Best Asian Restaurants in Sydney for Authentic Flavours

The Diversity of Sydney's Asian Dining Scene

Sydney has one of the most diverse Asian dining scenes in the world. The city has large Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, Korean, and Japanese communities, and each community has established its own restaurant precinct. The defining characteristic of Sydney's Asian dining scene is the authenticity. Many of the restaurants are run by first-generation immigrants who have opened restaurants that serve the same food that they grew up eating in their home countries.

The Best Chinese

Ding Tai Fung in Chinatown is the best dumpling restaurant in Sydney. The restaurant opened in 2008 and has developed a strong following for its xiao long bao, soup dumplings filled with pork and broth. The price is $16 for a serve of six. The restaurant also serves a range of other Chinese dumplings including potstickers and steamed buns. The restaurant has been awarded one hat by the Good Food Guide.

Golden Century in Chinatown is a 200-seat restaurant that has been operating since 1984. The restaurant is famous for its live seafood tanks and its range of Cantonese dishes. The abalone with oyster sauce is the signature dish. The price is $120 for a small abalone. The restaurant also serves a range of dim sum dishes including har gow and siu mai for $12 each.

Xiao Lan in Eastwood is a 40-seat restaurant that serves Shanghai-style dumplings and noodles. The restaurant opened in 2019 and has developed a strong following for its xiao long bao and its hand-pulled noodles. The xiao long bao is $16 for a serve of six and the hand-pulled noodles with beef are $18. The restaurant also serves a range of Shanghai-style dishes including braised pork belly and sweet and sour pork.

The Best Thai

Spice I Am in Surry Hills has been serving Thai street food since 2012 and remains the benchmark. The restaurant is counter service only and the menu is built around dishes that are designed to be eaten on the street in Thailand. The pad kra pao with holy basil and a fried egg is the signature dish. The price is $16.

Thai La-Ong in Chatswood is a family-run restaurant that has been operating for more than 20 years. The menu includes dishes that are difficult to find elsewhere in Sydney, including khao soi, a northern Thai curry noodle soup, for $14. The restaurant also serves a range of northern Thai salads including som tam, a green papaya salad, for $12.

The Best Japanese

Tetsuya's in the CBD is a fine-dining restaurant with 40 seats and a focus on Japanese and French fusion. The restaurant has three hats and the degustation menu is $300 per person. The signature dish is the Confit of Tasmanian Ocean Trout, which has been on the menu since the restaurant opened in 1987. The wine list focuses primarily on Burgundy.

Ishizaki in Surry Hills is a 20-seat omakase restaurant that opened in 2022. The restaurant serves Edo-style sushi with fish sourced directly from Tsukiji Market in Tokyo. The omakase menu is $250 per person and includes 12 pieces of nigiri and two rolls. The restaurant also serves a range of sake and Japanese whisky.

Kata in Newtown is a 30-seat izakaya that opened in 2020. The restaurant serves a range of Japanese small plates including grilled yakitori, agedashi tofu, and sashimi. The yakitori is the signature dish. The price is $18 for a skewer of chicken. The restaurant also serves a range of Japanese beers and sake by the glass from $10.