It’s not the most affordable cuisine in the harbour city, but we’ll be damned if it’s not one of our favourites. The best French restaurants in Sydney offer food experiences that take you on a culinary journey with soft brioche, French onion soup, Duck à l’Orange, and Boeuf Bourguignon that will knock your socks off. French cuisine is regarded as one of the most sophisticated in the world, sought after for its flavour combinations, cooking traditions and practices, and our team of expert foodies have found the best spots.
Best French Restaurants in Sydney at a Glance
Highlights from our list include the following options:
- Best overall experience: L’Amuse Bouche
- For groups: Chez Crix
- For date night: Jane Surry Hills
- For value for money: The Strand Hotel
- For vegetarians: Bistro Moncur
Now we’ve rounded up our favourites, let’s check out the full list.
RELATED: Head to the best wine bars in Sydney before your dinner, these are our favourites.
1. L’Amuse Bouche
Price: $$$ (AU$80-120 per person)
- Pros: It doesn’t get much better than all-you-can-eat raclette, but we’d come back for the authenticity, which is second to none and feels like Paris. This French restaurant is also conveniently located in a thriving dining precinct of Surry Hills, so you can bar hop after your meal.
- Cons: The baguette was not particularly fresh and soft, and we’ve had better bread elsewhere. Dishes are also quite expensive, so consider this before visiting.
Ambience and setting: Cosy and simple, with French artworks adorning the walls, L’Amuse Bouche is a hidden gem on Surry Hill’s bustling Bourke Street. Led by a mother-and-son team, dining here almost feels like having a meal at a family home, and we love it.
What you should order: L’Amuse Bouche is one of the best French restaurants in Sydney for raclette. In fact, they offer an all-you-can-eat raclette. Say no more. If you feel like something else alongside cheesy goodness poured over a bed of potatoes and charcuterie, we recommend the ‘Marget De Canard Au Miel’ which is crispy skin duck breast, pan-fried with a touch of honey. Finish it off with the oei gras macaron – the perfect balance of sweet and salty.
What you should drink: They serve an extensive selection of French wines. If you like dessert wine, enjoy a tipple of the Clos Bagatelle Muscat de St-Jean de Minervois, or try one of their many bottles of dry French rose.
Address: 2/411 Bourke St, Surry Hills NSW 2010
Hours: Tues-Sat 5:30-10:30pm
Phone: 0431 004 003
2. Loulou Bistro, Boulangerie & Traiteur
Price: $$$ (AU$80-120 per person)
- Pros: Loulou serves French fare all day long, from brekky to late-night dinners. They use fresh local produce and also host a chef’s table experience during the week.
- Cons: Some staff lack knowledge of the menu and portion sizes for certain dishes are small.
Ambience and setting: Combining three different venues in one, you really have it all depending on what mood you’re in. While the bistro is more formal with its mosaic tiles, dim lights and soft French music, the traiteur and boulangerie are more laid-back (in a very French way.) You could be fooled into thinking you are at a Parisian cafe-style but with a pristine Sydney harbourside backdrop.
What you should order: Start your day with a croissant or a croque monsieur from the boulangerie. Later on in the day, we suggest indulging – think confit rainbow trout with a delicious tomato sauce, oysters with mignonette or a hand-cut steak tartare. Pick up a fresh salad it some sausages at the traiteur afterwards to take home, and you’re sorted.
What you should drink: Whether you’re looking for delicious coffee from the legendary brewers at St Ali, a classic cocktail, or a wine, Loulou has it all. We suggest ordering champagne or a glass of wine from their (very long) wine list, which includes wines from Burgundy, Bordeaux, and many more.
Located in: BLUE at Lavender Bay
Address: 61 Lavender St, Milsons Point NSW 2061
Hours: Tues-Fri 12-11pm, Sat-Sun 11:30am-11pm
Phone: (02) 8000 7800
3. Jane Surry Hills
Price: $$$ (AU$80-120 per person)
- Pros: Focuses on Australian ingredients to complement an authentic French menu. Casual vibe with a banging 70s-inspired playlist with the likes of jazz, funk and David Bowie. Great happy hour offerings.
- Cons: It can be hard to get a walk-in table here and it is often fully booked. The menu is compact.
Ambience and setting: Jane encapsulates that effortlessly cool French ambience to a tee. One of the best French restaurants in Sydney when you feel like casual French dining. There is a distinct 70s vibe to the interior and it feels cosy without trying too hard, with candle-lit booths, banquettes and bar stools.
What you should order: Start with the grilled scallop and seafood with xo sauce before moving on to something more substantial. Standouts include the kangaroo tartare with harissa, potato crisps and the Goolwa puppies with nduja and bush tomato sauce. You can’t leave without ordering dessert, because the jersey milk pannacotta with beetroot, rhubarb and Davidson plum is life-changing.
What you should drink: The drinks menu here highlights French and Australian wine. Along with classic beers like VB, they offer delicious cocktails and tempting wines. Come during happy hour and indulge in the ‘Australiano’ with RHUBI Mistelle, Regal Rogue wild rose vermouth, bitter citrus and mandarin, the sagrantino from Jilly Wine Co, or the riesling from Brothers Koerner ‘Clare Valley’, all for just $10.
Address: 478 Bourke St, Surry Hills NSW 2010
Hours: Mon-Thur 5-10pm, Fri 4-11:30pm, Sat 12-11:30pm, Sun 12-10pm
Phone: 0403 632 355
4. Chez Blue
Price: $$$ (AU$80-120 per person)
- Pros: A cosy spot with a lovely ambience, an extensive menu and decent portion sizes.
- Cons: There is usually a long wait for drinks and it can get pretty chaotic, especially on the weekends.
Ambience and setting: Chez Blue is the epitome of ‘French provincial’ with mosaic flooring, stain glass windows, and dark timber furniture. Housed within the iconic Sackville Hotel’s former gaming room, the space is simultaneously casual yet refined, it’s the perfect spot for a cosy meal or date night.
What you should order: Choose from a range of bistro classics. We can’t go past the oscietra caviar with pommes Anna and crème fraîche to start, followed by the salmon fille with potato pave, spinach and lobster bisque or the always-reliable steak frites. PSA – the apple crumble here is next level.
What you should drink: Expect a curated list of wines from France’s top wine regions, the menu favouring dry, white wines. We especially love the ‘saison punch’ cocktail with Lillet Blanc, Okar Tropic Mistelle, pineapple wine and bubbles, of course.
Address: 599 Darling St, Rozelle NSW 2039
Hours: Tues-Thur 5-11pm, Fri-Sat 12pm-12am, Sun 12-10pm
Phone: (02) 9192 4900
5. Bouillon L’Entrecôte
Price: $$$ (AU$80-120 per person)
- Pros: With a menu that nails classic French fare, enjoy unbeatable steak frites and other bistro-style meals in a very convenient location in Sydney’s CBD.
- Cons: Can be difficult to secure a booking due to a poor online booking system. Long wait for steak during busy times.
Ambience and setting: Part French bistro, English pub and Swiss chalet, Bouillon L’Entrecôte is a sprawling, multi-level French haunt in the middle of the Sydney CBD. With the walls decked out with artwork and ceramics from France, it is eclectic, bustling and always feels busy, in a good way.
What you should order: This is one of the best French restaurants in Sydney if you’re in the mood for steak frites. Order the Wagyu tomahawk from Rangers Valley in New South Wales between three, or just for yourself if you’re hungry. For something else, the Les Escargots, French soup and baked camembert with walnuts, honey, herbs and crotons are also delicious.
What you should drink: The drinks list is so long, it’s practically a book, taking you on a journey all over the wine regions in France. Once you’ve had a read, take your pick or let the staff help you decide if you’re feeling overwhelmed. They also have French beer on tap and an impressive cocktail list – the French Spritz with sparkling wine, elderflower liqueur, soda water and cucumber is our favourite.
Located in: Gateway Sydney
Address: 6 Loftus St, Sydney NSW 2000
Hours: Mon-Sat 11:30am-10pm
6. Chez Crix
Price: $$ (AU$40-100 per person)
- Pros: Relaxed French-style bistro with a pub vibe, conveniently located upstairs at the Cricketer’s Arms Hotel in Surry Hills.
- Cons: The menu isn’t particularly unique or innovative.
Ambience and setting: Heading up the stairs from the much-loved Surry Hills pub, The Cricketer’s Arms Hotel, Chez Crix has a very different vibe. It is refreshingly laid-back, fun, and vibrant, with daring artworks and kitch decor signalling what’s to come. Given that it’s literally above a pub, it’s a great spot to come for dinner with mates on a Friday night before hitting the town or heading home, depending on how many steak frites you devour.
What you should order: Don’t expect a classic French menu here, as this restaurant doesn’t shy away from the unusual and delectable. Standouts include the LP’s saucisson, terrine and the mushroom vol-au-vent.
What you should drink: Endearingly titled the ‘piss list’, the drinks here follow a similar theme to the food – fun, fresh and a little bit trendy. So naturally, it features plenty of pet nats as well as classic French sparkling and your usual reds and whites. The Melon A Queue Rouge from Domaine De La Pinte in Arbois is a delicious Chardonnay adjacent drop we enjoyed last time we visited, and it hit the spot.
Address: 106 Fitzroy St, Surry Hills NSW 2010
Hours: Wed-Fri 5:30pm-12am, Sat 12pm-12am, Sun 2-9pm
7. Amorica
Price: $$$ (AU$80-120 per person)
- Pros: A sumptuous dining hall set in a prime Surr Hills location, the menu serves classic French fare with expertise you can taste. They also make their own caviar in-house.
- Cons: Compared to many other French restaurants in Sydney, the prices here are quite high.
Ambience and setting: Imbued with a captivating old-world charm, Amorica is the best French restaurant in Sydney if you’re after a dining experience that is lavish, elegant and luxurious. A 150-seat restaurant set on Surry Hills’ bustling Crown Street, you can expect red-leather banquettes, dim lighting and an array of beautiful artworks by illustrator David Plunkert.
What you should order: To start, we recommend ordering the vegetable tart, made from seasonal vegetables and goat’s curd, or the coral trout crudo served with finger lime, lemon oil, caper, and chilli. For mains, seafood is a big focus. Try the locally caught Murray cod or one of the five different steak frites options. Dessert is not to be missed here—the crème caramel is simply delicious.
What you should drink: In theme with Amorica’s old-world charm and classic vibes, the drinks list is similarly traditional. Choose from a range of classic cocktails, mixed to perfection, or indulge in the wine list which is pretty much solely French wines.
Address: Shop 1 & 2/490 Crown St, Surry Hills NSW 2010
Hours: Mon-Tues 5-11pm, Wed-Thur 12-11pm, Fri-Sat 12pm-12am, Sun 12-10pm
Phone: (02) 9145 2990
8. Folly’s Bar & Bistro
Price: $$$ (AU$80-120 per person)
- Pros: Great cocktails and a menu that doesn’t just focus on French flavours, set in a great location by the water.
- Cons: The menu is on the smaller side in terms of options.
Ambience and setting: French, but make it beachy. This breezy Cammeray French bistro is the definition of laid-back, effortlessly combining Aussie energy with French food. It has that quintessential elevated coastal vibe, with original timber flooring, a terrazzo-topped bar, and wine bottles lining the walls. They often have live music, and despite the large space, it manages to feel intimate and friendly.
What you should order: We can’t go past the oysters with Four Pillars Yuzu Gin, lychee and cucumber to start. For mains, the pan-fried salmon with beetroot and horseradish is always a good option. They also serve pasta, with a vegetarian lasagna and vodka rigatoni, offering some diversity to the menu, with a burrata and cauliflower once again showing that these guys are not afraid to mix it up beyond the typical French flavours.
What you should drink: As well as an extensive selection of wine by the glass (18, to be exact,) Folly’s is known for its innovative cocktail list. While it’s hard to choose, our favourite has got to be the ‘Barrel of Laughs’ with Morris Whiskey, Okar Island Bitter, charred peach, lemon and Capital Brewing Co’s Hang Loose Juice New England IPA.
Address: 429 Miller St, Cammeray NSW 2062
Hours: Tues-Thur 3-11pm, Fri-Sat 12pm-12am, Sun 12-10pm
Phone: (02) 9460 3939
9. Franca
Price: $$$ (AU$80-120 per person)
- Pros: Probably the best French restaurants in Sydney for drinks with an extensive wine menu and cocktail list.
- Cons: The menu dives into a lot of different flavours, which can be overwhelming on the palette.
Ambience and setting: The vibes here are always high. The space is sun-drenched, and soft jazz floats through it every day of the week. We don’t know what it is, but there’s something about the combination of velvet, moody lighting, and extravagant artwork that just makes us feel like indulging—which is exactly what this place is for.
What you should order: The menu combines the flavours of France and the Mediterranean, including parts of Italy. Standouts include the pan-fried gnocchi and Duck a l’Orange, the grilled octopus and the bread-crusted barramundi with smoked potato purée, leeks and grenobloise.
What you should drink: This is a hard one, only because there is so much to choose from. Expect a 200-strong wine list with drops from Australia, New Zealand and France’s key wine regions. They also have a great range of cocktails – try the ‘Franca Old Fashioned’ with Glenmorangie 10yr, Hennessy VS, Tempus Fugit banana, tawny port, walnut and orange bitters for something different (and delicious.)
Address: Shop 2/81 Macleay St, Potts Point NSW 2011
Hours: Weds 5pm-10pm, Thurs 12pm-11pm, Fri-Sat 12pm-12m, Sun 12pm-10pm
Phone: (02) 9167 2921
10. Restaurant Hubert
Price: $$$ (AU$80-120 per person)
- Pros: The best French restaurant in Sydney for classic French dishes and jazz – there is always live jazz music in the main dining room.
- Cons: The menu lacks some of the most famous French dishes.
Ambience and setting: With vintage furniture and decor, low ceilings and dark timber furniture, Restaurant Hubert feels like stepping back in time. The iconic French eatery is an underground parlour, and it feels more like it belongs to a bygone era somewhere in postwar France than on a Sydney street, and that’s why we love it.
What you should order: You can’t go wrong with any French classics on this menu, but if we had to choose we would recommend the octopus terrine with salted cucumber from the raw bar, the Gruyère soufflé for an entree and the pan-fried Wollemi duck breast with orange sauce for a main. Desserts include crème caramel and soufflé, among others.
What you should drink: Enjoy classic cocktails and a drop of one of their many French wines. Happy hour also runs from 5pm to 6pm every day where you can get a Dubonnet highball, a gin and tonic, a glass of the house red or white or a lager for $6.
Address: 15 Bligh St, Sydney NSW 2000
Hours: Mon-Sun 12pm-3pm/5pm-12am
Phone: (02) 9232 0881
Visit Restaurant Hubert Hubert Menu
11. Felix
Price: $$$ (AU$80-120 per person)
- Pros: Great for large groups. The food and drinks menu are both extensive, with lots of options.
- Cons: The restaurant space can get very loud.
Ambience and setting: Another Sydney dining institution from Merivale, Felix is one of the best French restaurants in Sydney’s CBD. It’s pretty unique for a French eatery—there is an iced fish display set amongst the many tables, plenty of linen, French baguettes scattered everywhere, and people having a good ol’ time.
What you should order: The menu changes seasonally, favouring fresh local produce. However, some staples include the chicken liver pate with spiced pear chutney and brioche, the butterflied rainbow trout with cauliflower and grenobloise, and, of course, steak frites and crème brûlée for dessert.
What you should drink: With an entire room dedicated to wine, you can expect no shortage of options for quality drops from France, Australia and New Zealand. We always opt for a glass of the 2022 Chateau Barbeyrolles rosé, or one of the innovative cocktails.
Address: 2 Ash St, Sydney NSW 2000
Hours: Mon-Fri 12pm-3pm/5.30pm-10.30pm, Sat 5pm-10.30pm, Sun 12pm-3pm/5pm-9.30pm
Phone: (02) 9114 7303
12. The Strand Hotel
Price: $$ (AU$40-100 per person)
- Pros: Versatile menu with a combination of Australian and French flavours.
- Cons: The space feels a bit dated, but plans and underway to renovate.
Ambience and setting: Moody lighting and a prime Darlinghurst location make the French-inspired restaurant and wine bar ticked beneath The Strand Hotel one of the best date spots in Sydney. The space features intimate booths and cosy nooks for an evening of delicious, indulgent food and wine.
What you should order: Start with the zucchini flowers with herbed goat cheese and truffle honey before moving onto something more substantial, like the red wine risotto with globe artichokes or the spatchcock with roquette, dill pickle and herb vinaigrette. For dessert, they have pavlova if you’re already missing some Aussie flavours, or grab a cheese board served with quince paste, preserved peach and rosemary, baguette and lavosh.
What you should drink: The wine list here is a big one, with a combined focus on Aussie and classic French drops. The cocktails and aperitif menu also deserve a special mention. Curated by Maybe Sammy, the ‘French 75’ with gin, sherry, lemon, peach and jasmine soda always hits the spit.
Address: 99 William St, Darlinghurst NSW 2010
Hours: Mon-Sun 12pm-10pm
Phone: (02) 9068 8527
Visit The Strand Hotel The Strand Hotel Menu
13. Bistro Rex
Price: $$$ (AU$80-120 per person)
- Pros: Great location in Potts Point. Great ambience and flavourful dishes.
- Cons: The tables are a bit small for share plates and there are not that many cocktail options.
Ambience and setting: It’s very boujee, it’s very French and it’s very Potts Point so it’s a win-win-win. While the dark timber, Parisian vibes and impressive pillars make the space feel elegant, it remains approachable, with an open kitchen and a laid-back atmosphere.
What you should order: Start with some caviar or add any caviar to your meal for $10 (for 150 grams) or opt for the chicken liver parfait. For mains, we love the mushroom risotto, the confit duck cassoulet or the Moreton Bay bug omelette served with lobster sauce and trout roe.
What you should drink: While staff recommend the passionfruit chilli margarita, we also love the Normandy Sour with Christian Drouin Calvados, Massanez Amaretto, lemon, and cherry bitters. They also have an exceptional list of French and Australian wines.
Address: Shop 1, 50/58 Macleay St, Potts Point NSW 2011
Hours: Mon-Weds 5.30pm-10pm, Thurs-Sat 12pm-3pm/5.30pm-10pm
Phone: (02) 9332 2100
Visit Bistro Rex Bistro Rex Menu
14. The Charles Grand Brasserie & Bar
Price: $$$ (AU$80-120 per person)
- Pros: An extensive wine list and menu to match, in a lavish and luxurious setting.
- Cons: The menu is sometimes daring, with many raw dishes that aren’t to everyone’s taste.
Ambience and setting: If we had to describe Charles Grand Brasserie & Bar in one word it would be extravagant. High ceilings, intimate booths, smartly dressed waiters, dramatic overhead chandeliers and Art Deco details create a romantic atmosphere with a distinct 1930s feel. It truly has it all, including an all-day diner and wine bar next door and a bar in the basement below.
What you should order: Don’t come here without ordering their house speciality; a whole dry-aged roasted and pressed duck. If that doesn’t tickle your taste buds, why not get a few small plates and entrees to share – the Tasmanian sea urchin with potato rösti and whipped bottarga, the clam risotto with sauce américaine or the steak and anchovy tartare are all good picks. For dessert, expect a trolley stacked with house-baked cakes, desserts and petit-fours.
What you should drink: The drinks list is more than 50 pages long, so you have lots to work with. Choose from classic cocktails or French wine from every region imaginable, along with select Italian and Spanish varieties.
Address: 66 King St, Sydney NSW 2000
Hours: Mon-Fri 10am-11.30pm, Sat 12pm-11.30pm
Phone: (02) 9145 8066
Visit The Charles The Charles Menu
15. Bistro Moncur
Price: $$$ (AU$80-120 per person)
- Pros: Unpretentious French restaurant with an affordable and extensive menu. Vegetarian and vegan options are available.
- Cons: Rather expensive prices for small portion sizes.
Ambience and setting: One of the best French restaurants in Sydney for a casual meal with friends, Bistro Moncur blends contemporary style with touches of 1930s elegance (like the black-and-white mural that lines the wall).
What you should order: We suggest starting with a classic French dish, the French onion soup served with souffle gratin, before trying some of the mains. The dry-aged pork cutlet served with pomme puree, apple and calvados jus and crackling is our top pick. With just under ten dessert options, it’s hard to choose, but we can’t go past the pear souffle served with toasted almond ice cream and poached pear.
What you should drink: The wine list is long and full of quality drops, ranging from classic French wines to modern Australian varieties. And with a whole section of the drinks menu dedicated to martinis, we recommend starting with a martini before moving onto the wine.
Address: 116A Queen St, Woollahra NSW 2025
Hours: Tues-Sun 12pm-9pm
Phone: (02) 9327 9713
Visit Bistro Moncur Bistro Moncur Menu
16. Bistrot 916
Price: $$$ (AU$80-120 per person)
- Pros: A creative menu and a cool yet sophisticated vibe. Great for a date or small groups.
- Cons: As it’s a small space, it can be hard to get a spot and it often gets crowded.
Ambience and setting: It is almost gothic in its style, with dark walls and exposed concrete dominating the space, but it manages to feel cosy and inviting simultaneously. It is effortlessly cool, similar to a new-wave Parisian bistro. There is also a wall filled with vinyl records, so you can expect a constant stream of funky, jazzy tunes.
What you should order: The highlight has to be the boudin noir (blood sausage) spring rolls, but we also love the lobster frites and pasta with snails and (very garlicky) butter sauce. We also recommend ordering the Pig’s head croquette; don’t be fooled by the name – it’s delicious.
What you should drink: The wine list is compact but high-quality. Grab a negroni or a mai tai, a beer, or a bottle of classic French rosé.
Address: 22 Challis Ave, Potts Point NSW 2011
Hours: Mon-Thurs 5pm-12pm, Fri-Sat 12pm-1am, Sun 12pm-10pm
Phone: (02) 9167 6667
Alternatives to These French Restaurants in Sydney
- Porcine, Paddington: Porcine is the French word for “pig-like”, so you might guess that pork is the main attraction at this bistro. The Amazing menu revolves around a whole Berkshire pig, which is ordered every fortnight from Hungerford Meat. Every single part of it is used to create ham, pork spreads, pork chops and more. But that’s not all, this is one of our favourite French restaurants in Sydney for vegetarians, with a dish of seasonal vegetables in a bay-leaf vinaigrette, a Jerusalem artichoke vol-au-vent with garlic hollandaise, and a salad of endive in grilled orange vinegar.
- Bistro Cocotte, Haberfield: Bistro Cocotte is a haven of French cuisine where traditional dishes are executed with flair and focus on the complex flavours of France. Owner and head chef Jay travelled and studied the gastronomic art of French cuisine and brought it home to Haberfield, where this local haunt offers a range of traditional Gallic cuisine. Favourite dishes of ours include the Croque monsieur, steak tartare w/ pommes frites, ratatouille and fresh baguettes. But that’s not all, the tuna crêpe, the twice-baked spinach and the camembert soufflé are also a must-try here. Of course, a range of French and local wine is available and prices range from $40-50 for mains.
- Gavroche, Chippendale: Bistrot Gavroche is a French restaurant hidden amongst Chippendale’s fine-dining venues. The menu is packed with big-hitting classics, our favourite of which include the baked pork terrine pies, steak frites with Béarnaise sauce, pike fish quenelle, parsley- and garlic-butter Burgundy snails, and Colin’s grandpa’s French onion soup. One of the best options, if you’re looking for larger portion sizes, the pork confit, bowls of muscles and whopping 450g chateaubriand, are available.
- Bistro Papillon, Sydney: Bistro Papillon is the love child of Ludo and Xavier who met in the UK. The story goes that they frequented a French bistro in Bath called Papillion, and they loved the place so much that they recreated it here in Sydney. Bistro Papillon sources its ingredients from France as well as the markets and butchers of Sydney. The menu here is filled with simple classics and our favourite items follow suit with duck confit, beef bourguignon, escargot and French onion soup with Gruyère cheese croutons. The wine list is extensive with drops from your favourite local and French producers, including plenty of Burgundy and Beaujolais.
- Bellevue Cottage by Antonie, Glebe: Bellevue Cottage by Antoine Moscovitz is a French café and restaurant housed in a restored heritage building along the Glebe foreshore. With an all-day breakfast menu a lunch and a poultry-heavy dinner menu you’ll be spoiled for choice. Our favourite menu items include classics like le pecheur (cold-smoked salmon, poached eggs, fondant of silverbeet and leek with a tangy hollandaise) or le boucher (grilled pork loin with folded eggs, caramelised-apple black pudding and spicy merguez sausage) it’s to die for.
Different Types of French Restaurants
You stumble across these words all the time, but what’s the difference between a Bistro and a Brasserie? We’re breaking down the types of restaurants in France before taking you on a culinary journey through the best French restaurants in Sydney. From Bouchon to Auberge, there’s a wide variety of styles with different price ranges and atmospheres.
- Bistro: Bistros are perfect for a quick meal. Most of the time, you’ll miss out on the white tablecloths and extreme service levels, but you’ll gain a warm, casual atmosphere. This restaurant style in neighbourhoods is usually run by families and foodies. The experience is typically highlighted by some of the best wines, coffees, food, tobacco, lottery tickets and even scratch-off games.
- Brasserie: In the Aussie language, we’d refer to these as ‘Pubs’. Although in reality, they’re a little more upmarket than your typical Australian watering hole. These French restaurants feature everything from traditional cuisine to coffee and alcohol at moderate prices (less than restaurants). You’ll find a wider variety of food choices than in Bistro, and they’re typically open from early morning until night.
- Bouchon: Traditionally found in Lyon, you’ll stumble across these throughout your city journey. Serving foundation French specialties, they tend to be fairly meat-heavy, so expect a serving or two of Duck à l’Orange and steak tartare. A mix between a brasserie and fully-fledged fine dining be prepared to experience a class or two of Burgundy’s best Grand Cru or maybe a Côtes-du-Rhône.
- Auberge: These restaurants in France are attached to bed and breakfasts, usually family-owned and operated. If you’ve ever stayed in France, there’s a good chance you have experienced a good home-cooked meal at one of these.
Why You Should Trust Our List
When choosing our list of the best French restaurants in Sydney, we had to do the hard yards to narrow a list to just a few options. We had to eat so many quality steaks, confit ducks, and steak frites that we’re still attempting to work off our food, baby, as we write this sentence. Our list considers a variety of price points (let’s not forget French cuisine is one of the most expensive) while introducing a few fine dining options into the mix. The list contains stand-alone restaurants and a few located inside some of the best pubs in Sydney. A glass of wine before dinner? No one’s going to argue with that.
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