional Dinner Series.
The evening combines Indigenous ingredients, NSW artisan producers, curated wines, immersive Indigenous art and live music blending Indigenous sound, jazz, blues and strings.
When: 22nd & 23rd May 2026 6:30pm – 9:30pm
Where: Yallamundi Rooms, Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point
Price: From $275 per person l Book
Saltbush and Starlight
Chef Mark Olive of the hatted restaurant Midden leads this three-course dinner celebrating native ingredients and culture, paired with NSW wines, craft beers or non-alcoholic options.
Your ticket includes a meet and greet on arrival and a one-hour Sydney Opera House tour before dinner.
When: Fridays and Saturdays throughout Vivid — 23, 24, 30, 31 May, 6, 7, 13 June
Where: Sydney Opera House (Entry Foyer Lounge)
Price: $290 (vegetarian menu available) Book direct
Vivid Dining Menus
Altitude Restaurant – Vivid Sydney Five-Course Menu
On Level 36 of Shangri-La Sydney, Altitude sits directly above The Rocks with floor-to-ceiling harbour views. During Vivid, you can watch the Opera House sails and the full foreshore light show from the table — no walking required.
Executive Sous Chef Michele Menegazzi and Head Pastry Chef Kumiko Endo have put together a five-course menu built around seasonal ingredients. Expect Cajun tuna tataki, tempura Yamba prawn, a choice of honey glazed duck or Pedro Ximénez blue reef coral trout, and a grape Baba au Rhum with crème fraîche gelato to finish. Menu is subject to change.
Where: Level 36, Shangri-La Sydney, 176 Cumberland Street, The Rocks
When: Nightly during Vivid Sydney, 5.30pm – 9.30pm
Price: $195 per person | Optional wine pairing $85 – $315 per person
The Dining Room by James Viles – Vivid Dining Menu
Park Hyatt Sydney sits at the water’s edge in The Rocks with one of the closest unobstructed views of the Opera House sails. Chef de Cuisine Dan Parkes has put together a three-course seasonal menu built around winter produce.
Entrées include raw tuna with beetroot, buttermilk and dill, and chicken and duck press with tarragon and black garlic. Mains run from O’Connor striploin with broccoli and Szechuan peppers to calamari rigatoni with green sauce and preserved lemon, plus a BBQ leek option with confit onion, spinach and seaweed.
Desserts include Bright Lights (matcha, yuzu cheesecake and passionfruit) and Afterglow (chocolate, pear and hazelnut).
Signature cocktails include Beyond The Glow — Papa Salt Coastal Gin with yuzu and lemon myrtle — and the non-alcoholic Golden Glow with honey, citrus and native botanicals.
For a more relaxed option, The Living Room serves à la carte including squid ink spaghetti with prawn, lemon and tarragon ($52), ‘nduja rigatoni with stracciatella ($42) and truffle mac and cheese ($56).
When: 23 May – 13 June 2026, 5.00pm – 9.00pm
Where: Park Hyatt Sydney, 7 Hickson Road, The Rocks
Price: $120 per person (three courses) | Cocktails from $20 Book: direct
Vivid Food events
A Shared Table with Yotam Ottolenghi
The headline event of Vivid Food’s Regional Dinner Series brings Yotam Ottolenghi to Sydney for an exclusive lunch and dinner at ILUMINA in the CBD. The menu centres on NSW produce, with Ottolenghi applying his produce-led approach to locally sourced ingredients. This is the only Australian appearance.
Note: only vegan and gluten-free dietary options are available. To sit with your group, all tickets must be purchased in a single transaction.
When: 29–30 May 2026 | Multiple sessions — check vividsydney.com for times
Where: ILUMINA, 1 Elizabeth Street, Sydney
Price: From $340 per person (booking fees apply)
After Dark Dinners at Canvas – MCA Australia
Canvas Restaurant sits inside the MCA with harbour views and a Chef’s Hat from the Good Food Guide. The After Dark Dinner is a set menu inspired by Angela Tiatia’s Vivid Sydney projection, with general admission to MCA Australia included until 9pm on Thursday nights.
The menu includes a glass of Pommery Brut Royal Champagne, Bermagui yellowfin tuna with Beluga caviar and saltbush, Jervis Bay lobster mezzelune with bisque and lemon myrtle, Stone Axe Wagyu with roast potatoes and native thyme, and a pineapple dessert with sorrel gelato, citrus snow and finger lime. All other beverages are charged separately.
When: Thursday 28 May, 4 June and 11 June 2026 | First sitting 5.30pm, last sitting 8.30pm
Where: Canvas Restaurant, MCA Australia, 140 George Street, The Rocks
Price: $290 per person (inc. GST and MCA general admission)
Dream Feast – Vivid Food 2026
Held at The Mint in the CBD, Dream Feast is a multi-course communal dinner that pairs food and drinks with animated projections and a live-mixed trip-hop soundtrack. The menu draws on the Caroline Simpson Library Collection — a historical archive of Australian design and domestic life — exploring how eating and gathering rituals have shifted over time.
New York-based ARLO Communal have designed the experience in partnership with Museums of History NSW. DJ and curator Munasib provides a newly commissioned live soundtrack throughout the evening.
When: Tuesday 2 – Friday 5 June 2026, 6.00pm – 8.45pm
Where: The Mint, 10 Macquarie Street, Sydney
Price: $250 per person | $200 for Museums of History NSW members
SRG Vivid Passport
Do you like a good deal? Dining at any of the SRG Hospitality venues below during Vivid will earn you a bonus. Visit two participating venues between 22 May and 13 June to unlock a $50 dining voucher, visit three and you’ll receive an additional bonus voucher. Details here
Whalebridge – Circular Quay
Whalebridge is a French bistro and bar on the water at Circular Quay, with sideways views of the Opera House and direct views of the Harbour Bridge. The menu runs to fresh oysters, plateaux de fruits de mer, twice-baked soufflé with 18-month Comté and grilled John Dory with clams in lobster sauce.
During Vivid, the position works well for watching Opera Mundi — the new Lighting of the Sails work by French artist Yann Nguema — from your table.
When: Daily 11.00am until late (weather permitting)
Where: Whalebridge, Circular Quay
Price: À la carte
Sails – Lavender Bay
Sails sits on the North Shore with waterfront views of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge — a different angle on the Vivid lights to the usual harbour-side spots. On opening night (22 May) a five-course Vivid-inspired tasting menu is available at $155 per person.
From 23 May, a six-course menu runs for the duration of the festival at $185 per person, with matching wines available. Three Vivid cocktails are on offer throughout.
When: 22 May – 13 June 2026, from 5.30pm
Where: Sails, Lavender Bay
Price: $155pp opening night | $185pp six-course menu
The Fenwick – East Balmain
The Fenwick in East Balmain offers a non-CBD vantage point for the Vivid lights. On opening night (22 May), a five-course tasting menu at $125 per person showcases Sydney rock oysters with verjus mignonette, Fraser Isle spanner crab on brioche, and Moreton Bay bug with gochujang and ginger.
The menu continues with New Zealand hapuka with sudachi beurre blanc, Coppertree Farms aged rump cap with potato pavé and cavolo nero, and a pineapple sorbet and miso crèmeux to finish. Three Vivid cocktails are also available throughout the evening.
When: Friday 22 May from 5.30pm
Where: The Fenwick, East Balmain
Price: $125pp (opening night tasting menu)
Ventuno – Walsh Bay
Ventuno is a contemporary Italian restaurant in Walsh Bay’s arts precinct, making it a practical choice if you’re heading to a theatre performance nearby. The menu covers handmade pasta, wood-fired pizza and boutique wines by the water.
Three Vivid-inspired cocktails are available throughout the festival, designed around the colour and energy of the light installations.
When: 22 May – 13 June 2026, from 5.30pm
Where: Ventuno, Walsh Bay
Price: À la carte
Akti – Woolloomooloo
Akti brings Greek mezze and seafood to Woolloomooloo Wharf, with a menu built around fresh produce and Aegean flavours. The waterfront setting makes it an easy stop before or after the Vivid Light Walk.
A limited-edition cocktail and snack pairing menu runs throughout the festival, with drinks designed around the colours and movement of the lights.
When: 22 May – 13 June 2026, from 5.30pm
Where: Akti, Woolloomooloo Wharf
Price: À la carte
Creative Cocktails & Vivid Bar Events
Henry Deane – Hotel Palisade, Millers Point
Henry Deane is the rooftop bar at the top of the historic Hotel Palisade in Millers Point, sitting within the Vivid light trail and a short walk from Barangaroo Metro. The covered rooftop with plush lounge seating and harbour and Harbour Bridge views makes it a practical option on wet nights when walking the full light trail is less appealing.
Three limited-edition Vivid cocktails are on offer: Neon Fizz (yuzu and spirulina pearls), Flamingo Theory (guava-forward) and Liquid Ember (clarified tequila). Non-alcoholic options, wine and beer also available. The share food menu runs from snackable bites at $8 to a lamb shoulder at $54 — the Potato Hash with abalone sauce and smoked pork dust ($22 for four pieces) is flagged as a must-order.
When: 22 May – 13 June 2026
Where: Henry Deane, Hotel Palisade, Millers Point
Price: Cocktails from $22 | Wine from $16 | Beer from $10
Grain Bar – Vivid Cocktails
Grain Bar opens nightly from 4pm during Vivid with three limited-edition cocktails at $27 each: Prism Bloom, Ocean Glow and Golden Ember, each finished with tri-colour jelly, glitter and house-made candy garnishes. The bar is steps from the Circular Quay light installations, making it a practical first or last stop on the light walk.
Live DJ sets run every Friday and Saturday from 8pm until late. Book via grainbar.com.au/event/vivid-sydney-illuminate-cocktail-experience
When: 22 May – 13 June 2026, from 4pm nightly
Where: Grain Bar, Four Seasons Hotel Sydney, 199 George Street
Price: Vivid cocktails $27
Zephyr Sky Bar & Jackalberry – Hyatt Regency Sydney
Zephyr Sky Bar on Level 12 has panoramic views over Darling Harbour and three limited-edition glow-in-the-dark cocktails for Vivid: Electric Orchard (Ketel One, pomme verte, bergamot, tom yum, citrus), Pink Smoke Verde (Don Julio Blanco, mezcal, rhubarb, lime) and Cloud Garden Spritz (Tanqueray, Green Chartreuse, kiwi, citrus and lemonade). Time your visit for 7.30pm or 9.30pm to catch the Darling Harbour drone shows running 24 May to 10 June.
For a quieter option, Jackalberry Bar and the Lobby Lounge serve two further cocktails on illuminated coasters: Melon Lumiere (Tanqueray, melon liqueur, orange juice) and Blushing Lights (Ketel One, Aperol, pomegranate, hibiscus, lime and prosecco).
Staying the night? The Savour Sip Stay package includes breakfast for two, a complimentary cocktail per person at Jackalberry and late checkout.
When: 22 May – 13 June 2026
Where: Zephyr Sky Bar, Level 12 | Jackalberry Bar & Lobby Lounge, Ground Floor | 161 Sussex Street, Sydney
Sofitel Champagne Bar – Vivid Cocktails
The Champagne Bar sits on the harbour foreshore with direct views across Cockle Bay, making it a good spot to watch the Star-Bound drone show at 7.30pm and 9.30pm Sunday to Wednesday.
Two Vivid cocktails are on the menu: Starry Night (Grey Goose vodka, crème de pêche, Luxardo Maraschino, butterfly pea, lemon and egg white — colour-changing) and Pink Vertigo (Bombay Sapphire gin, raspberry liqueur, lemon and rose syrup).
When: 22 May – 13 June 2026, open daily
Where: Champagne Bar, Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour, 12 Darling Drive
Vivid Family Dining
L’Antica Pizzeria Da Michele – Pitt Street
Da Michele on Pitt Street near Circular Quay is a handy post-walk option during Vivid, with late-night trading every night of the festival. For the first time since opening, they’ve created a pizza special for the occasion: fiordilatte from Agerola, lemon zest ricotta, mortadella, zucchini flower salad, yellow datterino tomatoes and a Primitivo reduction, at $35. Add a 500ml draught Peroni for an extra $10.
The venue will be lit in Italian red, green and white throughout the festival, which makes it easy to spot from the street after dark.
When: 22 May – 13 June 2026, late-night trading nightly
Where: L’Antica Pizzeria Da Michele, Pitt Street, Sydney
Price: Pizza special $35 | Add draught Peroni $10
Gateway Sydney
Gateway Sydney at Circular Quay is worth knowing about if you’re heading to Vivid with kids. The centre has more than 30 venues including Hurricane’s Grill, Yayoi, Gelato Messina, Yo-Chi and Four Frogs Crêperie, with the food court open until 11pm Wednesday to Sunday throughout the festival. Dining specials include a Casa Nova sharing menu with kids eat free at $59 per person and a Winghaus family pack with burgers, fries, drinks and kids meals for $75.
Free arcade games run across the precinct during the festival — Tetris, Pac-Man, Space Invaders and others. Spend $30 or more at any Gateway retailer to receive a token to play the claw machine, with every token guaranteeing a prize. Spend $50 for two tokens. The claw machine runs from 6pm Wednesday to Sunday.
When: 22 May – 13 June 2026 | Claw machine from 6pm Wed–Sun
Where: Gateway Sydney, Circular Quay
Price: Free entry | Dining and specials vary by venue
Vivid Fire Kitchen
Vivid Fire Kitchen – Stargazer Lawn, Barangaroo Reserve
Vivid Fire Kitchen has a new home in 2026 at Barangaroo Reserve, and entry is free. Every night of the festival, chefs cook over live fire on the harbourside lawn with tastings and a signature dish available to purchase at the nightly Fire Pit sessions. A new Food for Thought stage runs talks with chefs, authors, food creators and hospitality figures alongside the cooking. NSW wine tastings and live music run each night.
The full chef lineup had not been announced at time of publication — check vividsydney.com/programs/vivid-fire-kitchen for updates.
When: 22 May – 13 June 2026, 6.00pm – 11.00pm Price: Free entry
Where: Stargazer Lawn, Barangaroo Reserve
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