
Quay Restaurant
A landmark fine dining institution offering innovative modern Australian cuisine with iconic views of Sydney Harbour.

Highlights
Must-see attractions
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Quay Restaurant

Highlights
Must-see attractions
A landmark fine dining institution offering innovative modern Australian cuisine with iconic views of Sydney Harbour.
"Dining at Quay was an experience that went far beyond just a meal. It was a beautifully orchestrated journey of flavours, textures, and impeccable service."
Book Views in Advance
Secure your table with stunning Opera House or Harbour Bridge views by making reservations well in advance.
Consider Extra Layer
Some diners found the restaurant to be chilly; bringing an extra layer is advised for comfort.

Quick Facts
Cuisine
Modern Australian
Price
$$$
Phone
+61 2 9251 5600
Address
Upper Level Overseas Passenger Terminal, The Rocks NSW 2000, Australia
Website
quay.com.au/Highlights
Discover the most iconic attractions and experiences

Iconic Harbour Views
Dine with unparalleled, breathtaking views of the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge, setting the stage for an unforgettable meal.

Artistic Degustation Menus
Experience a 7-course tasting menu where each dish is a culinary masterpiece, showcasing creativity, finesse, and nature's bounty.

Signature "White Coral" Dessert
Indulge in the visually stunning and whimsically named 'White Coral' dessert, a memorable sweet finale to your dining experience.
Plans like a pro.
Thinks like you
Insider Tips
from TikTok, Instagram & Reddit
Book Views in Advance
Secure your table with stunning Opera House or Harbour Bridge views by making reservations well in advance.
Consider Extra Layer
Some diners found the restaurant to be chilly; bringing an extra layer is advised for comfort.
Ask About Kitchen Tours
Inquire about kitchen tours with Chef Troy for an insider look at food preparation.
Desserts After Dark
Experience Peter Gilmore's world-renowned desserts from 8:45 pm onwards at a fraction of the tasting menu cost.
Tips
from all over the internet
Book Views in Advance
Secure your table with stunning Opera House or Harbour Bridge views by making reservations well in advance.
Consider Extra Layer
Some diners found the restaurant to be chilly; bringing an extra layer is advised for comfort.
Ask About Kitchen Tours
Inquire about kitchen tours with Chef Troy for an insider look at food preparation.
Desserts After Dark
Experience Peter Gilmore's world-renowned desserts from 8:45 pm onwards at a fraction of the tasting menu cost.
What Travellers Say
Reviews Summary
Quay Restaurant offers a highly acclaimed fine dining experience with breathtaking views of Sydney Harbour. Diners praise the artistic and creative tasting menus, impeccable service, and signature desserts. However, some reviews suggest the experience may not always live up to its renowned reputation and price point, with occasional critiques on dish balance and temperature.
"An Interesting dining experience at Quay Sydney. Each course was a masterclass in creativity, balance, and finesse. The evening began with delicately plated raw scallops topped with smoked eel cream and Murray cod roe — a perfect harmony of freshness and umami.
The wild greenlip abalone and sea cucumber with aged seaweed broth showcased the kitchen’s precision and respect for the ocean. The mud crab dumpling in brown butter emulsion was rich yet refined, while the smoked confit pig jowl with young macadamia and sherry vinegar prunes delivered bold, deep flavors with silky textures.
The highlight for me was the David Blackmore Wagyu — intensely savory, paired with shiitake and dried oyster, elevated by a whisper of licorice kombu.
Desserts were equally show-stopping. “White Coral” and the playful “Post Brood Honey Bee” were not only beautifully presented but also ended the meal with a delightful sense of whimsy."
ARTYOS
"Quay has been an Australian staple and it’s consistency and longevity has been well admired. Peter Gilmore’s classics inspired entire generations of chefs and decades later, many of them have caught up. Beautiful location and atmosphere but currently relies too heavily on its name and location providing “View Tax”. Cool ideas on their menu but seemed like they were all executed in a similar fashion. Extra butter, more cream and sauced the hell out of everything. I would have liked to see more balance on the palate and then have some classics pop up every now and then. It’s just not the same without Peter Gilmore around and the magic has quieted down."
Michael
"I celebrated my graduation dinner here with my family in May, and it turned out to be one of the most memorable dining experiences we’ve ever had.
Over the years, I’ve visited various fine dining restaurants for special occasions, and I have to say—Quay truly got everything right. From the impeccable service and outstanding food quality to the gorgeous night view, every detail was thoughtfully executed. Each dish was beautifully presented, and the layers of flavour were simply remarkable.
My entire family thoroughly enjoyed this unforgettable experience.
Thank you."
Ophelia, Xinran Pan
What People Like
What People Dislike
Frequently Asked Questions
Quay is renowned for its innovative tasting menus, breathtaking views of the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge, and its iconic 'White Coral' dessert.
Yes, reservations are highly recommended, especially if you desire a table with specific views of the Opera House or Harbour Bridge.
Yes, Quay is known to cater to various dietary restrictions, including gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian options, often crafting bespoke dishes.
While not explicitly stated, fine dining establishments like Quay generally recommend smart casual or more formal attire.
Yes, you can visit 'Desserts by Quay' from 8:45 pm onwards to experience Peter Gilmore's acclaimed desserts without the full tasting menu.
Some diners have noted that the restaurant can be chilly, so bringing an extra layer is advisable.
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This Circular Quay establishment serves food that matches its million-dollar views, overlooking the Opera House from the shadow of the Harbour Bridge. Located on the upper level of the Overseas Passenger Terminal, Quay’s menu is the brainchild of esteemed executive chef Peter Gilmore, the genius behind culinary inventions like the legendary ‘snow egg’ dessert that rose to fame on Australian cooking show MasterChef.
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Head to the upper level of the Overseas Passenger Terminal for some of the best modern Australian cuisine you’ll find anywhere in the Harbour City. Feast on Executive Chef Peter Gilmore’s envelope-pushing menu with a side serving of water views, including panoramic views of both the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge that match the upscale dishes on offer.
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Quay has been Sydney’s top restaurant for 30 years and it's still going strong with chef Peter Gilmore's experimental Mod Oz cuisine created with seasonal, local produce. The menu has carefully created seafood dishes, like greenlip abalone. But it’s the White Coral dessert, which is what Quay has become known.
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The cornucopia of produce grown exclusively for the restaurant?. The service team’s unrivalled professionalism?. Some restaurants are engineered for special occasions and totally worth the splurge – this is most definitely one of them.
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Sydney is blessed with plenty of world-class dining experiences, whether it’s the sky-high vistas and culinary innovation of Oncore by Clare Smyth, the adventurous pescatarian magic of Saint Peter or the suburban, seasonal creativity of Sixpenny. Best of all, these fine diners all do a great job of catering to pretty much any and all dietary restrictions, like at Quay, where executive chef Peter Gilmore and co-head chefs Troy Crisante and Tim Mifsud will either craft a gluten-free version of each dish or present you with something bespoke. Either way, every course promises to not only be safe to eat, but also spectacular enough to shift your attention away from those breathtaking harbour views.
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Even if you’re well versed in Peter Gilmore’s leitmotifs – marine life, umami depth, elusive ingredients, the tension between cream and crunch – his cooking at Quay always holds you in its thrall. Hand-dived scallops, each as sweet and soft as custard, make gripping counterparts for shaved abalone, raw palm hearts and liquorice kombu in a hypnotic soy and vinegar dressing. Unctuous black-pig salami draped over creamy shiitake chawanmushi could be its own dish, but layered over confit pork jowl and smoked trotter broth it all becomes a dissertation on intensity and richness.
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Located in the heart of The Rocks and with a spectacular view of the Harbour Bridge and Opera House, Quay Restaurant’s executive chef Peter Gilmore reinvigorated cooking and dining experiences in Australia when he opened this very restaurant. The ocean-decorated floor couples with Gilmore’s adoration for nature to help find inspiration for his dishes, which can be sampled as part of a six-course set menu (approx. $365 per person) to challenge any in the harbour city. There’s a focus on seasonality with fish, pork, and Wagyu typically dominating the rotating menu.
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When someone thinks of romantic sydney restaurants, Quay restaurant is probably one of the first places that comes to mind. Chef Peter Gilmore is known for making some of the excellent food in Sydney, and the menu here features some fantastic foods, such as Maremma duck served with preserved blueberries, black garlic, Kampot pepper, and ice plant. Additionally, there are views of the harbour that are worth experiencing, and you can share the famous White Coral Dessert to end the evening perfectly.
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The view of Sydney Harbour from Quay's dining room is spectacular, and the award-winning "nature-based" modern Australian cuisine created by Chef Peter Gilmore is equal to the setting. Unique menu items include reworked classic dishes and new dishes for each season, including such items as slow-cooked quail with fermented mushroom custard, wild Tasmanian green-lipped abalone, and congee of hand-dived scallops. The wine list is extensive, and wine and food pairings are offered.
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Where: Upper Level, Overseas Passenger Terminal, Hickson Rd, The Rocks. The scene: For years, Quay has held its position as one of the most impressive restaurants ever to open up in Sydney and consistently features as one of San Pellegrino’s World’s Best Restaurants. This highly-acclaimed restaurant’s aim is to match the unparalleled harbour setting with the ultimate modern Australian cuisine: a challenge it rises up to and exceeds with every plate.
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Sydney fine-dining institution Quay is widely held as one of the best restaurants in Australia, let alone the Sydney CBD. Sit yourself down directly opposite aforementioned instution Bennelong and the Sydney Opera House and find a spot amongst the Australian landscape-inspired interior. Whether you opt for the six- or the eight-course menu, with or without a sommelier-curated wine pairing, you can expect one hell of an experience.
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Address: Overseas Passenger Terminal, Hickson Road, The Rocks. The run-down: One of Australia's most celebrated restaurants and once frequently listed in the World's Best Restaurant's list. Head chef Peter Gilmore's philosophy for simple, yet crafted Australian cuisine has seen him rise to the very forefront of Australian fine dining, something that an overhaul and a temporary shutdown in 2018 did nothing to hinder.
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Price range: AU$ 206.32 (approx)Timings: Saturday and Sunday: 12 pm to 1:30 pm; Thursday to Sunday: 6 pm to 8:45 PM.Address:Upper Level, Overseas Passenger Terminal, The Rocks, Sydney 2000. Quay is highly inspired by nature and reflects nature and organic space, and is one of the best restaurants in Sydney. The Interaction of colours and textures gives the food and the restaurant an ode to the Australian landscape.
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Restaurants come and restaurants go, but Quay will always remain a quintessential, Australian fine dining experience. At its core lays a penchant for local Aussie ingredients and a stomach for the experimental. It's for this reason that Peter Gilmore has become a household name when it comes to his elevated desserts like the iconic 'Snow Egg' or its' more modern sister, the delicate and otherworldly 'White Coral'.
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Michelin-starred Quay, led by executive chef Peter Gilmore, is one of the country’s most celebrated restaurants. Nestled cosily between the stunning Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House, this restaurant is a collaboration between Peter and the farmers, fishermen, producers and artisans he works with. Each dish is lovingly and painstakingly created, and considered for its role in the entire dining experience.
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There are chefs, and then there’s Peter Gilmore, who oversees the award-winning dining room at Quay, with stellar views over the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge. This three-hat icon is frequently named as the best restaurant in the city and serves up a degustation menu of native ingredients and inspired flavours with artfully created dishes almost too pretty to eat. Quay Restaurant, The Rocks
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Quay's superb location, between the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House, is not all that makes this restaurant such a success with discerning diners. Its dishes will seduce you with high quality produce and impressive technique. The new incarnation of Quay brings a welcome change; a chance to create a more personal, interactive passage for diners through Peter Gilmore’s culinary evolution.
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Executive chef Peter Gilmore is tireless in his pursuit of what’s interesting, new and Australian. His backyard is peppered with test plantations of rare vegetables, he works with local ceramicists on custom crockery and he’s a leading advocate for native produce. The restaurant’s theatrical tasting menus show off all this and more, bolstered by some of the city’s best harbour views.
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It goes without saying that Quay epitomises fine dining in Sydney’s CBD and is the ultimate restaurant to impress your clients. Let chef Peter Gilmore guide you and your guests through a menu that celebrates Australia’s diverse landscape; the Harbour Bridge and Sydney’s Opera House floating in the background. Be sure to reserve a table, Quay books out weeks in advance.
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Quay might just be the most well-known fine-dining restaurant in Sydney (or Australia, for that matter). Head Chef Peter Gilmore is famous for his appearances on Masterchef, and the restaurant has one of the greatest views in the city — overlooking both the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge. It’s also home to one of the best private dining rooms in Sydney.
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Quay has appeared on the list of 50 Best Restaurants in the World and awarded three Hats in the Australia Best lists for more than 15 years. It was recently renovated and has opened with a new menu which I must admit I have not yet tried. The restaurant sits at the end of the Overseas Passenger Terminal directly opposite the Opera House and has amazing views.
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The restaurant is an organic space that reflects Peter Gilmore’s nature-inspired cuisine. The interplay of textures and colors brings life and vibrancy to the restaurant, which is located in the dress circle of Sydney Harbour. Every detail, from the ground up, has been thoughtfully considered in order to create an ode to the Australian landscape.
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Quay is the first name that springs to mind when one thinks of great romantic dining. It might be due to the fact that it has won numerous accolades or because Peter Gilmore, the chef, creates some of Sydney's finest cuisine. The restaurant's specialties include Maremma duck with preserved blueberries, black garlic, Kampot pepper, and ice plant.
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If fine romantic dining is what you want, Quay Restaurant is not gonna let you down. Enjoy a spectacular 270-degree views of the coast filled with piers, jetties, and the Sydney Opera House. Quay Restaurant, one of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants since 2009, has Chef Peter Gilmore who knowingly makes some of the best food you can find in Sydney.
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Australian Traveller Co-founder, Quentin Long, recommends Quay Restaurant (just make sure there won’t be any cruise ships in port ruining the view), where he popped the question to his wife years ago. “It was her birthday the next day. I waited until dessert and asked if she wanted her birthday present,” he explained.
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Why it made the list: It’s easy to see why Quay frequently makes it into numerous top 10 degustations in Sydney lists. Timeout, which placed it at the number two spot of the 50 best restaurants in Sydney, described Quay as the “king of Sydney fine dining” for their “heartbreakingly beautiful” marron and flowers.
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Its harbour-side setting with its stunning views of the Opera House, the friendly and professional service. And the food, with its mouth-watering twist on Australian cuisine. Chef Peter Gilmore is internationally acclaimed, and Quay is often placed in lists of the best restaurants in the world.
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Address: Overseas Passenger Terminal, The RocksLocated in The Rocks, Quay offers a fine dining experience with breathtaking views of the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge. The restaurant’s innovative menu and exquisite presentation make it a must-visit for gourmet enthusiasts.
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Gifts at the Quay is also a trusted gift shop in the capital. Locals and visitors surely enjoy its extensive range of gifts and souvenirs. In fact, Gifts at the Quay offers more than 100 different types of items.
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For fine dining and more of those famous views (you’ll need to dig into your wallet) book a table at either Aria, Quay Restaurant or Cafe Sydney if you didn’t do lunch. And there’s also the famous Tetsuya’s.
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Start with the outstanding six-course seasonal dishes at Quay Restaurant, an acclaimed mainstay overlooking Circular Quay and the Sydney Opera House helmed by leading Australian chef Peter Gilmore.
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