When the time comes to celebrate with a group on different budgets, or doing something special but not too splashy, you need some great (yet affordable) options in your dining arsenal.
Just because your payslip may not scream 'long lunch at Catalina', that doesn't mean you can't enjoy an all-out settle-in food experience in Sydney. And there are plenty of next-level set menus that may surprise you — and your wallet.
In fact, several restaurants around our fine city offer tasting banquets for less than $100 — with many under $80. So we've looked to some of our favourite eateries to gift you this handy guide to the more affordable high-quality set menus in Sydney. When it comes to value for money, these are top of the crop.
Kitti Gould
POLY, SURRY HILLS
Helmed by Mat Lindsay of Ester and A.P Bakery, Surry Hills restaurant and wine bar Poly has all you need to celebrate a special occasion — without dipping too far into your savings. Fire is the hero of the kitchen here, and its inventory of vino is impressive. And it has a four-course set menu for $95. It changes regularly, but each diner is promised snacks, bread, a seafood starter, meat, sides, sauces, and sweets to finish things off.
Whatever you're served, you're in good hands and you'll be able to pair the set menu of flame-grilled treats with a drop from one of the best wine lists in Sydney.
Cost: $95
MAIZ, ENMORE
Maiz is a citywide Mexican food favourite, pushing Sydneysiders' understanding of the cuisine well beyond burritos. The banquet here is super affordable, clocking in at $65 for a welcome shot of mezcal and hibiscus followed by a selection of starters, a main of your choice, and dessert. The set menu traverses sweet corn soup, grilled onion- and charred jalapeño-topped guacamole, and market fish ceviche tostadas, before you take your pick of the larger share plates on offer and round out the night with paletas (that's a a Mexican-style ice block).
Cost: $65
Trent van der Jagt
HO JIAK, HAYMARKET
Originally hailing from Strathfield, Penang-style restaurant Ho Jiak now has four Sydney locations. Each location has its own unique (and uniquely delicious) menu, but head to the Haymarket spot for the best bang for your buck with an eight-dish tasting menu that is hard to pass up ($85).
Expect plates of elevated Malaysian fare, including bite-sized nasi lemak, one of the city's best renditions of satay chicken, and Nyonya-style assam barramundi. Vegetarians can also eat happily here with a $75 tasting menu that features dishes like eggplant ya cniau chye, sam wong dan (three types of egg), and a garlic spinach stir fry. Sure, you could just order from the extensive a la carte menu, but this feast is a home run when you want a finer night out.
Cost: Tasting menu $85, vegetarian tasting menu $75
Alana Dimou
TWO CHAPS, MARRICKVILLE
Two Chaps is the gold star winner on this list. Not only does its set menu on set you back $70 but it's also BYO (for $10 per six-pack or bottle of wine). Bargain. Brush off that nice bottle of wine gathering dust in the back of your closet — this is the occasion you've been saving it for.
The seasonal feast changes monthly and consists of homemade pasta, local Australian cheeses and fresh salads, plus rich desserts made from scratch. At the moment, the lineup includes focaccia with olives and baby zucchini, handmade ricotta and Tasmanian pepper ravioli, zucchini campanelle and an almond panacotta for dessert. You'll experience something new and completely delicious every time you go — which, believe us, you'll hope will be often. Dinner is only available on Friday and Saturday nights.
Cost: $70
Nikki To
LILYMU, PARRAMATTA
You'll find Lilymu on our list of the Best Restaurants in Sydney. The contemporary Chinese and Southeast Asian diner does a lot right — including its banquets which are available for either $78 or $95. The more affordable option still offers up plenty of value, with kingfish ceviche, chicken gyoza and roasted eggplant to start, followed by your choice of barramundi in a turmeric curry or wagyu beef massaman. Both mains are paired with fried rice before your night is wrapped up with a serve of mochi sorbet.
Cost: $78–95
DIMITRI'S, DARLINGHURST
While the set menu is only available for groups of four or more, it's one hell of a deal, perfect for a birthday on a budget. Beloved pizzeria Dimitri's has a group dining option that'll only set you back $50 per person and includes house-made sourdough, a mix of antipasti, salads and a pizza per person — what a deal from one of our top spots in Sydney for cheesy rounds.
Cost: $50
PINKY JI, SYDNEY
Chef Jessi Singh's Pinky Ji brings his vibrant take on Indian food to Sydney's CBD. At this neon-lit York Street restaurant you can bypass the ordering process and hit up the Chef's Selection menu ($69 per person). You'll kick things off with the venue's Balls of Happiness, followed by kingfish ceviche, fired cauliflower and tandoor chicken. From there, your group will get to sample the array of curries on the menu paired with rice and naan, before the meal finishes with a sweet serving of cardamon pistachio kulfi.
This is one of the best set menus in Sydney when it comes to bold flavours and value for money.
Cost: $69
Cassandra Hannagan
CHACO BAR, POTTS POINT
Chaco Bar owner Keita Abe snatched up the old Jimmy Liks space on Victoria Street transforming it into a dedicated yakitori joint and converted it into a genuine expression of Japanese izakaya culture in the middle of Sydney.
At Chaco Bar you'll find a pretty bloody terrific seven-course set menu for $95. It features dishes that are fun but also showcase serious Japanese cooking including crab chawanmushi (a savoury egg custard), sashimi, a selection of yakitori and chicken liver pate. If you'd to pair your celebratory eats with some celebratory drinks, the bar is pouring a lineup of premium sakes and inventive cocktails.
Cost: $95
Nikki To
TOTTI'S, BONDI
Totti's kitchen is a beloved staple of Sydney's hospitality scene. If you haven't had the chance, trust us, you'll want to taste its set menu.
The four-course meal starts with bread and antipasti, including burrata, olives, 'nduja and prosciutto. Then choose two pastas to tuck into, with the likes of lamb ragu pappardelle and milk-braised pork and chilli lumachine on the current menu. For mains, there's a whole-roasted fish and a half smoked chicken, served with veggie sides. And, because no meal is complete without dessert, you'll get both tiramisu and Neapolitan ice cream sandwiches brought to the table, too.
If Bondi is a trek, you can also experience the banquet at Totti's newer Rozelle location.
Cost: $90
THE APOLLO, POTTS POINT
Long-standing Potts Point favourite The Apollo is serving up a modern approach to Greek food. The stylish, always buzzing taverna serves up a Hellenic menu amusingly titled The Full Greek ($70), featuring favourites like taramasalata, the magnificent saganaki, pita bread, cucumber salad and oven-baked lamb shoulder with lemon yoghurt. For dessert, there's filo pastry accompanied by semolina custard and rhubarb.
The only thing missing from this Greek experience is some ouzo — which you can easily add for an additional fiver.
Cost: $70 plus $5 for ouzo
CONTINENTAL DELI BAR BISTRO, NEWTOWN
Known for its canned cocktails and delicatessen spreads, Newtown's Continental Deli also offers an unmissable Chef's menu for $85 a head.
Nab a spot in the Australia Street restaurant's romantic dining room and treat yourself to a combination of highlights from the bistro's menu. While what's on offer is constantly changing, you can always expect to start with an array of snacks and charcuterie from the deli like gildas and Nardin White anchovies. Following this, the mains can go a few different ways, from roasted cauliflower puree with broccolini and fried egg to roast lamb rump. Just arrive without expectations, order yourself a mar-tinny and leave it up to the chef. Perfect.
Cost: Chef's menu $85
COLOMBO SOCIAL, ENMORE
Part of Plate It Forward's collection of charitable and always tasty venues, Colombo Social gives back by providing employment, training and hearty meals to those seeking asylum in Australia. Its pair of set menus are perfect for groups looking for an all-out Sri Lankan feast without dipping too far into their savings.
The Amma's Favourites ($80) banquet includes soft shell crab tacos, beetroot bhajis and saganaki with kithul treacle, plus your choice of curries paired with a mix of sambals and hoppers. Or there's the even more affordable Vegan Delight Menu for $65.
If you're more in the mood for chicken kyiv and cabbage rolls, Colombo Social's Ukrainian sibling venue Kyiv Social has an equally impressive $79 set menu.
Cost: $65–80
Jason Loucas
LONGSHORE, CHIPPENDALE
This one's for all the snackers and the seafood lovers out there. Longshore, the stunning Chippendale diner from Hartsyard's Dot Lee and Jarrod Walsh, boasts a $90 snack-tasting flight. The four-course set menu runs through ten dishes including pickled red spot whiting, raw tiger prawns, grilled margra lamb ribs and charred octopus skewers. You can also pair your flight with a glass of wine from the restaurant's impressive drinks list — ask the fantastic staff for a recommendation, they're happy to help you create the perfect combo.
Cost: $90
Top image: Totti's by Nikki To