Best Monday night restaurants

Universal (pictured above)
The menu is made up of flavour-packed small plates. The idea is to choose four or more per person, with the menu travelling from light to more substantial dishes. Four works out about right, but be sure to include one of Manfield’s outstanding desserts.

A Tavola
If you are looking for beautifully executed pasta dishes that don’t break the bank, you’re in for a treat at A Tavola (Italian for ‘to the table’).

Alio
Simple Italian mum dishes are perfect for a quiet dinner. A decent wine list and friendly service are all part of the Alio charm.

Aperitif
Tucked away behind a weepy old fig tree with a candlelit courtyard oasis out the front, Aperitif is styled with intimate moments in mind.

Ash St Cellar
Eat Lauren Murdoch’s fine food while watching an outdoor flick every Monday over the summer as a part of.

Azuma Kushiyaki
While this newish restaurant is a little looser than big brother Azuma, it’s still a fairly corporate scene: dark wood, clean lines, quiet service and situated right in the heart of the CBD.

Bécasse
Justin North is one of the city’s brightest chefs with a French-based menu busting at the seams with delightslike coronet of rabbit.

Billy Kwong
This is the first carbon neutral restaurant to have opened in Sydney. And it’s not all hot air – Kylie Kwong’s organic Chinese food tastes as good as it ever has.

Burlington Bar and Dining
The menu’s broken up into entrée or main size share plates which means you can go classic à la carte or make your own mini degustation.

Catalina
Marked by the amazing view over Rose Bay and exceptional wine list, they specialise in seafood but also do gutsy French classics like pig’s head with sauce gribiche.

Est.
Peter Doyle, mad-keen surfer and chef of chefs, cooks flawless food at this double clother overlooking George Street. Things get even better with sommelier Franck Moreau pouring the wine.

Etch
Headed up by chefs James Metcalfe and Tristan Robertson, it’s like your classic bistro with a Spanish twist and a focus on local produce.

Fish Face
Steve Hodges has a more in-depth knowledge of seafood than just about anyone in town. The room’s a hot shoebox and you’ll be charged $40 for mains with pub-level service but if you can score a seat outside you’ll be happy.

Flinders Inn
Flinders Inn is your ultimate neighbourhood restaurant brought to you by the dynamic Morgan McGlone: simple, straightforward food with peerless service and a fun wine list. It’s perfect for a laidback meal.

Fratelli Paradiso
The giant, wall-sized blackboard menu may indeed be written completely in Italian, but it’s pretty easy to get the gist – especially when you’re having it explained to you by a bunch of good-looking Italian men dressed in figurehugging black.

Guillaume at Bennelong
Guillaume is better than ever right now. Craig Hemmings, award-winning maître d’ and all-round nice guy, is back from Melbourne and the menu is bangin’.

Longrain
It’s no wonder Longrain have done so well for so long – the combination of killer cocktails and flavour-packed Thai dishes is a winner.

Mad Cow
With the wine and dishes priced as they are, you could easily spend some serious dough – it’s a great place for a business lunch on expenses.

Manta
Woolloomooloo’s finger wharf is dotted with fine boats and restaurants to match. The wine list at Manta is fantastic, as is the house-made pasta.

Marque
Whether you’re having the $45 Friday lunch special or you go the ten-course degustation, Marque Restaurant is bells and whistles the entire way.

North Bondi Italian Food
NBIF has been seducing golden-skinned Sydneysiders for some years now with laid-back charm and tasty bar food.

Osvaldo Polletti
A casual Italian joint with super friendly service. Order the deep-fried olives stuffed with goat’s cheese.

Pier
Sheer piscine delight on a plate, smooth service and perched on the water to boot. Far from cheap, but close to perfect and definitely without peer.

Quay
Peter Gilmore cooks some of Sydney’s most exciting food in one of Sydney’s most picturesque locations. Try the likes of Queensland mud crab congee while watching the ferries chug through the harbour.

Rockpool Bar and Grill
Neil Perry’s newest establishment serves up boutique steaks and one of the best burgers the city’s ever seen. Their bar is Time Out’s Bar of the Year– and it looks like something out of Mad Men. 

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