A special place to celebrate birthday in Sydney?
 

We will be in Sydney for my birthday in December. It happens to be a Sunday. What would truly be a treat? Thanks for your suggestions!

Tastes vary and as Sydney has a broad range of restaurants at every price point, it will be easier to advise if you give us an idea of yours:

Lunch or dinner?
Budget?
Dining solo, pair or group?
Quiet & intimate or hip, hop & happening?

I just want us to have a truly unforgettable experience. My kids are mid to late teens, so it does not have to be a kid-friendly place. We like all cuisines, and it could be lunch or dinner. Maybe not hip-hop kind of place. When we look back, we want to be able to say wow, we were there. And I am thinking, AUD 100 per person kind of place. Could do more too, maybe.... Thanks.

I love the Iceburgs at Bondi - there is no setting thats better and I enjoyed the food very much when we went there for a celebration.

It doesn't appeal to everyone and I don't know what the nosh is like because the red dust and wind put pay to our reservation, but centerpoint AMP tower has the highest revolving restaurant in the southern hemisphere.

Being right at the top, it will no doubt have an unforgetable view over Sydney that is interesting for the teenagers and give you loads to talk about for a long time.

http://www.sydneytowerrestaurant.com.au/

Maybe someone who has recently eaten there could give their thoughts.

Have fun
Muck

I haven't been but it gets very good reviews the restaurant at the Opera House, Guillaume:
http://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/visit/guillaume.aspx

Or Tetsuya's, which has phenomenal food, you would need to book now for December.
http://www.tetsuyas.com/page/reservations.html

est also has amazing food, we took a friend there for her 50th birthday and it was terrific
http://www.merivale.com/#/establishment/est

Flying Fish a bit less pricey but it has a great view: http://www.flyingfish.com.au/

Expensive with a view: along Circular Quay, there's Quay at the Overseas Passenger Terminal.

Whoops, just realised you are asking about Sunday, the only two on the list above open on Sundays are: Quay and Flying Fish.

I have eaten at both Guillaume and the AMP tower restaurant and I would have really preferred a nice noshup at one of the restaurants in Newtown. I didn't think there was anything special about either of them. Of course Tetsuyas would be my next suggestion as that is always top billing. If the day was a nice one then an extra special hamper from David Jones and a nice picnic with a view in the Botanical Gardens would also be one of my choices.

I have eaten several times at the AMP tower restaurant and would not really recommend it. Having said that it is a place the kids choose for their specail birthday meals.
I have never been but I am waiting for DH to book Icebergs for our next special dining experience.
He likes Flying Fish which has been mentioned above.

If you can get in I would always book at Tetsuyas as INBE said above.

I prefer lunch with a view and i would recommend the following:

Aqua Dining - Looking over North Sydney Pool with a spectacular view of the Harbour Bridge this used to be the place I took all our overseas clients to for lunch. I admit I have not been for a while and reviews of food are mixed.
http://www.aquadining.com.au/aqua_ri...restaurant.htm

Aria:
Again great views and food by one of Australia's better known chefs
http://www.ariarestaurant.com/defaul...ticle&ID=21609

Peter Doyle at the Quay: Assuming you like Seafood
http://www.doyleatthequay.com.au/

or make the trek to the original at Watsons Bay
http://www.doyles.com.au/

Another of my favourites is The Pier:
http://www.pierrestaurant.net.au/


If these all look too expensive I am happy to recommend others.

Aussiefive has ticked all my favourites. Icebergs www.idrb.com would possibly appeal to your teens, as well as having great food. It's on the famous Bondi Beach, regular hangout of celebrities etc, etc.

Mucky's suggestion of the revolving restaurant at Sydney Tower may well be something to consider too, despite the mediocre food reviews, if you're a visitor to Australia. It certainly gives a unique view of Sydney and would probably be a hit with your teenagers.

Something else which might appeal is Fort Denison http://www.sydney.com.au/fort.htm

Many of the restaurants above will offer a great meal, and some will give you a great view, but if you want a memorable experience, something to consider is lunch at Berowra Waters Inn, and arrival by sea plane, with a wonderful view from the air. I haven't been myself but my niece and chef husband recently went there for their anniversary and she said it was their best dining experience ever. Check out details on the web site.

http://www.berowrawatersinn.com/default.php

I went earlier this year to Berowra Waters Inn, it was very disappointing food, not dreadful just nothing special, but then I remember the Gay Bilson days and it just wasn't anywhere in the league of her food.

It is, however, a superb location and despite some odd adjustments, the original Glenn Murcutt architecture still shines:

http://architecture.about.com/od/gre.../p/murcutt.htm

What a shame Susan7, Berowra Waters used to be a favourite of ours years ago when Gay Bilson was chef, she would be a hard act to follow. In fact will be back in Sydney next month and was thinking of giving it a shot, so thanks for the tip, won't bother.

Pat - what about Peats Bite?

Pier in Rose Bay , built on a glass enclosed pier over the water with views all around . Won yet another award so despite the lapse in time since I ate there it seems to have just got better .Discreet lovely service and quite small . Seafood plus meat options but with a twist but not experimental and proper portions .

I had the most wonderful lunch there in February 08 for my partner on a classic Syd day with piercing blue skies looking at the water .

We had a glass of champagne each , 3 glasses of wine with our meals and a glass of dessert wine each , 3 courses ( one entree / starter was the most expensive on the menu with caviar etc in it at around $50 or 60 !), side dishes x 2 plus coffee . Was about $280 plus tip as I recall . I dig not begrudge a penny .

So if you do not drink French champagne and do not order caviar it will be about $120ish I think pp.

Highly recommended .

Thanks so much for all your responses - so many to choose from... We love seafood and both Peter Doyle and Pier sound like food that the family would enjoy. I'll probably toss a coin and choose!

Now that we have the celebratory meal covered, what are your recommendations for meals which are wallet friendly?

Another vote for Doyle's if you want a calm, enjoyable meal with Sydney/WBay ambiance.

As for something to do that day - how about a winery bus tour? The scenery on the drive is lovely, the wine samples enjoyable, and the view of the vineyards with their roses and rolling hills - beautiful.

My favourite cheap eats in Sydney are: Sopra above Fratelli Fresh in Danks st (only open lunches, fabulous Italian). There are a number of galleries in the same area which could justify the trip.

Malay-Chinese Take Away, Hunter st in the City, the best Laksa in town, also more of a lunch place, King prawn laksa $15.

Spice I Am, Wentworth Ave near Central Station, BYO, excellent spicy Thai. Sailor's Thai is also reasonably priced if you eat upstairs at the communal table (it's near the Overseas Passenger terminal).

There's excellent and very cheap northern Chinese food at Ashfield if you are prepared to travel (try Shanghai Nights and Shanghai Dumplings) both on Liverpool rd.

More centrally located Captain Torres has good tapas (in Liverpool St, opposite the Spanish Club).

For Bondi, my favourite: Seans Panaroma.

Great food and views - and you get Bondi thrown in for free!

Sunday lunch there is absolutely my favourite, rain or shine.

It has a relaxed atmosphere - with good waitstaff - just regained it's second hat - but you don't feel as if you're in a place requiring reverence, as I do when I go to Tetsuya's!

Price is about right, too.

Una's in Darlinghurst . Schnitzel and chicken soup type place and afterwards a fantastic gelato at Mezzaluna

minsin

If it is a perfect Sydney summer day, why not consider taking a ferry from Circular Quay to Manly and have lunch at the Manly Wharf Hotel. I know some might refer it a pub but it does serve reasonably food at wallet friendly prices. You can eat alfresco and people watch at the same time. The kids can take a dip thereafter.

Alternatively consider the wharf at Woolloomooloo Bay. Kingsley Steak and Crabhouse is one of my favourites there, great steaks, or Manta, great seafood.

Enjoy!

s

Wish I was there right now... This trip is promising to be a culinary delight as well. We are, of course, going to do the ferry ride to Manly, and now i have an excellent meal also thrown at the end. Thanks so much.

ice cube in darling harbour.... if you sign up on their website they send you an invite for everyone to have predrinks before dinner or some other option i can't remember! But they had great food!