New Sydney Restaurants and Bars: October 2026
New restaurants and bars open across Sydney every month, from harbourside dining rooms to small wine bars in the inner suburbs. This page rounds up the latest openings, with where to find them and when they’re open.
We add new venues as soon as their opening is confirmed, and update the page at the start of each month. Places still to open are listed under Opening Soon, so you can plan ahead.
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Feature image: Retro Cronulla
Recently opened
These are the newest restaurants, pubs and bars to open in Sydney over the past two months.
The Observer Hotel, The Rocks
I am so glad to see The Observer Hotel on George Street in The Rocks has been given a new lease of life. Since it closed five years ago, I have held out hope it would reopen with its heritage intact. The renovation by Barrelhouse Group, the team behind The Duke of Clarence, seems to have done just that.
It’s now an English-style pub with cask ales on hand pumps, darts and snooker rooms upstairs, and a glass conservatory.
Head chef Sam Bull (ex-Icebergs) serves a roast every day, with four roast choices on Sundays, plus scotch eggs, sausage rolls and dry-aged steaks.
When: Opened 29 September 2026. Open seven days, 10am until late
Where: 69 George Street, The Rocks
Retro Cronulla
The team behind Run Dos Run, the tequila bar on Enmore Road, has opened a Mexican and Italian restaurant and bar in Cronulla. Owner Gerardo “Gerry” Macip grew up in Mexico City, and the bar has a long list of tequilas and mezcals.
The two menus run side by side. On the Mexican side there are quesabirria tacos with birria consommé, guacamole with chilli-salted corn chips and corn ribs with chipotle mayo.
On the Italian side there are Neapolitan-style pizzas made with 48-hour fermented dough. There’s a bottomless lunch on Fridays and weekends, DJs at night, and kids 12 and under eat free on Sundays.
When: Tuesday to Thursday 4:30pm until late, Friday and Saturday 12pm until late, Sunday 12pm to 10pm
Where: 1 McDonald Street, Cronulla
Sam’s Since 1999, Rose Bay
The Jebara family ran a grocer, then the Habibay takeaway, on Plumer Road for 27 years. They’ve now reopened as Sam’s Since 1999, a café named after owner Hassan “Sam” Jebara.
The menu runs from all-day breakfast to lunch and shared plates, with Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dishes such as lamb shakshouka, falafel and shawarma (from 11am). Everything is made in-house, including the baklava.
When: Opened late September 2026. Open for breakfast and lunch
Where: Plumer Road Shopping Village, Rose Bay
The Terrace at Rick Stein, Coogee Beach
Rick Stein’s Coogee restaurant has added an outdoor terrace above Arden Street, looking over the beach. It seats 90 at shared tables under umbrellas, and it’s walk-in only.
The menu is more casual than inside: oysters, prawns on ice, calamari and chips, a Coogee fish burger and Rick’s beef dripping chips with curry sauce.
When: Opened September 2026. Open seven days over summer from 12pm
Where: 242 Arden Street, Coogee
Stanley, Manly Wharf
Louis Tikaram has brought Stanley, his Cantonese restaurant from Brisbane’s Howard Smith Wharves, to Manly Wharf. The 248-seat room looks across the harbour, with three live seafood tanks at the entrance and a custom duck oven for Peking duck carved at the table. The dim sum list runs from Moreton Bay bug spring rolls to lobster and truffle dumplings.
When: Opened September 2026. Wednesday to Friday 12pm until late, Saturday and Sunday 11am until late
Where: Manly Wharf, East Esplanade, Manly
Opening Soon
These venues have announced their openings but aren’t open yet. We’ll move them up once they open their doors.
Chotto Matte, Bondi Beach
Chotto Matte, the London-born Japanese-Peruvian (Nikkei) restaurant, is opening its first Australian venue in Bondi. Founder Kurt Zdesar is Australian-born and spent almost ten years as European Director of Nobu before opening the first Chotto Matte in Soho in 2013.
The 250-seat restaurant is built around a two-metre robata grill, with sushi, sashimi and ceviche. Signatures include Nikkei sashimi, pulpo and pollo den miso, and there are three dishes made only for Bondi. Expect DJs and cocktails too, with tasting menus if you want the full spread.
When: Opens Sunday 22 November 2026. Lunch and dinner seven days; bookings open 21 October
Where: 140 Curlewis Street, Bondi Beach
Keep your eye out for this upcoming openings:
- Amé, Darlinghurst
- Volta, Cronulla
- Yum Club, Surry Hills
- Monsieur Paul, Double Bay
- Curtis Stone’s restaurant, Circular Quay (2027)
- Én by Björn Frantzén (2027)
Opened Earlier in 2026
Missed these when they opened? Here’s what else has opened in Sydney this year.
La Buvette, Potts Point
The Goodies Hospitality team (Bar Copains, Bessie’s) has brought back the La Buvette name on Challis Avenue as a small French wine bar. The menu covers gougères, escargots, oysters with Champagne granita and a mini crème caramel.
There are 23 wines by the glass. There are only nine bookable seats inside, with 30 walk-in seats outside.
When: Opened August 2026. Monday to Thursday from 4pm, Friday to Sunday from 12pm
Where: 35 Challis Avenue, Potts Point
Aenza, Darlinghurst
Aenza is a Japanese wine bar from Joy Liu, who also owns Amuro in Surry Hills. It’s built around an open kitchen and a long walnut bar.
Small plates include karaage chicken and twice-cooked lamb ribs, and the wine list runs to 120 bottles, mainly from Japan, France and Australia.
When: Opened 24 July 2026. Dinner Wednesday to Monday from 5pm
Where: Shop 7, 90 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst
Sweet Belém, Barangaroo
Petersham’s Portuguese bakery has opened a second shop at Barangaroo. It sells the same custard tarts, plus bola de Berlim (Portuguese doughnuts) and savoury pies.
When: Opened July 2026. Open seven days, 7am to 9pm
Where: The Streets of Barangaroo, Barangaroo
Trattoria Da Orazio, Rushcutters Bay
Chef Orazio D’Elia (Da Orazio Bondi) has gone back to the old Popolo site, where he first made his name. There’s no pizza on the menu. Instead it follows the order of an Italian trattoria meal: cured meats and snacks, antipasti, pasta, and dishes from a charcoal grill.
Aperitivo hour runs daily from 4pm to 5:30pm, with free olives, crisps and nuts with drinks.
When: Opened 17 July 2026. Dinner seven days, lunch Thursday to Sunday
Where: 30 McLachlan Avenue, Rushcutters Bay
Valentina Pastry Lab, Manly
This Italian pasticceria in Rialto Square is built around the cornetto, Italy’s softer, slightly sweeter version of the croissant. It’s run by Italian hospitality operators Dario and Paolo, with an Italian executive chef and pastry chef.
The cabinet also holds laminated pastries, bomboloni, fresh bread, desserts and savoury options, with gluten-free choices too. You can watch the pastry being made through a window into the kitchen. They also make celebration cakes to order and sell house coffee beans roasted with Black Drum Roasters.
When: Opened mid-2026. Check the website for hours
Where: Shop 6, 11-25 Wentworth Street, Rialto Square, Manly
Fishnets, Bronte
Fishnets is the second Bronte venue from Alex Cameron, who also owns Table Manners. The kitchen is led by former Sokyo omakase chef Sanghyeop Kim, with a strong sushi and nigiri menu, crispy rice, a 500g tuna katsu and matcha Basque cheesecake.
The room is dark and intimate, with leather booths and a cocktail bar.
When: Opened 10 June 2026. Wednesday to Friday 5pm to 10pm, Saturday 12pm to 11pm, Sunday 12pm to 10pm
Where: Shop 1, 118 Macpherson Street, Bronte
Plan Your Night Out
Found somewhere new to try? These guides will help you plan the rest of your night, or find a deal while you’re out.
- Sydney summer food guide: events, rooftops and summer menus
- Dining deals and lunch specials
- Sydney’s best happy hours
- Pre-theatre restaurants in Sydney
- Bars near Circular Quay
- The Rocks pub crawl map
Know of a new opening we’ve missed? Got a question?
Let us know through our Facebook Group.
