Walsh Bay is the only place in Sydney where you can choose between twenty odd venues, see a play, and never leave one street. Hickson Road runs along the water from Dawes Point to Millers Point, and almost everything worth eating in this postcode sits on it.
These are the ten best restaurants in Walsh Bay, ranked, with addresses and what each one is actually for. Fair warning before you read on: we run one of them, and we have put it first. We have also said plainly what the others beat us on, because a list that pretends otherwise is no use to anyone deciding where to book tonight.
The Top 10 at a Glance
| # | Restaurant | Where | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elements Bar and Grill | Pier 8/9, 23 Hickson Rd | When dinner is the event, not the warm up |
| 2 | The Gantry | Pier One, 11 Hickson Rd | Fine dining directly under the Bridge |
| 3 | The Wharf | Wharf 4/5, 15 Hickson Rd | Eating upstairs from your own show |
| 4 | Fish At The Rocks | Kent St, Millers Point | Old school seafood, trading since 1988 |
| 5 | Ventuno | 21 Hickson Rd | Italian, one minute from the theatre door |
| 6 | Walsh Bay Crabhouse | Hickson Rd | Chilli crab and a messy table |
| 7 | Lavana | 6/17 Hickson Rd | Tapas and small plates by the water |
| 8 | The Bund | Hickson Rd | Dim sum and contemporary Chinese |
| 9 | Jounieh | 2/17 Hickson Rd | A group who want a banquet |
| 10 | Lotus Dumpling Bar | 3/16 Hickson Rd | In and out in forty minutes |
1. Elements Bar and Grill, Pier 8/9, 23 Hickson Road
A steakhouse in a heritage wharf building, five minutes' walk from the Roslyn Packer, sitting out on the water rather than beside the road. Premium steak, fresh seafood and handcrafted cocktails, with harbour views straight down the pier.
It takes the top spot for one reason: it is the room in this precinct where dinner can be the occasion rather than the warm up, and where a table can stay as long as it likes afterwards. Most of Hickson Road is built around a curtain. This is the address that works equally well on a night with no ticket at all.
You will not see the Harbour Bridge from your table. Number two on this list has that address and we will say so again when we get there. What you get here instead is the quieter side of the bay, on the water, with no road between you and it.
The menu runs from butcher's cuts through pasta and grilled seafood, so a table of six can order across it without anyone compromising, before a show or after one. Lunch runs 12:00pm to 2:00pm Monday to Thursday and 12:00pm to 4:30pm Friday to Sunday. Dinner runs from 5:30pm Monday to Thursday and from 5:00pm Friday to Sunday, through till late. Kitchen closing times move, so ring if you are booking late.
2. The Gantry, Pier One, 11 Hickson Road
Modern Australian fine dining inside Pier One Sydney Harbour, a hotel built on and over the water. This is the address people mean when they talk about eating under the Harbour Bridge, because Pier One sits directly beneath it, and nothing else in the precinct can make that claim.
It is the most expensive way to eat in Walsh Bay and the outlook justifies a good part of it. Pier Dining and Bar One are the more relaxed options in the same building, with a sunset hour worth timing your evening around. If the view is the reason for the night, book here rather than anywhere else on this list.
3. The Wharf, Wharf 4/5, 15 Hickson Road
Sydney Theatre Company's own restaurant, upstairs in the same building as the Wharf Theatres, with seasonal modern Australian cooking and harbour views down the pier. Mafaldine alla vodka, brick chicken, grilled swordfish.
If your show is at Wharf 1 or Wharf 2 the case is unanswerable, because you never go outside. That single fact beats everything else in this guide on a wet Tuesday in July. If your show is at the Roslyn Packer it is a three minute walk, which is still nothing.
4. Fish At The Rocks, Kent Street, Millers Point
Up the hill and slightly off the wharf, trading since 1988, doing freshly shucked oysters and a fish of the day without a single flourish. It is the oldest food memory in the area and it has not chased a trend in nearly forty years.
Worth the five minute walk uphill when you want seafood cooked by people who were doing it before the piers were theatres. Pair it with a drink at the Lord Nelson or the Hero of Waterloo, two colonial pubs a short walk away, and you have the Millers Point evening rather than the Walsh Bay one.
5. Ventuno, 21 Hickson Road
Contemporary Italian running antipasti through pasta and pizza, with a dark chocolate barbajada that regulars order without opening the menu. It is next door to the Roslyn Packer, which is both its great advantage and the reason it books out first on performance nights.
One minute to the theatre door. If your booking has run late and the bells are about to go, this is the one that can still rescue the evening.
6. Walsh Bay Crabhouse, Hickson Road
Seafood built around chilli crab, which tells you what kind of evening you are in for. This is not a pre-theatre meal unless you have brought a spare shirt, and that is precisely its appeal.
Book it for a night with no curtain to make. Order the crab, accept the mess, and let dinner run long.
7. Lavana, 6/17 Hickson Road
Tapas and small plates with a Mediterranean lean, running to marbled steak and local seafood, with harbourside seating. It is the most flexible room on the list; you can eat for thirty dollars or a hundred and twenty depending entirely on how you order.
Good for an early drink that turns into dinner without a decision ever being made.
8. The Bund, Hickson Road
Contemporary Chinese and dim sum on the wharf, a genuinely different proposition to the rest of the strip. Dim sum works beautifully before a show for the same reason a banquet does: it arrives in waves, you eat at your own pace, and nobody is waiting on a main.
Better for a table that wants to talk than one that wants an occasion. Lunch is where it is strongest.
9. Jounieh, 2/17 Hickson Road
Contemporary Middle Eastern in a nautical room, with caramelised prawns and a strong banquet offering. The banquet is the smart pre-show order for a group, because everything lands together instead of arriving in a sequence you have to sit through.
Take it when you are six or more and nobody wants to make decisions before a play.
10. Lotus Dumpling Bar, 3/16 Hickson Road
The fastest good meal in the precinct. Steamed, blanched and fried dumplings, plus Peking duck pancakes, and you can be done in forty minutes without anyone hurrying you along.
It sits at ten because it is fuel rather than an occasion, which on a night when the show is the point is exactly right. If your curtain is early and you have come straight from work, start here.
The Bars, and Where the Theatre Crowd Actually Drinks
Folio at 22 Hickson Road is the one people ask about most, and the reason it is not in the ten is simple: it is a bar doing very good food rather than a restaurant. It is built into the Roslyn Packer Theatre itself, does share plates, cured meats, smoked prawns and wagyu lasagne, mixes martinis at your table, and doubles as the theatre's pre-show and interval bar. For convenience on a theatre night, nothing in Sydney beats it.
The Theatre Bar at the End of the Wharf covers the same job in the Wharf 4/5 building. Up the hill, the Lord Nelson Brewery runs its own beers out of colonial sandstone and the Hero of Waterloo is its equally storied neighbour. Hotel Palisade at 35 Bettington Street has stood since 1915, with Henry Deane on top of it and one of the best sunset outlooks in the city.
Why Walsh Bay Eats Differently to the Rest of Sydney
The geography here is not an accident, and the history makes the place read properly.
The finger wharves were built between 1912 and 1921, part of a scheme to modernise Sydney's docks for steamships and motor vehicles. The shoreline was reshaped to hold Piers 1 through 9. The bay took its name in 1918, after Henry Deane Walsh, the engineer in chief of the Sydney Harbour Trust who planned it, and Hickson Road was named for Robert Rowan Purdon Hickson, the trust's chairman.
Both men are still on the street. Walsh gave the bay its name and, indirectly, the rooftop bar above Hotel Palisade its own. Hickson got the road every restaurant in this list has an address on.
The wharves became apartments, theatres, restaurants and a hotel, and in 2015 the area was formally designated a major arts precinct. That is why the food here is arranged the way it is. Almost every kitchen on Hickson Road is cooking to a curtain, and all of them know it.
The Full Walsh Bay Map
Every eating and drinking venue in the precinct, in one place. Hours change, so check before you go; addresses do not.
| Venue | Address | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Elements Bar and Grill | Pier 8/9, 23 Hickson Rd | Steak, seafood and cocktails on the water |
| Folio | 22 Hickson Rd | Speakeasy bar and share plates inside the Roslyn Packer |
| Ventuno | 21 Hickson Rd | Contemporary Italian |
| Lavana | 6/17 Hickson Rd | Tapas, marbled steak, Mediterranean |
| Jounieh | 2/17 Hickson Rd | Contemporary Lebanese, banquets |
| Lotus Dumpling Bar | 3/16 Hickson Rd | Dumplings and Peking duck pancakes |
| The Wharf | Wharf 4/5, 15 Hickson Rd | Sydney Theatre Company's own restaurant |
| Theatre Bar at the End of the Wharf | Wharf 4/5, 15 Hickson Rd | Pre-theatre drinks in the heritage building |
| The Gantry | Pier One, 11 Hickson Rd | Modern Australian fine dining, water views |
| Pier Dining | Pier One, 11 Hickson Rd | Australian seafood and premium meats, sunset hour |
| Bar One | Pier One, 11 Hickson Rd | Cocktails and seafood |
| Walsh Bay Kitchen | Hickson Rd | Dedicated pre and post theatre menus |
| Walsh Bay Crabhouse | Hickson Rd | Seafood, chilli crab the signature |
| The Bund | Hickson Rd | Contemporary Chinese and dim sum |
| Fish At The Rocks | Kent St, Millers Point | Oysters and fish of the day since 1988 |
| Hotel Palisade | 35 Bettington St | Pub dating to 1915, craft beer, schnitzel |
| Henry Deane | 35 Bettington St | Rooftop above the Palisade, sunset views |
| Lord Nelson Brewery | Millers Point | Colonial pub with its own brewery |
| Hero of Waterloo | Millers Point | Colonial pub, one of Sydney's oldest |
| Zupano Espresso Bar | Hickson Rd | Coffee |
| Brix and Beans | Hickson Rd | Coffee house |
| Mr Jones | Hickson Rd | Cafe |
| BarCycle | Hickson Rd | Eatery and bike shop, breakfast through to beer |
Which Theatre Are You Actually Going To?
Four venues sit within about four hundred metres and people regularly walk to the wrong one.
| Venue | Address | What plays there |
|---|---|---|
| Roslyn Packer Theatre | 22 Hickson Rd | Sydney Theatre Company's largest space, up to 896 seats |
| Wharf 1 Theatre | Wharf 4/5, 15 Hickson Rd | STC's main studio room, about 150m from the Roslyn Packer |
| Wharf 2 Theatre | Wharf 4/5, 15 Hickson Rd | The smaller, more intimate STC space |
| Pier 2/3 | Hickson Rd | ACO On The Pier, Bell Shakespeare, Australian Theatre for Young People |
The Roslyn Packer opened in 2004 as the Sydney Theatre and was renamed in 2015. Sydney Dance Company and the Sydney Writers' Festival also perform across the precinct, so a Walsh Bay ticket does not automatically mean a play. The Sydney Theatre Company visitor page is where to check access, transport and bar arrangements before you go.
The Only Timing Rule You Need
Book your table for ninety minutes before curtain. Not two hours, which leaves you loitering on a windy wharf, and not an hour, which turns dinner into a race the kitchen will lose.
Ninety minutes covers two courses at a civilised pace with fifteen minutes spare to walk over and find your seat. Sydney Theatre Company advises arriving at least thirty minutes before the start, because parking and seating can take more than ten minutes on a full house. Evening start times vary by production and company, so read your ticket rather than assuming.
Then say the words when you book. Every kitchen on this street handles pre-theatre tables constantly and will pace your courses accordingly, but only if you tell them you have a show. It is the single highest value sentence you can offer a Walsh Bay restaurant.
Getting There, and Parking
Barangaroo Metro sits about six minutes' walk from the Roslyn Packer, which has quietly made this the easiest arts precinct in Sydney to reach. Buses 324 and 325 stop outside the theatre. Circular Quay and Wynyard are both roughly fifteen minutes on foot, and the walk from Circular Quay around the water past the Overseas Passenger Terminal is a genuinely good part of the evening.
Driving is harder. On-street parking on Hickson Road is limited and goes early on performance nights. Barangaroo Point, Barangaroo Reserve and Bond One all offer night and weekend rates within a short walk. If you are eating first, park once and leave the car until after the show.
After the Show
Walsh Bay winds down earlier than the CBD, which catches people out when a late curtain falls near eleven. Most Hickson Road kitchens have closed by then, though the bars run on and the Pier One venues trade later than the standalone restaurants. Walsh Bay Kitchen publishes a dedicated post theatre menu, which makes it the obvious first call.
Decide before you go in rather than wandering the pier afterwards in the wind. If a late kitchen matters, ring ahead and ask. Our guide to where to eat before a show at the Sydney Opera House covers the same problem fifteen minutes east, where the late options are broader.
When Walsh Bay Gets Busy
Three things fill this precinct beyond the normal theatre calendar, and all three are worth booking around.
Vivid Sydney turns the harbour foreshore into a walking route in late May and June, and Walsh Bay sits on the edge of it. The Sydney Writers' Festival takes over the piers each May and puts several thousand extra people on Hickson Road across a week. And cruise ship days at the Overseas Passenger Terminal, fifteen minutes' walk east, push a surge of passengers through the area at both ends of the day.
None of that should stop you coming. It should stop you turning up at seven on a Friday without a booking.
Walsh Bay Restaurants: Common Questions
What is the best restaurant in Walsh Bay?
It depends on what the night is for, which is why the entries above spell out what each place does best. If the view is the point, The Gantry sits directly under the Harbour Bridge. If your show is at Wharf 1 or 2, The Wharf is upstairs from it. If you want seafood without ceremony, Fish At The Rocks has been doing it since 1988. Our own room, Elements Bar and Grill, is at number one because it handles the widest range of evenings well.
How early should you book dinner before a show at Walsh Bay?
Ninety minutes before curtain is the sweet spot for two courses without rushing. Tell the restaurant you have a show when you book, because every venue on Hickson Road handles pre-theatre tables regularly and will pace the kitchen for you. Sydney Theatre Company suggests arriving at the venue at least thirty minutes before the start.
Can you eat inside the theatres themselves?
Yes, at two of them. Folio operates inside the Roslyn Packer building at 22 Hickson Road and doubles as the pre-show and interval bar. The Wharf restaurant and the Theatre Bar at the End of the Wharf both sit in the Wharf 4/5 building at 15 Hickson Road, upstairs from Wharf 1 and Wharf 2. If the weather is poor, either means you never step outside.
Which Walsh Bay restaurant is under the Harbour Bridge?
Pier One Sydney Harbour at 11 Hickson Road sits directly beneath it, and The Gantry, Pier Dining and Bar One are its venues. Other restaurants along Hickson Road have harbour views down the piers and across the water, which is a different and in some cases better outlook, but Pier One is the one literally under the span.
Can you get to Walsh Bay without a car?
Easily, and it has improved sharply. Barangaroo Metro is roughly six minutes on foot, buses 324 and 325 stop outside the Roslyn Packer, and Circular Quay and Wynyard are both about fifteen minutes' walk. Given how tight on-street parking gets on performance nights, public transport is usually the better call.
Where can you eat at Walsh Bay after a show?
Fewer places than before it. Most Hickson Road kitchens wind down by the time a late curtain falls, though the bars trade on and the Pier One venues run later. Walsh Bay Kitchen publishes a post theatre menu, which makes it the obvious first call. Decide before the show rather than after.
Are Walsh Bay restaurants expensive?
It is a harbourfront arts precinct, so it sits above suburban pricing and roughly in line with Circular Quay and Barangaroo. The range within one street is unusually wide though, from dumplings and pub schnitzel through to fine dining, which means the precinct handles a cheap weeknight and a proper occasion equally well.
Is Walsh Bay good for a group booking?
Very, provided you ring rather than book online. Jounieh runs banquets, several rooms hold private or semi-private spaces, and the pubs up the hill take larger walk-in groups. Above about eight people most venues will want a set menu and a phone call, and on a performance night they will want it well in advance.
What else is there to do at Walsh Bay besides eat and see a show?
The wharves themselves are the attraction. Walking the piers, the heritage buildings from the 1912 to 1921 construction period, Dawes Point Park under the Bridge, and the harbour walk that runs east to Circular Quay and west to Barangaroo Reserve. Most people build an hour into their evening for it and are glad they did.
Come and Use It
If you are seeing something at the Roslyn Packer, the Wharf or Pier 2/3 this season, book number one. Ninety minutes before curtain, five minutes' walk to your seat, and the option of coming back afterwards while most of Hickson Road is dark.
Elements Bar and Grill is at Pier 8/9, 23 Hickson Road, Millers Point, a short walk from Barangaroo Metro and every theatre in the precinct.
Book through the reservations page or call 1300 ELEMENTS (1300 353 636). Tell the team your curtain time when you book so the kitchen can pace it, and flag any dietary requirements at the same time.
