Best places to eat in Parramatta, Sydney

Andrew Levins heads west in search of Arabian nights and Indian feasts.

Honey Persian Restaurant

It's all about the rice. Parramatta's best Persian restaurant serves up hot skewers of chicken and slow cooked lamb shanks but everything's overshadowed by the colourful grains of rice that accompany the meat. Most dishes come with a side of bright yellow and buttery saffron pilaf, but splurge a few extra bucks and get the bagala polo rice with broad beans and dill as well.

32/55-67 George Street, Parramatta, 02 9893 7686, honeyrestaurant.com.au

Temasek

Parramatta's most famous restaurant has been offering some of Sydney's best Malaysian and Singaporean cuisine for well over a decade. It's great for a solo lunch laksa and even better for a group dinner of Singapore chilli crab – big bowls of crab covered in a bright red spicy sauce that's good enough to dip bread into (and luckily that's exactly what's served alongside.)

71 George Street, Parramatta, 02 9633 9926

Pho Pasteur

This long running Vietnamese comfort food spot is hidden beneath the enormous Parramatta Westfield and is the perfect antidote to a long day getting lost in retail. Vietnamese staples such as pho and sugar cane prawns are a-OK, but Pho Pasteur really excels at the grilled meat options with rice or vermicelli noodles – especially the thin pieces of beef wrapped around pieces of onion.

137 Church Street, Parramatta, 02 9635 0782

Manaeesh Bakery & Pizza

Almost every Western Sydney suburb has a decent manoosh joint, the perfect place for a breakfast or lunch of Lebanese pizza. Try these fluffy discs of dough dusted with a mix of za'atar and olive oil, wrapped around fresh vegetables or as laham ajeen – a "Lebanese meat pie" that's topped with mince, tomatoes and spices.

95 Macquarie Street, Parramatta, 02 9891 5219

Circa Espresso

Good coffee in Parramatta is almost as rare as good cafe food and Circa Espresso has the best of both of them. Start with a cold drip Artificer coffee and move on to either well done cafe standards (the baked eggs with sujuk sausage are a hit) or to more adventurous fare like a neatly pan-fried barramundi fillet with a Middle Eastern influenced side of vegies.

21 Wentworth Street, Parramatta, circaespresso.com.au

Courtney's Brasserie

This Parramatta institution offers a very good degustation but it also caters for anyone after something a little lighter for lunch. You'll find some of the best parts of Courtney's locally sourced menu in a changing salad and sandwich menu that you can eat at the bar. A salad of cuttlefish with ginger and lime is just $15, as is a heartier sambo of confit pork, red cabbage and tomato relish.

30 Charles Street, Parramatta, 02 9635 3288, courtneysbrasserie.com.au

The Emporium

This multi-level restaurant, bar, bakery and coffee roastery is good for a takeaway coffee 'n' toast, a five-course degustation dinner and pretty much everything in between. An all-day brunch menu boasts a confit duck reuben sandwich while dinner tops that with maple glazed beef short ribs, pickled turnips and salsa verde.

51 Phillip Street, Parramatta, 02 9687 1955, theemporiumparramatta.com.au

Haveli Indian Restaurant and Sweets

Parramatta's closest neighbour is the vibrant suburb of Harris Park, home to almost all of Sydney's best Indian restaurants. A stroll down Wigram Street at any time of the day is a feast of the senses, with a seemingly endless line of decent Indian spots vying for your lunch money. Need a good all-rounder? Head to Haveli for a great range of curries, tandoor and sweets.

67 Wigram Street, Harris Park, 02 9635 0110, havelirestaurant.com.au

Taj Indian Sweets and Restaurant

The best spot to go to when you feel like eating all the Indian snacks. Hit up the pani puri for some crunchy puffs filled with chickpeas and tamarind water, or get behl puri if you feel like a plate filled with puffed rice, chopped vegies, spicy crackers and a mint sauce. Taj do a mean selection of North Indian and South Indian thali trays if you're looking for something more substantial.

91 Wigram Street, Harris Park, 02 9633 2118, tajindianrestaurant.com.au

Chatkazz

Chatkazz is a massive restaurant that feels like the Indian Australian answer to an American family restaurant chain like Applebees, except they actually sell awesome food and menu is completely insane – classic Indian dishes are served alongside bizarre (and delicious) takes on Western snacks such as club sandwiches and pizza. This might be the most fun vegetarian eating experience in Sydney.

4/14-20 Station Street E, Harris Park 02 8677 0033 chatkazz.com.au

The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2017 is on sale in newsagents and bookstores, with all book purchases receiving free access to the new Good Food app.