Events Guide · The Grand Palace, Sydney CBD
15 Best Christmas Lunch and Dinner Restaurants in Sydney
Christmas in Sydney is one of the most exciting times of the year — here are 15 restaurants offering unforgettable Christmas dining experiences.
At a Glance
Basement, 261 George Street, Sydney, NSW 2000 (02) 8021 7696 bookings@thegrandpalace.com.auChristmas in Sydney is one of the most exciting times of the year, filled with vibrant celebrations and unforgettable dining experiences. Whether you're planning a luxurious Christmas Eve dinner, a festive Christmas Day lunch, or a group gathering with friends and family, choosing the right restaurant sets the tone. This guide covers 15 of the city's best Christmas dining venues — from sky-high fine dining at Infinity Sydney Tower to waterfront Italian at Pilu — with The Grand Palace's festive Indian set menu leading the list.
Quick Answer
The Grand Palace, Basement, 261 George Street, Sydney CBD, offers a dedicated Christmas set menu with private dining space for up to 125 guests — a strong choice for Christmas Eve dinner, Christmas lunch, or a corporate Christmas party. For fine-dining alternatives, Infinity at Sydney Tower, O Bar and Dining and Ormeggio at The Spit are well-established Sydney Christmas dining spots.
Compare at a Glance
Dietary column shows only what each restaurant explicitly confirms — not every kitchen publishes the same level of detail.
| Restaurant | Area | Style | Dietary Highlights | Good for Groups |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Grand PalaceOur Pick | Sydney CBD | Indian Fine Dining + Christmas Set Menu | Halal certified · Vegetarian, vegan, Jain | |
| Infinity at Sydney Tower | Sydney CBD | Modern Australian Fine Dining | Contact restaurant | |
| O Bar and Dining | Sydney CBD | Revolving Modern Australian | Contact restaurant | |
| Ormeggio at The Spit | Mosman | Italian Seafood | Contact restaurant | |
| Eastside Bar & Grill | Chippendale | Grill / Steakhouse | Contact restaurant | |
| Mode Kitchen & Bar | Sydney CBD | Modern Australian | Contact restaurant | |
| OTTO Ristorante | Woolloomooloo | Italian Fine Dining | Contact restaurant | |
| Pilu at Freshwater | Freshwater | Sardinian | Contact restaurant | |
| Roast Republic | Sydney CBD | American BBQ / Steakhouse | Contact restaurant | |
| Gina Pasta Bar | Barangaroo | Italian Pasta Bar | Contact restaurant | |
| MuMian Dining | Darling Quarter | Modern Cantonese | Contact restaurant | |
| The East Chinese Restaurant | Circular Quay | Chinese | Contact restaurant | |
| Suminoya | Sydney CBD | Japanese Yakiniku | Contact restaurant | |
| Tao Restaurant and Bar Sydney | Sydney CBD | Modern Cantonese | Contact restaurant | |
| Two 88 Bar & Kitchen | Sydney CBD | Wine & Cocktail Bar | Contact restaurant |
The Grand Palace
Our PickSydney CBD · Indian Fine Dining + Christmas Set Menu
Halal certified · Vegetarian, vegan, Jain
Good for groupsInfinity at Sydney Tower
Sydney CBD · Modern Australian Fine Dining
Contact restaurant
Good for groupsO Bar and Dining
Sydney CBD · Revolving Modern Australian
Contact restaurant
Good for groupsOrmeggio at The Spit
Mosman · Italian Seafood
Contact restaurant
Good for groupsEastside Bar & Grill
Chippendale · Grill / Steakhouse
Contact restaurant
Good for groupsMode Kitchen & Bar
Sydney CBD · Modern Australian
Contact restaurant
Good for groupsOTTO Ristorante
Woolloomooloo · Italian Fine Dining
Contact restaurant
Good for groupsPilu at Freshwater
Freshwater · Sardinian
Contact restaurant
Good for groupsRoast Republic
Sydney CBD · American BBQ / Steakhouse
Contact restaurant
Good for groupsGina Pasta Bar
Barangaroo · Italian Pasta Bar
Contact restaurant
Good for groupsMuMian Dining
Darling Quarter · Modern Cantonese
Contact restaurant
Good for groupsThe East Chinese Restaurant
Circular Quay · Chinese
Contact restaurant
Good for groupsSuminoya
Sydney CBD · Japanese Yakiniku
Contact restaurant
Good for groupsTao Restaurant and Bar Sydney
Sydney CBD · Modern Cantonese
Contact restaurant
Good for groupsTwo 88 Bar & Kitchen
Sydney CBD · Wine & Cocktail Bar
Contact restaurant
Good for groups
The Grand Palace — Christmas Set Menu, Sydney CBD
The Grand Palace runs a dedicated Christmas set menu in its basement dining room styled after India's royal palaces — private dining space for up to 125 guests, making it a genuine alternative to the usual modern-Australian Christmas lunch circuit. Halal-certified and HACCP certified, with vegetarian, vegan and Jain options built into the same set menu, so a mixed-diet Christmas table isn't a special request.
Must-Try Dishes
- Dietary: Halal certified · Full vegetarian & vegan menu · Jain (no onion/garlic) on request
Infinity at Sydney Tower
Mark Best's Infinity sits high above the city inside Sydney Tower — modern Australian fine dining with a view that does a lot of the work for a Christmas lunch. Book ahead; the tower's height and outlook make it one of the city's most requested Christmas tables.
- Dietary: Contact the restaurant directly for dietary requirements
O Bar and Dining
A revolving restaurant 47 floors above George Street, O Bar and Dining turns a full 360 degrees over the course of a meal — a genuine novelty for a Christmas booking, paired with a modern Australian menu built for the occasion.
- Dietary: Contact the restaurant directly for dietary requirements
Ormeggio at The Spit
A buzzy Italian seafood restaurant right on the water at The Spit marina in Mosman — a genuinely scenic Christmas lunch option for those happy to head north of the harbour.
- Dietary: Contact the restaurant directly for dietary requirements
Eastside Bar & Grill
A Chippendale grill restaurant inside the Old Rum Store — a straightforward steak-and-grill Christmas lunch option for a group that wants something less formal than degustation.
- Dietary: Contact the restaurant directly for dietary requirements
Mode Kitchen & Bar
Inside the Four Seasons Hotel in The Rocks, Mode Kitchen & Bar runs an award-winning modern Australian menu — a polished, hotel-quality Christmas lunch a short walk from Circular Quay.
- Dietary: Contact the restaurant directly for dietary requirements
OTTO Ristorante
A long-standing waterfront Italian institution on Woolloomooloo's Finger Wharf — classic Italian fine dining with harbour views, a familiar and reliable choice for a Christmas booking among Sydney's food crowd.
- Dietary: Contact the restaurant directly for dietary requirements
Pilu at Freshwater
A beachfront Sardinian restaurant right on Freshwater beach — a genuinely different Christmas lunch setting, worth the drive north for the setting alone as much as the food.
- Dietary: Contact the restaurant directly for dietary requirements
Roast Republic
An American BBQ and steakhouse on Clarence Street known for rotisserie chicken, beef brisket and ribs — a casual, meat-forward alternative if a formal set menu isn't the goal.
Must-Try Dishes
- Dietary: Contact the restaurant directly for dietary requirements
Gina Pasta Bar
A waterfront Italian pasta bar in Barangaroo — fresh handmade pasta with a harbour outlook, open all day on weekends for a relaxed Christmas lunch by the water.
- Dietary: Contact the restaurant directly for dietary requirements
MuMian Dining
Part of the Tao Restaurant Group at Darling Quarter, MuMian blends Cantonese tradition with a modern Sydney sensibility — smart-casual Chinese dining near Tumbalong Park, good for a group Christmas dinner.
- Dietary: Contact the restaurant directly for dietary requirements
The East Chinese Restaurant
A Circular Quay Chinese restaurant open every day including public holidays — a reliable Christmas Day option when many other kitchens are closed.
- Dietary: Contact the restaurant directly for dietary requirements
Suminoya
An authentic Japanese yakiniku restaurant near Martin Place, serving all-you-can-eat charcoal-grilled meat and seafood since 2000 — a different-format Christmas dinner for a group that wants to cook at the table.
- Dietary: Contact the restaurant directly for dietary requirements
Tao Restaurant and Bar Sydney
Modern Cantonese cuisine on Clarence Street, between Sydney Tower Eye and the aquarium — a straightforward CBD Chinese option for Christmas lunch without a special-occasion price tag.
- Dietary: Contact the restaurant directly for dietary requirements
Two 88 Bar & Kitchen
A Sussex Street wine and cocktail bar near Darling Harbour with a kitchen menu to match — open daily, a flexible option if your Christmas plans are still coming together late.
- Dietary: Contact the restaurant directly for dietary requirements
Conclusion
Sydney's Christmas dining scene runs from harbour-view fine dining at Ormeggio and Infinity, to beachfront Sardinian at Pilu, to all-day Cantonese at TAO and Two 88. The Grand Palace stands apart from the rest of this list — a dedicated Christmas set menu, halal-certified, with vegetarian, vegan and Jain options built in, in a private dining room built to hold up to 125 guests.
Whichever you choose, book early — December is Sydney's busiest month for restaurant reservations, and the well-known names on this list fill up weeks in advance.
Ready to experience it yourself? Tables fill fast on weeknights.
Nirav Shah
Nirav Shah is a hospitality professional with a strong passion for food culture, restaurant design, and exceptional customer experience. From over 10 years, he has explored Sydney’s diverse culinary scene with a thoughtful and informed perspective, gaining hands-on insight into how successful restaurants deliver quality dining.
With a deep appreciation for flavor, ambience, and service, Nirav focuses on both lunch and dinner experiences when evaluating dining venues. His recommendations are shaped by personal visits and careful research, highlighting restaurants that consistently offer memorable and well-rounded dining experiences worth returning to.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I book a Christmas lunch in Sydney CBD?
The Grand Palace at Basement, 261 George Street, Sydney CBD, offers a dedicated Christmas set menu for lunch and dinner, with private dining space for groups up to 125 guests. Call (02) 8021 7696 or book online.
Which Sydney restaurants are good for a corporate Christmas party?
The Grand Palace, MuMian Dining and Eastside Bar & Grill all offer private or semi-private dining suited to corporate Christmas bookings — reserve early, as December fills up fast.
Do Sydney Christmas restaurants offer vegetarian or vegan menus?
Yes. The Grand Palace's Christmas set menu includes vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options, and several other restaurants on this list — including Gina Pasta Bar and Roast Republic — can accommodate dietary requests with advance notice.
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