15 of the best spots for seafood in Sydney (and beyond)

From high-end omakase to wharfside fish and chips, here are 15 of the best spots for seafood in NSW from The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2023.

Bar Elvina, Avalon

This breezy, white-washed bar and restaurant was welcomed with open arms by locals when it opened in 2020. Its sunny terrace and Spanish archways are reminiscent of a Mediterranean taverna, a vibe bolstered by the seafood-forward menu. Flinders Island scallops arrive hot in their shells, bathed in bright-green seaweed oil and dotted with nori pesto, while the sweetness of grilled king prawns is tempered by wasabi butter which also comes in deliciously handy for dipping fries. barelvina.com.au

Charcoal Fish, Rose Bay

Chef Josh Niland's mission to make us consider seafood's unending potential continues at this polished reimagining of the local chicken shop. The star here isn't chook, of course, but consciously farmed Murray cod – simply grilled in fillet form, crumbed and fried in a burger, or hot off the spit on a crusty roll with crackling skin, stuffing and gravy made from the offcuts and bones. Yellowfin tuna, meanwhile, makes a convincing stand-in for beef in a fast-food-style cheeseburger. There's no takeaway joint in town quite like it. charcoalfish.com

Cirrus, Barangaroo

If the timber dinghy floating above your head doesn't put you in a maritime mood, the seafood that parades through this sleek dining room soon will. With Brent Savage at the helm, this isn't your standard fish cafe, and the chef's smart-yet-understated style is highlighted through cubes of raw tuna huddling beneath creamy miso with yuzu-kosho, ready to scoop up with a tapioca and kombu crisp. Meanwhile, curls of squid are poached in a lemony butter sauce that's both lively and comforting. cirrusdining.com.au

Eaton Chinese, Ashfield

This inconspicuous neighbourhood restaurant might be an answer to the late-night XO pipi problem Sydneysiders have faced since Golden Century shut up shop. Pulled live from the tank, inspected tableside and quickly wok-tossed with your choice of sauce, Eaton's version is up there with the best. The live seafood selection is choice all round, in fact, so also consider splurging on ginger-shallot lobster.

Fish Butchery, Waterloo

In the heart of industrial Waterloo, in a long, gleaming room, customers watch chefs fillet, bone and dice myriad ocean treats for take-home dinners or to eat right there and then on weekends. The audibly crunchy fish and chips (perhaps mirror dory, maybe nannygai) is unquestionably Sydney's best, but specials of Australia's greatest seafood are the real treat. Barbecued King George whiting from Victoria's Corner Inlet, say, or Murray cod chorizo and chimichurri rolls. fishbutchery.com.au

Fish Shop, Bondi

Despite its name, this convivial dining room just off Bondi's main drag isn't just a fish-focused affair – although there's plenty on offer, from tuna tartare to barbecued sand whiting with salsa verde and lemon. The cool-as-ice local is a celebration of everything pescatarian and there's plenty to love about a snacky chunk of AP Bakery sourdough slathered with aioli and mussels, or the bowl of tender calamari lazing in a pool of aromatic garlic oil. Those looking for a more casual al fresco feast will find it at sibling Fish Market next door. fishshop.com.au

Margaret, Double Bay

Neil Perry oversees a mighty roster of the country's finest produce, wood-fired, roasted and dressed to become the most delicious version of itself. Split a steak between two and go big on the seafood – coral trout punched up with XO butter; grilled King George whiting shiny with hojiblanca olive oil; tuna tartare turbocharged by gochujang. The menu is thrillingly long, the service polished, and the soft-lit dining room eminently comfortable. margaretdoublebay.com

Moxhe, Bronte

A little card on the moodily lit table lists key producers such as oyster farmer Steve Feletti, saffron growers Terry and Nicky Noonan, and NSW miller Craig Neale. It's a quiet statement of intent by Belgian-born owner-chef David Coumont, who runs this wine-lined neighbourhood restaurant with a focus on sustainable seafood and visits to the fish market every morning for inspiration. Settle in for either a four-course (Tide Pool) or eight-course (Deeper Dive) menu. Ker-splash! moxhe.com.au

Ren Ishii, Ramsgate

Luke and Stephanie Phillips run a warm, friendly, modern Japanese restaurant with a cocktail bar inside, and street-side seating outside. Key to their offering is sushi chef Yoshinori Fuchigami, whom the pair met when working at Rose Bay's Catalina years ago. His nigiri is first-rate, and even the more contemporary dishes have that moreish blend of acidity and richness. Kingfish crudo, for instance, tumbled with crisp nashi pear, seaweed and flying-fish roe in a sharp miso vinaigrette. renishii.com.au

Saint Peter, Paddington

Book now. Reservations fill quickly for Josh Niland's tasting menu of Australia's best seafood, and with news that he and wife Julie are moving their flagship to Paddington's Grand National Hotel in early 2023, months are ticking to enjoy the intimate original site at its height. After six years of gill-to-fin cooking and spruiking the delicious complexity of dry-aged fish, Niland's current seven-course dinner might lead with Murray-cod-liver parfait before King George whiting marinated in champagne vinegar. Also note the a la carte lunch menu with oysters galore. saintpeter.com.au

Scottie's, Newcastle

This institution has been serving Novocastrians for the past 70 years, and the corner site has never looked better. A recent interior redesign meant it was out with the crab pots and in with a handsome fit-out of dark timber, marble and neutral colours. It's a calming place to sit and inhale a rust-red bouillabaisse-style soup teeming with mussels, rock cod and fat king prawns. Families drop by during the day for fish and chips and crumbed calamari, while young couples visit at dinner for yuzu margaritas and a decadent little lobster and sambal sandwich. scottiesbeachhouse.com

Valentina, Merimbula

Val's, as it's known, occupies an enviable spot on the Merimbula promenade overlooking oyster beds, bobbing boats and the odd passing pelican squadron. It's not a restaurant trading on its view, however, with a beautiful, muted and curvaceous room providing the setting for excellent food. Incredibly fresh snapper tartare is weaponised with wasabi cream, while lightly pickled mussels escabeche is covered with crunchy, smoky 'nduja – a dish in itself worth the visit. Much of the menu is seasonally sourced from the surrounding cold, clear waters. valentinamerimbula.com

Woy Woy Fishermen's Wharf, Woy Woy

Every coastal town needs a good fish and chipper and Woy Woy doesn't disappoint. Step past the booming takeaway kiosk and into a smart dining room where floor-to-ceiling windows reveal frolicking pelicans and ducks nose-diving under bush-fringed waters. An expansive menu covers the best parts of the sea – fish tacos cut with a crunchy slaw and chilli-ginger sauce, snapper ceviche, pipis in XO, and mussels plumped up in a spicy tomato and parsley-flecked broth. woywoyfishermenswharf.com.au

XOPP by Golden Century, Haymarket

Past and future are as one inside this wonderfully wacky building, which looks like its wrapped in spun sugar. Robot waiters roll past tables set with old-school lazy susans, delivering dishes to the circular, light-filled dining room, and the menu is split into "Cantonese Classics" and "Modern Twists". The former features the restaurant's namesake pipis – those world-famous, wok-fried molluscs – tossed through thick garlic-heavy XO and served on crisp noodles that soak up the sauce. Straight-from-the-tank coral trout, snow crab and lobsters are plentiful, too. xopp.com.au

Yoshii's Omakase, Barangaroo

If you're into the moment of bliss a perfect mouthful of nigiri can provide, or just like to sit at a beautiful spotted-gum counter and put yourself in the hands of a sushi master for two to three hours, the lofty price ($350) at this 10-seater is entirely justified. Ryuich Yoshii is dedicated to the pursuit of pristine seafood, and his sushi procession – maybe kingfish belly, ume-licked bonito, kombu-marinated baby whiting and squid scored to bloom like a flower – is as good as it gets. crownsydney.com.au/yoshii-omakase

The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2023 magazine is available for $9.95 from newsagents, supermarkets and at thestore.com.au.