The restaurant scene in the Parramatta area has been increasing rapidly in recent years, with the CBD here currently being one of the second-largest commercial centres outside of Sydney.
It’s the bustling centre of Greater Western Sydney, with a thriving nightlife and a long list of outstanding dining and drinking options. It has a younger atmosphere because it is a university town, but it also caters to the swaths of young families that dominate the neighbouring suburbs. This means that in Parramatta, cheap meals and serious gluttony reign supreme.
If you’re still worried about eating outside, the city is continuous monitoring the instruction from the NSW Government as the health, safety, and wellbeing of the community is the main priority.
With that being said, if you’re staying in a Parramatta hotel, here are some of the best places to satisfy your different food cravings in the city:
1. Chefs Gallery Parramatta
Chefs Gallery is one of the best escapes from the chaos at the bustling Westfield Centre. Since 2010, the team here has been banging out fantastic flavour pairings and is behind a number of prominent locations in Sydney’s Asian culinary scene, serving modern, creative Chinese and Asian-inspired meals.
Crispy honey eggplant that melts in your tongue and crowd-favourite duck pancakes drenched in hoisin sauce are on the menu which is a must-try.
2. Temasek
The hugely popular Malaysian cafe situated into a small pedestrian alley in central Parramatta avoids frippery and frills because they would only serve to distract you from the flavours in your bowl, which deserves your full attention.
The beef rendang will soothe all those grumpy people who return from a Malaysian vacation only to complain that nothing compares to what they had there. Do you enjoy laksa? Their creamy noodle soups are famed for being closely packed with two types of noodles (egg and rice), deep-fried tofu wedges, fresh bean sprouts, and big prawns.
3. Husk & Vine
The emergence of a higher-end dining alternative in Parramatta, like Husk & Vine Kitchen & Bar, is massive news: it’s the kind of fancy restaurant the area has been waiting for, reaffirming the suburb’s image as being ‘on the move’ and contributing to the city’s westward revitalization.
The restaurant is on the ground floor of Skye Hotel Suites, the suburb’s first five-star hotel with luxury boutique apartments, and its clientele includes locals looking for something more upscale than Neil Perry’s Burger Project next door, as well as international visitors doing business in Sydney’s second CBD.
4. Pho Pasteur
Good pho has the power to resurrect you from the dead. Just a little history, Mr and Mrs Pham, who arrived in Parramatta as refugees in the early 1990s, have perfected this simple Vietnamese cuisine.
Pho Pasteur recreates a wide range of classic Southern Vietnamese foods, including the iconic noodle soup, which is filled with herbs and spices and a selection of tender beef cuts for their house special but can also be made vegan using soy chicken, which is a pleasant novelty.
5. The Coffee Emporium Restaurant & Bar
What started as a vision in Blacktown has grown into a city-wide coffee business. The exposed brick Emporium Restaurant is the crown gem of the business, located in a gorgeous courtyard in Parramatta under fairy-lit Jacaranda trees.
It serves up upscale modern Australian cuisine, like Tasmanian salmon poke bowls and brunch favourites like smashed avocado and feta on sourdough. The silky wild mushroom risotto is a must-try, and if you have room, a crunchy burnt-butter cheesecake is a must-try.
6. EL Phoenician
El Phoenician serves standard-setting Lebanese in a swanky setting, and the weekend belly dancers (who, fair warning, will urge you to join in) do Middle Eastern in a pleasant, welcoming way. It’s not too traditional, and it incorporates local influences by serving light seafood meals like tomato-soaked sizzling prawns alongside succulent, delicate kebab options.
El Phoenician’s dip variety, which includes smoky baba ganoush and silky grape leaves, is outstanding—a must-have for any Lebanese eatery.
7. Harvey’s Hot Sandwiches
Harvey’s Hot Sandwiches has joined Sydney’s booming sando scene. A nostalgic, Grease-era American diner will also be opening in the new Parramatta Square neighbourhood, featuring made-to-order trademark subs offered simply (with mustard and swiss cheese) or messy (with Russian dressing, swiss cheese and coleslaw).
The Muffuletta, which is made with ham, salami mortadella, Harvey’s olive spread, Swiss cheese, and provolone cheese is our favourite. You might think that it’s too much, but that’s how things are here. Isn’t it true that there’s a Nutella fountain? Yes!
8. Bay Vista Dessert Bar
Love sweets? Bay Vista is the best place to go for dessert. It’s a sugary powerhouse straight out of a Roald Dahl novel, with a 44-page menu chock-full of whipped cream and chocolate sprinkle-covered decadence. It has a very family-friendly ambience, but if you can secure a table, it’s a great way to conclude the evening.
The Inca Gold and Africa Wild ice cream bowls are great show-stoppers, and we recommend them if you don’t mind falling into a food coma.