Maybe it's the weather or maybe it's my age, but I'm finding myself increasingly drawn to the charms of a long lunch. Gone are the days when you'd meet your friends at 9pm for dinner and drinks before dancing the night away; in its wake is the irresistible urge to sit alfresco (preferably water-side) with your nearest and dearest for a 2pm lunch that rings long into the evening hours (followed by a prompt 10pm bed time).
If you – like me – have also felt this pull to lengthen your lunches along with the growing daylight hours, then you're in luck. As a now-seasoned long luncher, I have plenty of Sydney restaurants to recommend for such an occassion – most of them tried and tested by yours truly to gauge just how cheerful the vibes are, how shareable the plates are, how affordable the wines are and how close they are to the nearest body of water or freshly-mown park for a bit of post-lunch apricating.
1. South End (Erskineville)
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Open for lunch: Saturdays and Sundays from 12pm
South End is the talk of the inner west at the moment – having only opened its doors a few weeks ago. It's tucked into a corner shop on the quieter end of King Street (just a stone's throw from St Peters station if you're commuting), and has that charming wine bar / bistro feel that was lacking in the area. On the menu is a thoughtful, Mediterranean-leaning spread of small plates (venison crudo, potato rosti, Port Arlington mussels) and delicious wines. They do lunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 12pm, and while they do take walk-ins, we'd suggest booking ahead, especially for larger groups as it's a relatively small number of table tops.
2. Chiswick (Woollahra)
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Open for lunch: Every day from 12pm
Chiswick is delightful at any point in the day – but even the servers will tell you (or at least, they told me when I arrived for dinner one evening) – "you'll have to come back for lunch so you can take a walk through the garden". And of course, they're right. The restaurant is set amongst a stunning, pruned garden, sprawling lawns and a vegetable and herb patch that they forage from for the menu. But even in the heat of summer – just looking at that magnificent greenery is enough to set the mood (from the safety of an aircon-ed room of course). The food is incredible, the wine list will please even the snootiest amongst your group, and if you manage to snag a booth, you'll be cushioned enough to settle in for at least a few hours.
3. AALIA Wine Room (CBD)
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Open for lunch: Tues–Fri from 12pm
Located in Martin Place in the heart of the CBD, AALIA Wine Room is the two-hatted little sister to AALIA Restaurant, and serves up seasonal Middle Eastern and North African share plates at their relaxed lunch services. Split over two levels, the space is designed to sit seamlessly alongside its considered wine program (they offer 235-label wine list and 31 wines by the glass), and lends itself perfectly to both group bookings, business lunches or leisurely catch ups.
4. Club Fontana (Redfern)
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Open for lunch: Saturdays from 1-4pm
One of Redfern's hidden gems is Club Fontana – a Mediterranean (albeit Italian-leaning) restaurant upstairs on the main drag of Redfern St. They do lunch on Saturday from 1pm where you can mop up steaming plates of pasta with arguably the best garlic bread in Sydney (it's simply oozing with garlic butter). The ricotta is also a fan favourite here – so it's best you order that too.
5. Homer (Cronulla)
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Open for lunch: Friday–Sunday from 11:30am
I was lucky enough to head to Homer when it first opened and I lament every day that I don't live closer by so that I can revisit at least once per week (at least I can now make their koulouri at home). The new Greek restaurant has an industrial fit-out that's light and bright, with ample outdoor seating for those good weather days where a sea breeze is mandatory. Lunch is available Friday through Sunday from 11:30am – and the menu has all the Greek classics and then some. Their most-ordered dish is the Spanakorizo (now listed in Delicious Magazine’s Top 25 dishes of 2025).
6. Catalina (Rose Bay)
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Open for lunch: Every day from 12pm
Its impressive location on the Rose Bay harbour is just the beginning of the experience you will have at Catalina in Rose Bay. They're open for lunch every day from 12pm, so you can enjoy long lunches that stretch into sunset, and champagne shared over the water any day of the week. You'll get to select from an incredible suite of dishes in a sort of build-your-own, seasonal set menu. Their summer menu just kicked off, and isn't to be missed. Particularly the trout crudo with green curry sauce – perhaps one of the best things I've ever eaten in my 29 years.
7. Cibaria (Manly)
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Open for lunch: Every day from 11:30am–3pm
An all-day Italian precinct set in Manly – you can really pick your poison here: aperitivo? long lunches? late-night gelato? Check, check, check. You're situated right across from the Manly esplanade, so sea views are ample – and if you're bringing an extra-large group they'll set you up nicely with a table that stretches almost as far as the view. The menu here changes seasonally, but there's always a great selection of seven housemade pastas on their SPAGHETTERIA menu.
8. THEECA (Darlinghurst)
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Open for lunch: Every day until 3pm
There's something so enticing about the corner occupied by Theeca in Darlinghurst – its long wooden tables stretching the length of the restaurant, often spilling out into the street. You'll need to start your long lunching early here (they close at 3pm and reopen again for dinner). But seeing as they do breakfast, you can start as early as you'd like! A 10am–2pm long brunch sounds ideal if you ask us! If you're extra keen, there's also a newly minted Happy Hour running from 3:30–5pm from Thursday till Sunday too.
9. Bistro Red Lion by Manu (Rozelle)
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Open for lunch: Friday–Sunday from 12–3pm
Rozelle has ample long lunching spots, but Red Lion is one that we love. The menus leans toward seasonal French cuisine, and we'd suggest opting for a table on their balcony overlooking Darling Street for incredible views and vibes. Lunch happens from Friday till Sunday from 12pm until 3pm. The decor is simply stunning, and those cosy booths are perfect for cozying up in for at least a few hours.
10. Berts (Newport)
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Open for lunch: Every day from 12pm–3:30/4pm
Bert's is the kind of restaurant you make the commute for – a bar and brasseries in Newport channeling the grand hotel dining rooms of the 1930s. You'll find sunshine, seafood, and champagne in spades, alongside a menu of shared Mediterranean dishes and an extensive wine list curated by group sommelier Franck Moreau MS. They do lunch from 12pm, Wednesday through till Sunday. Perfect for overlooking the blue waters of Pittwater.
11. Fratelli Paradiso (Potts Point)
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Open for lunch: Every day from 12pm
Potts Point locals will know that nowhere does long lunching as well as Fratelli Paradiso. Set in the leafy Paris quarter of the suburb, dining curb-side here is a right of passage, and the perfect excuse to spend hours making your way through real-deal Italian food and imported wine. They're open for lunch every day of the week (from 12pm) and Sundays are BYO. Bookings are recommended, but walk-ins are always accepted too.
12. Sean's (Bondi)
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Open for lunch: Friday–Sunday from 12pm
Since 1993, Sean Moran's beach-front restaurant in Bondi has been a haven for long lunchers – offering lunch on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from midday. To keep thing simple, they serve a 3-course menu. They're vegetarian friendly, and have gluten free options, which makes it super easy to please everyone in the lunch crowd. And their comforting home–style food is the perfect chow for a lingering sitting.
13. Dear Saint Eloise (Potts Point)
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Open for lunch: Friday–Sunday from 12pm
I have personally done a few long lunches at DSE and its location set amongst the laneways of Potts Point is primo for a gathering of your nearest and dearest. They do lunch Friday through Sunday from 12pm onward. For smaller groups, grab a table out front for ample snacking, aperitivos and people watching. For larger groups – book ahead and hope you get placed in the side room where they'll often open up the french doors out to the neighbouring tree-lined courtyard. The set menu here is flexible for dietaries, relatively affordable and there's no minimum spend on alcohol either.
14. Porcine (Paddington)
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Open for lunch: Friday–Sunday from 12pm-4pm
This hatted spot in Paddington's Oxford street serves up some of the city's best and most authentic French fare – from Pâté en Croûte to Mille-Feuille. It's cosy farmhouse-style atmosphere comes complete with a fireplace-laden dining room – aka the perfect for those rainy day long lunches where you want nothing more than to be tucked away inside.
15. Baba's Place (Marrickville)
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Over in Marrickville, Baba's Place has all the makings of a hidden inner west gem – except it's quickly earned cult status way beyond its home neighbourhood. Housed in a converted industrial warehouse, the space is kitted out in kitsch furniture and trinkets, with the kind of flair that feels plucked straight from the home of an eastern European grandmother. The menu is similarly eclectic, paying tribute to a range of cuisines and cultures, through mouth-watering dishes like BBQ chicken with toum and house pickles, or cucumbers spiked with sesame, burnt shallot, and shiso.
16. Emma's Snack Bar (Enmore)
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When you're dining with a big group, it can be easy for the bill to get a little out of hand. For an option that's a little more wallet-friendly, but definitely not short on great food and even better vibes, why not look to Emma's Snack Bar? The inner-west venue has been serving up fresh, authentic Lebanese fare for more than 50 years, and has the loyal clientele to prove it.
17. Mr Wong (CBD)
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With capacity for 200 people at a time, there's a reason Mr Wong has become a go-to for group bookings. But beyond the venue's epic proportions (which still manages to feel moody and ambient, despite its vastness), the venue is home to some of Sydney's most-loved Cantonese food. Headed up by chef Dan Hong (who's also behind Ms Gs, Lotus, and El Loco), platters of dumplings, duck pancakes, and deep-fried ice cream make for the perfect sustenance for your next long lunch.
Feature images via Club Fontana and Theeca.
